Mrs Queen Takes the Train (edition 2012)

http://www.cozylittlebookjournal.com/2013/05/mrs-queen-takes-train-by-william-ku...
Adorable! I read this book and listened to the audiobook at the same time (not the exact same time, I switched back and forth) and I loved them both so much. That's high praise from me because I rarely like an audiobook as much as a book and can be very critical of poor narration. But Simon Prebble captured the nostalgic feel of the novel perfectly.

In the book, Queen Elizabeth II is feeling nostalgic for her days on the HMY Britannia (the Queen was famously said to have wept at its decommission ceremony in 1997) and decides to "go under cover" to slip her royal guard and visit it once more. But the whole story--and the narration--left me feeling nostalgic for...well, I'm not sure what for, actually. I'm not British, I've never been in any situation even remotely like what's described in the book, and I'm not sure what exactly I was reacting to this way. But there's something about the sweetness of the story, the comforting diction of the narrator, and the delightful overall tone of the book that made me feel comforted and wistful. Maybe it was the deckle edge pages.*

Or maybe, just maybe, it left me feeling nostalgic for something that every Canadian who grew up in the 90's probably remembers: Scott Thompson's portrayal of the Queen on Kids in the Hall. If you haven't seen it, I've included a video on my blog. I couldn't find the Kids in the Hall skit I was looking for, in which the Queen goes to a laundromat and claims, "I just came to do me laundry!" so instead here's a clip of the Queen "Commoner Outreach." Enjoy!

*A note on deckle edge: The hardcover edition of this book (which I received through a giveaway on LibraryThing) has a deckle edge. You've probably seen books like this but may not know the term for it. It just means the pages are not cut smoothly and evenly (or "cut edge," like most modern books) but instead are cut to create a rough edge when the book is closed (like many antique books). It used to be that a deckle edge was unavoidable because that's how all book pages were cut and smoothing the edges with a knife was an extra step that raised the cost of the book. But with modern book making techniques, a deckle edge is no longer a by-product of old fashioned bookmaking so much as a nostalgic affectation. Deckle edges are created artificially by machine. There's a great article about it in The Economist here.

Disclaimer: I received a free (print) copy of this book from the publisher/author through the LibraryThing Members Giveaway program. I was asked to post an honest review (though not necessarily a favourable one). I borrowed the audiobook from my local library's digital collection. The opinions expressed are strictly my own. ( )

I truly wanted to love this but alas it didn't live up to my expectations. The Uncommon Reader by Bennett was much more fun. ( )

I picked this up after reading a positive review from one of my friends here on Goodreads (Yes, Melinda, you) and am pleased to say I enjoyed it quite a lot.

It's a unique story that's for sure - Queen Elizabeth II impulsively sets off on a train journey across the United Kingdom whilst feeling sombre and during the journey reflects upon her life and comes to a few realisations.

It's good to see more books touching on mental illness (specially depression in this case) which don't typecast the sufferer as "crazy".

Overall, I found Mrs Queen Takes the Train to be a nice easy going read, light and enjoyable with a mix of history throughout which kept it both interesting and entertaining.

( )

Started off charming, but I got a bit bogged down with all the characters (except Rajiv--he was great all the way through). I felt at the end The Queen was sort of channeling Diana, but then, I guess she was meant to have learned from her. A fun read. ( )

This might be my sole venture in 2013 outside of the crime fiction genre. It proved to be a delightful romp, witty and at the same time poignant. The Queen, in an effective although unwitting disguise, sees herself as her subjects see her. Worried that she is "not quite herself" members of her household set out in search for her to prevent scandal erupting.

Meanwhile "Little Bit" is enjoying herself buying cheese and making new friends. Her personal skills stand her in good stead, making conversations with strangers, many of whom think she reminds them on "someone", but can't quite put a finger on it. Perhaps Helen Mirren? one thinks.

The central story is surrounded by insights into the royal household and the problems they face as the Queen ages. ( )