Queenie

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She was very inconsistent: sometimes she was bold, sometimes she was meek, or rude, or selfish, or selfless… I feel like Wilson wasn’t entirely sure who her character was, and made a mis-mash of her depending on the situation. I didn’t feel like I truly knew Elsie. Book number 10 of my 2021 pledge! Yes, guys and dolls for the first time in history I have fulfilled my Goodreads pledge, after a number of flop shows!!!! Fitzmaurice, Rosie (14 September 2020). "Comedy Women in Print Prize 2020 winners announced". Evening Standard. As well as winning many awards for her books, including the Children's Book of the Year, Jacqueline is a former Children's Laureate, and in 2008 she was appointed a Dame.

This book is set in 1953 and it tells the story of Elsie Kettle, who lives with her dear nan in a council flat. She has no dad and her promiscuous mum is nearly always working faraway, but Elsie doesn't mind because she loves her nan much more. One day her nan falls ill with tuberculosis and is taken away to hospital, and Elsie has to grow used to her mum being around again. But then Elsie develops TB too, and before long she is in hospital herself, strapped up with a leg splint. Will she ever see her nan again... and what will be of their long-anticipated trip to see the Queen's Coronation together? We are transported to England in the 1950’s, only a few short months before Queen Elizabeth’s II coronation. Even though the book was made out to be about the coronation/Queenie the cat, it did feel at some points that they were side-lined for more repetitive plots. I’m not too sure how I feel about the Queen turning up at the hospital either. So, Queenie is one of Wilson’s historical fiction’s: something that she truly shines in (which is reflected by how many she’s brought out in the last decade!). As well as winning many awards for her books, including the Children’s Book of the Year, Jacqueline is a former Children’s Laureate, and in 2008 she was appointed a Dame.

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She is lonely there and struggles to make friends, but there is someone she truly cares about… Queenie, the ward’s cat! Jacqueline is also a great reader, and has amassed over 20,000 books, along with her famous collection of silver rings. Her mother is estranged from Elsie and does not see her daughter that often, as she is usually away on jobs or with a boyfriend. When she visits or stays at home for a short period of time, she often brings her boyfriend, or 'uncle' with her, which displeases Nan a great deal. When she goes to the children's hospital, her ability for telling stories eventually makes the other children warm to her, although her skill irritates her mother, tires her school teacher, Miss Roberts, and even occasionally bores Nan. During this time she befriends the beautiful hospital cat, Queenie, and a lovely, kind nurse called Nurse Gabriel. Although Elsie eventually has to leave the hospital when she recovers, her mother is still away in Canada with her boss, Mr Perkins, so Elsie ends up going into a childrens' home again, although it is, fortunately, nowhere near as dreadful an experience for her as the last one. Nurse Gabriel comes to visit her, keeping her promise, and Nan eventually recovers. Elsie goes to visit her, overjoyed, and soon they come home, but to a new flat, as Elsie's mother let the last one go. Nurse Gabriel finally sees Elsie one last time, giving her a parting gift - a kitten from a new litter Queenie has had, whom they name Princess. In the bittersweet ending, eight years later, Nan sadly dies, leaving Elsie devastated, but then she is old enough to look after herself. Sixty years on, the Queen is still reigning - and Elsie is still alive, now even older than her grandmother, and she has her own little granddaughter, and is presumably married. She only wonders one thing - will she maybe still be alive to take her granddaughter to see Prince Charles' Coronation, someday? Recently, I had a itching need to buy and read Jacqueline Wilson books—something I hadn’t done in years and years—as she was my favourite author when I was younger, with her stories meaning so much to me.

This book is far too simple for my liking. The beginning was the strongest part, getting to see Elsie’s bond with her Nan, and learn about how TB affected both adults and children in the 50’s, as this was something I didn’t know a lot about.Flood, Alison (26 November 2019). "Debut author of Queenie caps success with Costa prize shortlisting". The Guardian. Then tragedy strikes. Nan and Elsie both fall ill with tuberculosis, and Elsie finds herself whisked away to the children's ward of the hospital. Confined to bed for months on end, Elsie finds it very hard to adapt to the hospital's strict regime. But she invents astonishing ways of entertaining the other children on the ward, and for the first time finds herself surrounded by true friends -- including Queenie, the hospital's majestic white cat. Then tragedy strikes. Nan and Elsie both fall ill with tuberculosis, and Elsie finds herself whisked away to the children’s ward of the hospital. Confined to bed for months on end, Elsie finds it very hard to adapt to the hospital’s strict regime. But she invents astonishing ways of entertaining the other children on the ward, and for the first time finds herself surrounded by true friends – including Queenie, the hospital’s majestic white cat. Finally, Elsie is well enough to leave hospital. But before she does, she has one very special, very unexpected visitor...

I am so glad there was an afterword in the book of what happened later in Elsie’s life, of how she got to live with her Nan again. Flood, Alison (3 March 2020). "Women's prize for fiction lines up 'heavy hitters' on 2020 longlist". The Guardian. I struggled to connect to Elsie as a character. For one thing, I don’t think we are told how old she is. This was an issue for me, because at times she acted very young, and at some points acted as if she was ten/eleven years old. Elsie is taken to a specialist hospital in the countryside with other children with joint problems, some as a result of TB as well.

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Her Mum was, in my opinion unredeemable for running off to Canada with her boss/boyfriend and leaving Elsie to go to foster care (after saying earlier in the book she wouldn’t want that to happen again, as it’s mentioned this was the case when Elsie was very little). It was disappointing that Elsie didn’t make any true friends there, I feel that would have added some much needed development. Nan and Elsie both fall ill with tuberculosis, and Elsie finds herself whisked away to the children's ward of the hospital. Confined to bed for months on end, Elsie finds it very hard to adapt to the hospital's strict regime. But she invents astonishing ways of entertaining the other children on the ward, and for the first time finds herself surrounded by true friends - including Queenie, the hospital's majestic white cat.