... Having thoroughly enjoyed reading Hubby's 'Queen Camilla' last year the thoughtful guy bought me 'The Queen and I' this Christmas. Either that or he thought he would stop me from reading all his books. Looking at the cover it had plenty of good reviews on it and claims of 'Laugh out loud funny' ... Read review
Advantages: Easy style to read, great characters, some very funny moments Disadvantages: Way over the top
...Hubby's 'Queen Camilla' last year the thoughtful guy bought me 'The Queen and I' this Christmas. Either that or he thought he would stop me from reading all his books. Looking at the cover it had plenty of good reviews on it and claims of 'Laugh out loud funny' and No.1 Bestseller, so what did I make of it?
The Queen and I actually precedes 'Queen Camilla'. It begins in England one April, not so long ago, in fact 1992, when the Queen ... ...asleep, before the final results are aired, she awakes to a republican England. Jack Barker is now the country's leader and the Royal family are to be banished to an enclosed Council Estate in the Midlands. Hellebore Close is to be the Queen's new place of residence, or Hell Close as it is known locally, due to the vandalism of the street sign.
Although I enjoyed this book I did not find at as funny as Queen Camilla. I think part of ... more
Hubby has been a fan of Sue Townsend's many books for just as many years now, but I only began reading them a while ago. Having thoroughly enjoyed reading Hubby's 'Queen Camilla' last year the thoughtful guy bought me 'The Queen and I' this Christmas. Either that or he thought he would stop me from reading all his books. Looking at the cover it had plenty of good reviews on it and claims of 'Laugh out loud funny' and No.1 Bestseller, so what did I make of it?
The Queen and I actually precedes 'Queen Camilla'. It begins in England one April, not so long ago, in fact 1992, when the Queen is laid in bed watching the General Election results. Falling asleep, before the final results are aired, she awakes to a republican England. Jack Barker is now the country's leader and the Royal family are to be banished to an enclosed Council Estate in the Midlands. Hellebore Close is to be the Queen's new place of residence, or Hell Close as it is known locally, due to the vandalism of the street sign.
Although I enjoyed this book I did not find at as funny as Queen Camilla. I think part of the problem was, having read that book first, and the fact that so much with the Royal Family has changed since this book was written. Comical as it was to imagine Prince Charles wearing a shell suit and growing a little pony tail, the fact that Princess Diana was still around, and enough in love with Charles to say he looked Fab, seemed more than a little odd. The Queen Mother, who died supposedly in this book in 1992, of course is also no longer around but only recently died. Remembering her funeral it also seemed more than a little far fetched to visualise her coffin being carried on a gypsy cart by Princess Anne's new boyfriend Spiggy. Princess Margaret is also alive, well and her usual haughty self. Her clicking heels around the estate can easily be imagined. Finally there is poor old Neil Kinnock. Well those of us old enough to remember Neil, will all remember what happened there, won't we? To Quote:-
'The Queen lay back on her crisp linen pillows and wondered who would be kissing her hand tomorrow afternoon, nice John Major or perfectly agreeable Neil Kinnock. She had no particular preference. Both party leaders publicly supported the monarchy and neither was Mrs Thatcher, whose mad eyes and strangulated voice had quite unnerved the Queen at her regular Tuesday afternoon meetings.'
I think that part of the problem is, that this book has soon dated, because of all these changes. However 'Camilla and I' still seemed very pertinent. So I would advise making sure that you read all the books in the correct order.
However, either way, if you want an amusing read this may be the book for you. It has an Alice in Wonderland feel, gone mad. There are many funny episodes but I will not spoil the book for you. Still a taster won't matter, will it?
-Beverley's heart pounded as she spoke. How did you talk to someone whose head you were used to licking and sticking on an envelope?
The locals in Hellebore also struggle to understand their neighbours upper crust accents.
-'Excuse me but would you have an axe I could borrow?' 'An ix' repeated Tony. 'Yes an axe' The Queen came to their front gate. 'An ix' puzzled Beverley 'Yes' 'I dunno what an ix is' Tony said.
Later in the same vein we have:
-'I need an implement of some kind to gain access to my house' 'Arse?' 'House!'
These minor differences between the locals and their new neighbours are very funny, so true of accents and did have me giggling out loud.
So overall if you fancy an irreverent look at the Royal Family, and we English folk in general, have a read of this book and follow it on with Queen Camilla.
ISBN is 9 780141 010878 A penguin books paper back edition. 270 pages First published in 1992. Sue Townsend is an English Author who also wrote of the Adrian Mole books and various plays. As as established writer she writes well in a style of her own.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Thanks for reading (C) Eiley 2008
PS Most of the criteria below does not fit as this is a humorous book.
Advantages: Excellent Comical Read Disadvantages: That there was not a sequel
The Queen and I was first published in 1992, unfortunately I did not get around to reading it until I was 20 and in need of non strenuous entertainment as I was heavily pregnant at the time. The Queen and I is work of the legendary Sue Townsend, a writer with a sense of wit and comedy and is responsible for other comical books such as The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole 13 ¾ and The Cappuccino Years.
I have admired Sue Townsend’s work from an early ... ...had the pleasure of reading and this book was no exception. The story tells of the election of a republican government and its removal of the royal family in to the real world. They are stripped of their wealth and houses and are forced to live like others on benefits within a two bed roomed council house and an elderly person’s bungalow on a council estate in the Midlands named Flower Estate. But their life is not to be a bed of roses, in fact they ...
SexySOS 02.07.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Queen and I - Sue Townsend
Advantages: SUE TOWNSEND Disadvantages: Too many Adrian Moleisms!
