This time, the review is written by my 13 year old daughter,CHINMAYI.B.S.
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Life is a drama. It is about how we choose to live, about the arising problems in relationships, domestic tragicomedy, ups and downs, why we act, about making decisions-whether right or wrong and is certainly about moving on. A similar thought is given out through one of the most marvellous pieces of fiction- a story- ‘Queenie’. ‘Queenie’ is an English story written by the winner of the Nobel Prize for literature, Alice Munro.
'Queenie' is an honest, intuitive and a beautiful piece of fiction. The book consists of 62 pages of plot, which takes very less time for us to finish reading it, and gives us a panoramic view of what is going on.
Named after the main character, the book is about a woman named ‘Queenie’ (her real name is Lena) who elopes with her neighbour Mr.Vorguilla (Stan as she calls him) only after a week of his wife's funeral. After two years of their marriage Chrissy (our narrator) and Queenie’s step sister accidently meets Queenie while she is searching for a new summer job in Toronto before she starts her career as a schoolteacher. During her stay with Queenie, Chrissy learns that Queenie works in a theatre and Mr.Vorguilla plays music at a restaurant. Chrissy comes to know more about life and fancies about being a part of Queenie’s life.
The first section talks about the present whereas the next takes us to the past. That is quite interesting. At a Christmas party, Queenie forgets where she had kept the cake, it triggers a quarrel between Queenie, and Mr. Vorguilla.But Queenie apologizes to Mr. Vorguilla even though Mr.Vorguilla is wrong. I think it shows the male chauvinism in the society and women’s subjugation to it. The point at which Mr.Vorguilla chokes Queenie for telling lies to him and his question ‘Now, are you going to teach me logic?’ make it clear.
Chrissy gets a job at a drugstore temporarily but she is fired on the very first day. Although the book is about Queenie, the feelings and the thoughts are of Chrissy. It is through her point of view that we understand the story. It tells us about her concepts, her attitude and her interests.
Later Chrissy works at a Teacher’s college where she gets a letter from her father stating that Queenie has eloped again. Even years after Chrissy’s marriage, she gets a Christmas card from Mr.Vorguilla. Her children were grown up and her husband had retired. Chrissy and her husband travel a lot now but she always has an idea that she will meet Queenie some day.
At their last meeting in a supermarket, ‘the woman’(Queenie) smiles at Chrissy with merriment of recognition but Chrissy only stretches her mouth as if to a loony stranger and then keeps going towards the check-out. She repents of it later but it is too late.
The book leaves us many questions unresolved. Queenie’s latest husband, her abode, her thoughts, point of view, her feelings...everything still remains a mystery. ’Queenie’ is, however, a book which is synonymous to the word perfection. The style, the form in which it was written is remarkable. In a few words, this book conveys more. It casts a spell on anyone who reads it. It is a true masterpiece.
Named after the main character, the book is about a woman named ‘Queenie’ (her real name is Lena) who elopes with her neighbour Mr.Vorguilla (Stan as she calls him) only after a week of his wife's funeral. After two years of their marriage Chrissy (our narrator) and Queenie’s step sister accidently meets Queenie while she is searching for a new summer job in Toronto before she starts her career as a schoolteacher. During her stay with Queenie, Chrissy learns that Queenie works in a theatre and Mr.Vorguilla plays music at a restaurant. Chrissy comes to know more about life and fancies about being a part of Queenie’s life.
The first section talks about the present whereas the next takes us to the past. That is quite interesting. At a Christmas party, Queenie forgets where she had kept the cake, it triggers a quarrel between Queenie, and Mr. Vorguilla.But Queenie apologizes to Mr. Vorguilla even though Mr.Vorguilla is wrong. I think it shows the male chauvinism in the society and women’s subjugation to it. The point at which Mr.Vorguilla chokes Queenie for telling lies to him and his question ‘Now, are you going to teach me logic?’ make it clear.
Chrissy gets a job at a drugstore temporarily but she is fired on the very first day. Although the book is about Queenie, the feelings and the thoughts are of Chrissy. It is through her point of view that we understand the story. It tells us about her concepts, her attitude and her interests.
Later Chrissy works at a Teacher’s college where she gets a letter from her father stating that Queenie has eloped again. Even years after Chrissy’s marriage, she gets a Christmas card from Mr.Vorguilla. Her children were grown up and her husband had retired. Chrissy and her husband travel a lot now but she always has an idea that she will meet Queenie some day.
At their last meeting in a supermarket, ‘the woman’(Queenie) smiles at Chrissy with merriment of recognition but Chrissy only stretches her mouth as if to a loony stranger and then keeps going towards the check-out. She repents of it later but it is too late.
The book leaves us many questions unresolved. Queenie’s latest husband, her abode, her thoughts, point of view, her feelings...everything still remains a mystery. ’Queenie’ is, however, a book which is synonymous to the word perfection. The style, the form in which it was written is remarkable. In a few words, this book conveys more. It casts a spell on anyone who reads it. It is a true masterpiece.
