Book review: Queuing For the Queen

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Happy paperback publishing day to Queuing For the Queen by Swéta Rana!

More about the book…

One queue. 250,000 people. Twenty-four life-changing hours.

A young boy wearing a cereal box crown, impatiently dragging his mother behind him.

A friendly man in a khaki raincoat, talking about his beloved Leeds United to anyone who will listen.

An elderly woman who has lived her life alongside the Queen, and is just hoping she’ll make it to the end of the queue to say goodbye.

And among them, a British Indian mother and daughter, driven apart by their differences, embarking on a pilgrimage which neither of them yet know will change their lives forever.

Full of secrets and surprises, this uplifting novel celebrates not only the remarkable woman who defined an era and a country, but also the diverse and unique people she served for so long.

More about the author…

Swéta Rana was born into a Gujarati family in Birmingham, and now lives in south London. She studied Philosophy and Theology at Oxford before doing a Master’s in Publishing at UCL. After working briefly in editorial at Orion, she moved into designing and managing commercial websites.

Swéta has enjoyed writing ever since she was a child, always taking any opportunity she can to write fiction pieces, film reviews, or articles on Indian culture. Queuing for the Queen is her first novel.

In her spare time, Swéta takes Hindi language classes, sings soprano in a chamber choir, and volunteers for a mental health charity.

My impressions…

Published as a paperback today, this is a book that will make your heart swell with emotion! When I was a teen, Queen Elizabeth II, looking out of an Italian, glossy magazine, made me fall in love with an entire country. She represented different things to people of different generations and different background, and this novel is a tribute both to her and everyone who looked up to her. The gentle and beautiful storytelling made me smile and tear up, sometimes both at the same time! Bound by threads of love and hope, this is a heart-warming tale about community and a sense of unity.

Three words to describe it. Tender. Uplifting. Emotional.

Do I like the cover? Yes, it’s gorgeous.

Have I read any other books by the same author? No, this is her debut novel, and she’s one to watch!

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