The Queen of October

by Shelley Fraser Mickle

A New York Times Notable Book. When Sally Maulden is sent to her grandparents in Coldwater, Arkansas, she believes that she's too boring to be loved. But in this small town she finds love from unexpected sources. "Bursting with warmth. I didn't want it to end."--Chicago Tribune.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

308 pages, Paperback

First published August 31, 1989

Reviews

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the October choice for one of my online book clubs and is probably better suited to a younger reader as it is a coming-of-age book (in my opinion) but I enjoyed it. The story began on a fairly depressing note--a girl thinks that her parents are divorcing because she has done something wrong--and it goes on to hold some of that depression throughout the book but is also laugh-out-loud funny at times, improves well, and travels through the lives of interesting people with real and imagined problems.
Once finished, I was glad that I read this one.

[Amy]

Annotation
When 13-year-old Sally Maulden is sent to Coldwater, Arkansas, to stay with her grandparents she makes the best of her situation--never giving in to self-pity. Sally is a humorous and practical-minded young lady with a grand story to tell.
From the Publisher
When Sally Maulden is sent to her grandparents in Coldwater, Arkansas, she believes that she's too boring to be loved. But in this small town she finds love from unexpected sources.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl is sent to live with her grandparents. This is a delightful and easy read book.

[Tim Nason · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ Charming, gentle and engaging tale of thirteen-year-old Sally Mauldin’s nearly two-year stint living with her grandparents in a small town in Arkansas. Sally navigates her way through a motley of vivid characters, overcoming a series of emotional disappointments along the way, emerging strong and self-assured. A delightful romp set in 1959-1961 or so. Four stars only because the author substitutes humorous situations in places where intense feeling is expected.

[Treasure Island Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant coming-of-age story. It's a little hard to believe that Sally's strict grandmother would be so lax as to let her hang out with an older man who stayed drunk most of the time, but who am I to judge? Maybe that's how things were in Cold Springs. My favorite character was Sally's grandfather who invented an inside medicine and outside medicine to cure all ills.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure exactly how I feel about The Queen of October. The main character is 13 going on 25. While she's certainly interesting and opinionated, I never developed any real feeling for her whatsoever. The book isn't badly written--it's just difficult to describe.

[Rebecca Konik · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Queen of October

A year in the life of a teenager during her wonder years, her why? Years. Very good story told of the awkward teenager

[Claudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Girls Mind

This book didn’t engage me; I almost stopped reading it when it dragged. A young girl whose parents are divorcing has strange thoughts and a vivid imagination.

[Beverly B. Bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good for a summer read.

Brings back many memories of coming of age. All the characters are believable as where the situations of life in the South.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm

Parts were delicious. Parts not. Over all a pretty good book to read if you’re from that part of the world and I am. ☺️

[Michelle Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

Year in the life of a teen in 60’s south.

[Chelsea Berry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmmm.... 3.5 stars.

I liked this book. It was a fairly slow moving coming of age story about both the protagonist and the town she is living in going through a lot of changes.

[Audrey (Warped Shelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. 2.5
RTC

[Jane P. Carbone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

Well done!
Hard to believe that this is a first novel. Good writing, excellent lead character!
I was a little unclear about the ending, but still loved it.

[Samantha Syracuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

- A coming of age story that reminded me of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

Liked best: Mickle writes similes describing things/people/feelings with more uniqueness, accuracy, and potency than any I’ve read outside of poetry.

Liked least: Throughout, we understand the angst between the lines; unspoken parts in coming of age novels are their most human and endearing qualities. Why end, then, by pointing out the obvious? Let us be left reading between the lines.