The Queen and I

By: Sue Townsend

Narrated by: Angela Thorne

Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

When a Republican party wins the General Election, they strip the royal family of everything and send them to live on a housing estate in the Midlands.

Exchanging caviar for boiled eggs, servants for a social worker named Trish, the Queen and her family learn what it means to be poor among the great unwashed. Is their breeding sufficient to allow them to rise above their changed circumstance or deep down are they really just like everyone else?

©1992 Sue Townsend (P)2012 AudioGO Ltd

Critic reviews

"Kept me rolling about until the last page." ( Daily Mail)

"Absorbing, entertaining ... the funniest thing in print since Adrian Mole." ( Daily Telegraph)

Imaginative peek into another reality

If you love the Queen of England as much as I do, you're in for a treat. There are a few of these sorts of stories out there, fanciful stories of QE2 out in the world, living some other sort of life. This one is great. It has Elizabeth, Philip, Charles, Diana, William and Harry as well as Margaret and at least one of the corgis. It's set in the early 90's, and it's not a tear-jerker. If I shed any tears on this book, it was because I was laughing. It's funny, and at least from an American perspective, I think it's respectful. No cheap shots, just a fish-out-of water kind of story. The audio sample gives a very good idea of what you're in for.
The narrator deserves an award or something. She nailed it. The narration brings so much to the story that it takes it to a higher level. I gave the story 4 stars, but I would have given it 3.5 if that were an option, only because the writing actually does get a little weak toward the end. It's a case of.... you create this fantastical situation... now how to you wrap it up? how do you actually end this kind of story. No spoilers, but unfortunately, the writer disappoints a little with her answer to that question. It's literally the only criticism I have of the writing, but it is a necessarily important point.
Having said that, I will look for more work by both the author and the narrator. This was a very fun, lighthearted listen.

Funny as Heck

When I need a laugh, I reread The Queen and I. It never fails to crack me up with each family member adapting to life in the projects according to his natural bent and each Hell Close inhabitant acting wise while being bracingly tacky. Two of my favorite angles were Harris the corgi’s adventures in the hood and how dear, regal Queen Elizabeth kept her dignity and bravely shouldered the responsibilities of her new life. A beloved book and a favorite. Sue Townsend, I wish I could give you a hug for bringing good-hearted hilarity into my world.

Made me smile......in commuter traffic

Two things before I start this review:

1. It will be biased because I ADORE Sue Townsend and everything she writes. I will read and re-read the Adrian Mole series until the day I die. It's just how it is.
2. I commute in HEAVY traffic and am bitchy and cynical during most of this time. Light-hearted does not tend to get me through bumper-to-bumper traffic (my library speaks to this). This book made me smile....in traffic.

Ok, I don't care about character development, plot feasibility, or anything thing else because this book made me FEEL GOOD. However, the characters ARE well-developed and the plot, while admittedly unrealistic, was an interesting concept and was done with respect to both the monarchy and the working class.

This is a sweet, heart-warming story that doesn't over-indulge on the sugar. There is enough dry wit thrown in so the tone strikes a perfect balance. Damn it, if those Brits don't always do humor up right!

Listen to it, laugh, maybe cry and let yourself....FEEL GOOD!

Fabulous!!

If you could sum up The Queen and I in three words, what would they be?

Funny...absorbing....and funny!!!

Have you listened to any of Angela Thorne???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I cannot find any other books read by Angela thorne on Audible!!
She is one of the very best narrators and I have listened to hundreds of your books

from an american perspective

I do read quite a lot of British fiction. This book was an anomoly .... I found the story and dialogue to be boring and a bit sad. The end, however, was very meaningful and a lesson in government that many americans might find instructive at the present time. Would I recommend the listen? No. Did it nonetheless have an important message? Yes.