...enjoy reading so much, that the minute I have finished, I want to start reading it over again! Adrian Mole was my first introduction to Sue Townsend and her style of writing appealed greatly to me, it was informal, light and reflective or indeed, indicative of 'society' at the time. Reading the Queen and I was a pleasure from start to finish. it charts the fall and fall of the Royal Family, who are moved to a council estate after a Republican Government ... ...Queen manages well, Margaret on the other hand fights tooth and nail) and what it does brilliantly is reflect the inner feelings of the Royal family and the notions that we all have about them...Anne gets on with it and falls for a carpet fitter...Diana, dresses for the challenge, Charles turns his garden into an allotment and has 'never looked happier'. The children (all much younger than they are today obviously) quickly adapt to life on the estate ...
excelsior81 31.07.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Queen and I - Sue Townsend
Advantages: Funny, emotional, get to see a different side of the royal family Disadvantages: NONE!!!!!!!!
The Queen and I by Sue Townsend is one of the funniest books i have ever read. It is about revolutionary government who get rid of the monachy. The whole royal family go and live in a hellish council estate. The idea of this book is pure genius. She brings out all the good and bad points of the royal family. You get to see the members of the family get depressed,and stronger. This book is hillarios. Sometimes i had to stop reading just so i could ...
Sophie_Filan 25.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Queen and I - Sue Townsend
Advantages: It's so funny you'll get a belly ache Disadvantages: It's so funny you'll get a belly ache
...We buy souvenir mugs with the Queen's face on it, attend royal processions to see the royal wave, go "Ooh" and "aah" over how the future King has grown (I mean William, not Charles!)
Now imagine if the Republican Party won the general elections - the royal family booted out of their lavish palaces along with the Queen's corgis. No more precious gems, no more caviar, no more 'Your Majesty', no more fancy hats. What are they going to do? Where are ... ...them if that did happen. The royal family is sent to live in MIdlands, in a council estate dubiously nicknamed ' Hell's Close' by the locals. The Queen tries to pull the family together and makes the best of the situation, but it proves harder than thought. Phillip is sulking over his lost privileges, Charles goes to jail, Diana has the eye for a young chap, William and Harry are roaming in packs and her beloved corgi is hanging out with the local ...
pureblue 27.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Queen and I - Sue Townsend
Advantages: It will brighten up your day without a doubt. You'll never look at the Queen mum in the same way again. You can just imagine her in her council bungalow, savings 50ps for the gas meter. Disadvantages: The poor ending. It actually seems as if Townsend had ran out of time at the end and just think of something at the last minute.
...love Sue Townsend. She has the sharpest wit I have ever came accross, and has had the world in stiches for over 25 years. The Queen and I is a fab example of her clever and observational work, but with one fatal let down.
Not trying to give the ending away, when I was at school my English teacher forever told me not to end a good story in the way Townsend did in this book. Now I can understand why he said that.
But the rest of the plot is blinding ... ...power after TV makers brainwashed the country into voting for the anti-monachy party. The Queen is thrown out the 1st day in power, with the brainwashed public screaming for joy. The goverment immediatly make public transport free, give more benifits out and spend spend spend the money saved by giving the Queen and her family a council house in Hell Close. But with the vaults empty after the goverment's massive spending spree, will the UK have to ...
7sefton 30.06.2001
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After struggling with Number 10, I was reluctant to read this one, however, due to lack of other reading material I picked it up.
Its a follow on from The Queen and I and is written by SueTownsend.
The Republicans have been in power now for 13 years and all is not well. Jack Barker knows the end is nigh, and Boy English is waiting for his chance to get into power. With the introduction of unpopular and unrealistic laws the present government is on its way out. The New Cons are intending to bring back the Monarchy from the FEZ (Flowers Exclusion Zone).
The Queen no longer wants to be queen, Prince Charles won't be King unless Camilla (who continues to upset people throughout the book) can be Queen and Prince William who is 2nd in line is pompously accepting the role, however, a love child emerges and threatens this.
More ...
Advantages: Hilarious, witty, a rollicking good read Disadvantages: Offensive to union jack waving royalists - or is that an advantage??
I was drawn to this book in our local library by three things; I have read and enjoyed SueTownsend's work previously, notably the Adrian Mole series, the title "Queen Camilla" intrigued me and the comical caricature on the cover of Camilla Windsor (or whatever she is called these days!) wearing a crown, with a fag hanging out the side of her mouth. So not the cover pictured on Ciao!
So what is it all about?
It is an irreverent and hilarious look into the (near) future, when the UK has been declared a republic.
The Royal family have been de-throned and exiled to an exclusion zone where they live in Hell Close with petty criminals and the obese. Also banished to the exclusion zone are neds (Asbo Alley), single mothers (Slapper Alley), the obese and anyone else the Government considers "undesirable" or subversive?.anyone pretty ...
Advantages: Bit funny Disadvantages: Not Adrian anymore
I have read and re read many SueTownsend novels including Adrian Mole and the Queen and I. Unfortunately I'm struggling to finish the new novel.
The elements I don't enjoy, the characters don't seem to be lovable any more. Adrian's foibles are irritating rather than endearing Pandora cold and calculating, there was no one in the novel who we wanted to care for. I like the short diary entries of the earlier novels, clear and succinct the longer style of the new novel loses some of the punch.
Serious analysts of this work will state it is a reflection of life people become like that and loses charm of youth and the reader has grown old and bitter. I wanted an Adrian Mole that a could laugh at, sympathise with and above all like. This book was not for me. ...
After some 40 years on the throne of England to be rehoused on a council estate in the Midlands comes as something of a shock to the Queen. In fact it is a nightmare.
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