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The Queen and I
- Narrated by: Angela Thorne
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
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The Queen and I
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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?
Critic reviews
What listeners say about The Queen and I
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Lesley Goodman
- 07-12-18
A little disappointing
Having loved the Adrian Mole books I was looking forward to this. The feeble plot was simply a disappointing dream sequence. Angela Thorne did her best to cover all the characters voices and accents but failed miserably with most. It was in parts excruciating to listen to. All things considered I couldn't in all honesty recommend this book.
7 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Mrs
- 28-04-13
Wasn't sure what to expect
This had been on my list of books I should read for such a long time. I was concerned that it would be in some way disrespectful, even though I am not 'a royalist'. Saying that, it has been really funny in parts, some real laugh out loud moments at the absurdity of it all. I have found myself in the position of the residents of hell close, on benefits with little spare change and could really identify with all of the things people do to manage from day to day, the thought of the Queen and the Royal family doing the same was so funny. I will definitely be buying the sequel.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robyn
- 08-07-13
Laugh out loud and giggle in between!
If you could sum up The Queen and I in three words, what would they be?
Funny Clever Sharp
What does Angela Thorne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
A different slant on voice personality
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
It made me laugh out loud between giggling and smiling.
Any additional comments?
Seriously funny even for a Royalist!
5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- susan smith
- 12-08-16
so funny
Would you listen to The Queen and I again? Why?
would listen again, so much happening i must of missed some bits while laughing!!
great book for light hearted escapism
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lucie
- 27-07-16
Very, very funny
A fabulous idea for a book (I wonder if any of the royals have read it? I would love to know their opinion!) and I still found it relevant and engaging despite my reading it a decade or so after the fact. Great political satire, great characters, despite many being hugely exaggerated stereotypes, this added to the humour and was just right for this book! Love Sue Townsend, no cringe-worthy cliches in her writing, and this is one of her best.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 17-04-16
Great book
I read this book when it was first released and listening to it was great. Well read very funny
4 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Andrew
- 30-06-16
Finished too quickly
Not wanting to give away any spoilers, I felt really let down by the end. It was almost as if the author had reached her required word count and then tried to finish as quickly as possible.
Overall, I felt that the plot had dated quite badly.
That said, on the whole, I enjoyed listening to this book. But I wouldn't recommend it...
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Flint
- 18-10-15
I loved it
I have read this book before and enjoyed it, but listening to the audiobook with the wonderful narration by Angela Thorne made it even more enjoyable. I think this is the best of Sue Townsend's books
3 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Mark Sanford-Wood
- 24-08-15
A big letdown - even for a republican
Oh dear.
The Queen is deposed and sent to live on a council estate. It is an interesting premise with limited scope for development, so where might that lead us. The answer is absolutely nowhere at all. I only continued listening because the work is short and I was intrigued as to how this aimless nonsense would be brought to any sort of conclusion. It is no spoiler alert to bemoan that I had though "It was all a terrible dream" was an ending restricted to books for the under-8s. I found myself feeling embarrassed for the author.
Angela Thorne initially makes a brave attempt to polish the unpolishable, but even she succumbs to lazy stereotyping in accent choice.
The only saving grace is that it is short.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mrs
- 06-07-14
mildly amusing
What did you like best about The Queen and I? What did you like least?
I expected a really funny story but it was rather mundane and although I had one or two smiles,overall it was not that funny.
Would you recommend The Queen and I to your friends? Why or why not?
Its horses for courses, some people may find it more to their taste than I did
What does Angela Thorne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Narration was excellent with different voices and accents for each character
Did The Queen and I inspire you to do anything?
No
Any additional comments?
None
2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amy
- 22-02-14
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!
10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- V. Farley
- 09-04-12
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
3 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Robin
- 30-11-18
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.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Rocket Girl
- 30-11-18
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.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Fontaine Ralston
- 27-01-20
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.
1 person found this helpful