How ‘Queenie’ Challenges Mental Health Stigma and Racial politics
This novel is a powerful illustration of the ubiquity of racial microaggressions, and the overbearing stigma surrounding mental health
Trigger Warning: Dubious consent, sexual violence, self-destructive mental health issues, racism, and mentions of child abuse and body-shaming.
Universally coined as the “black Bridget Jones,” Candice Carty-Williams’ debut novel Queenie is a powerful illustration of the soul-crushing trauma of a breakup, the shocking ubiquity of racial microaggressions, and the overbearing stigma surrounding mental health.
Now, more than ever, we have needed a novel to shine light on, as Diana Evans described “the damaging reductive stereotypes, born of slavery and colonialism, that surround black women’s bodies, sexuality and psychology.”
Racial Microaggressions
The widespread uproar caused by the racially provoked murder of George Floyd, alongside the pervasive media coverage of protests, solidified that white people need to be more actively involved in fighting racism.
For years, many individuals were either ignorant or living in denial of our country’s problematic racist history. And as the Black Lives Matter movement continues to bring racial injustices to the forefront in the mainstream media, now more than ever, it’s clear that we need to educate ourselves on experiences unlike our own as a non-black person.
Whilst one can never truly understand what someone else’s experience of marginalisation is like, books are one of the most informative and insightful ways to explore black history, culture and everyday life.
Queenie’s journey throughout the novel serves as a potent reminder of how rife racial minimisation is within British society. Aged 26, our eponymous character feels her idea of a “normal” life is starting to unravel. Heartbreak, pain and frustration pervade the narrative: a break-up with no closure from her ex-partner, pitches rife with passion routinely discarded by her boss at a newspaper agency and shockingly abusive sexual encounters with men.
Elements of racial exoticism frequently manifest themselves amongst the men in Queenie’s life. There’s the BMW driver, addressing her as “big batty”, who describes sex with a black woman as the “forbidden fruit” or the philanderers she met at a party who gave her internal bruising. What’s the most shocking part about this is her frequent use of humour as escapism, exclaiming her annoyance at “men calling me confectionery” as they tell her she “tastes like chocolate.”
As readers, we can see the racial degradation so frequently in our character’s life that even the mere mention of a character’s name creates fear and dread. And the startling fact is this is reality.
Carty-Williams blends the dark humour with a poignant exploration of black womanhood and black British life, opening up the conversation for real topical issues. The first person narration made the experience so vivid, highlighting just how emotionally destructive racial discrimination can be.
When reading this, you should ask yourself, “why are you constantly yearning for a positive outcome for Queenie?” and “what does that say about our modern society?”
Acute Mental Health Stigma
Alongside this acute social commentary, the novel also paints a harsh picture of the stigma that comes with mental health disorders and seeking treatment. This book focuses on the stigma within the Caribbean-British community where even the mere discussion of mental health brings shame for the family.
The austere indifference towards a potential decline in mental wellbeing was particularly striking in the following quote.
“Queenie I’m Ugandan, you think anyone in my family is allowed to say they need help. You bury that s*** and move on.”
It is clear Queenie’s family love her dearly throughout the novel. However, this stigma is so imbedded within their culture it, unfortunately, causes a rift between her and them.
Yet mental health stigma appears in other destructive forms, particularly from her ex-partner guilt-tripping Queenie for her emotional disconnect (a common symptom of depression).
“I’ve gone to make it for you…don’t be so ungrateful.”
As a consequence of this gaslighting, our protagonist then lets this guilt consume her, eventually feeling like a “burden” to her own friends. Reading this section, in particular, can be quite distressing. These descriptions can feel very intense if anyone has endured similar personal experiences with a self-critical mindset or emotionally manipulative individuals.
However, through such a heart-wrenching insight into a person’s mental struggles, Carty-Williams successfully starts the conversation surrounding the benefits of counselling and the importance of opening up to loved ones. Even if there is still a lot of stigmas attached to it, causing rifts across different generations and cultures, this quote from Queenie’s grandad becomes a beacon of hope for more open-minded attitudes regardless of age, race, gender.
“Maybe if all ah we had learned to talk about our troubles we wouldn’t carry so much on our shoulders.”
A Slightly Underwhelming Ending
Whilst this story is a powerful fusion of important themes, the story falls apart in its final execution. I couldn’t help but feel unsatisfied at the end of the book. After facing a torrent of physical and emotional abuse, all the horrific incidences of racism, all of Queenie’s mental challenges — and the book just ends.
It could have been a better conclusion to our protagonist’s personal arc if we had seen maybe the long term benefits of counselling and opening up about her mental health. This would thus send out a strong message that gradually, your pain will ease despite it seeming all-consuming at the time. Yet, without giving too much away, much of Queenie’s pain is still present.
The argument can be made that this is an accurate reflection of how recovery journeys can be arduous and seemingly endless. However, a more fulfilling ending could have benefited the narrative and overall messages much better.
Nevertheless, this book is still a must-have for your bookshelves. Carty-Williams gives readers an authentic outlook of modern British life closely tied with themes of race, gender and mental health. If you are looking to educate yourself further about our history or looking for a fresh portrait of self-discover — Queenie is definitely one we should be hailing.
