Mrs Queen Takes the Train

By: William Kuhn

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

An absolute delight of a debut novel by William Kuhn - author of Reading Jackie: Her Autobiography in Books - Mrs Queen Takes the Train wittily imagines the kerfuffle that transpires when a bored Queen Elizabeth strolls out of the palace in search of a little fun, leaving behind a desperate team of courtiers who must find the missing Windsor before a national scandal erupts. Reminiscent of Alan Bennett's The Uncommon Reader, this lively, wonderfully inventive romp takes readers into the mind of the grand matriarch of Britain's Royal Family, bringing us an endearing runaway Queen Elizabeth on the town - and leading us behind the Buckingham Palace walls and into the upstairs/downstairs spaces of England's monarchy.

©2012 William Kuhn (P)2012 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Critic reviews

"Royal watchers and students of class alike will enjoy this smart, if familiar, tale." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Kuhn does a convincing job of inhabiting the heads of his characters, crowned or not. ... An affectionate, sympathetic but also unstinting look at the woman inside the sovereign." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Enjoyable with deeper meaning

This little book has been languishing in my audio shelf for some time. I'm not sure how I came across it, but I know I bought it on sale. Then I treated it as if I bought it on sale. So it just sat there.

Glad I finally listened to it. I love Brit Lit, I always have. This book speaks to the Queen about ten years after Diana's death, not too long after the death of the Queen's mother and sister, and after the royal jubilee. The Queen is depressed and goes on a little jaunt.

Fully imagined with the household characters (searching for her) as well as some great characters on the train, this is a fun little romp, until - boom - something happens that makes the book very meaningful in the now. It took me by surprise. Loved it and glad I read it right here right now. Read it and wait for it and see if you don't feel the same.

Fun read if you can suspend disbelief

I liked this little book. It's a sweet story. It strains credulity a bit but if you can let go of that you may enjoy it. The Queen of England goes walk-about in a hoodie and meets nice people and has adventures. The nice people are each allowed a back story and the effect of the queen's adventures on their own lives are nicely woven in. The narrator did a nice job. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Boring

Would you try another book from William Kuhn and/or Simon Prebble?

Maybe

Would you ever listen to anything by William Kuhn again?

Maybe

What about Simon Prebble’s performance did you like?

He has a nice voice and does a good job differentiating the voices

Any additional comments?

I got bored and after about 3 hours I gave up and picked a different book.

Just Go With It

Any additional comments?

Mrs. Queen takes the Train is a fanciful and fun romp through the world of "What if..." The story's premise that Her Majesty could simply wander off and disappear is fine if one simply suspends one's disbelief and goes with the flow. The story line is a bit complicated due to the character development. There are a good many back-stories that help the characters be three dimensional, but that leads to some difficulty in keeping track of chronology. The characters are by and large pleasant, and all grow during the story. I found myself rooting for each of them as the book progressed. Mr. Kuhn must have an affection and appreciation for the Queen as he creates a character who is easy to like. I found myself wondering if the real Queen would not rather enjoy living out the tale told about her.
Simon Prebble does a fine job of bringing each character to life with a voice that is easy to listen to throughout the production.

Fantastic Book

Where does Mrs Queen Takes the Train rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best, it is simply good

What did you like best about this story?

The light handed taking on of a myriad of social issues without heavy handedness Realistic and interesting characters that dodge so many stereotypes

Which character – as performed by Simon Prebble – was your favorite?

The queen carried the day, but each and every one was well done, the ability to carry on dialogue with William and Luke and keeping it fully straight, no pun intended

Who was the most memorable character of Mrs Queen Takes the Train and why?

Shirley was oddly engaging

Any additional comments?

The novel is non linear and well plotted and carries itself well

Delightful Story

What a fun story to listen to. Really enjoyed the narration and the plot of the story.

fun and respectful

fun to imagine the royal house and loved that the author was respectful to the queen.

Age appropriate for 65+

If you're over 65, this might be twee and enjoyable. Otherwise, it's plodding, outdated, and simple.
Scratch that, I don't want to offend seniors...over 95, you'll love it.

Charming!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The title is a bit deceiving, though. Yes, the Queen of England does take a train, but the book is really so much more. There are other somewhat major characters in this book. You learn their histories and then see how everyone comes together to make a meaningful story with a beautiful, lovely ending. This is a relaxing book. I knitted or quilted as I listened. A rewarding experience on many levels.

Delightful. Fun.

Simon Preeble makes this wonderful story utterly delightful. I thoroughly enjoyed being with The Queen on her journey. I loved her even more than I already do after reading this fictional tale of her secret outing.