The Queen and I
By Sue Townsend
An interesting example of a novel that in many ways isn’t that good, but has that ’something’ that makes you want to read on. Not because you need to know what happens, as in thrillers, but more because it’s just fascinating! The idea is that a new Prime Minister comes to power (do they have power?!) and de-thrones the royals. The entire royal family is sent to a naf council estate somewhere. It becomes an offence to treat them as royalty. The press aren’t allowed access to them, etc. They are made to live on benefits, and have to relinquish most of their wealth. And it’s the royal family we know and love (or not love, in some cases) even Princess Di, as this was written in 1992.
Just like with Adrian Mole, she makes lots of comment on the ’state’ of some people on low incomes/benefits: damp houses, paper-thin walls, crime, drugs, etc. But she also emphasises the closeness and friendship of those on the estate. The difficulty a lot of them had being ‘heard’ by the benefit offices, or the police, or the government, was eye-opening. I know it to be true; the hassle my sister has had trying to claim benefits recently (due to her accidents) – nightmare. The whole family KNOWS she is entitled to money that ‘those in power’ are fiddling her out of. It’s so frustrating. She can’t win. We’ve been to the offices with her, and written letters, and we can’t win either!
Anyway, the page-turning stuff is just wanting to see what the Queen will do next when she doesn’t have enough money to buy food… or what Charles is up to in a shell-suit, having grown a ponytail!
I won’t give it away, but the ending really lets the book down, imo. I can think of a couple of ways to end it that would really have improved it, but I’m sure she had her reasons!