The Queen in Hell Close

by Sue Townsend

Whether in the guise of a 13 3/4-year old adolescent, a transvestite PM or the Queen reduced to living on a council estate, Sue Townsend has been brilliantly satirizing British life for more than twenty years. Penguin published all of Townsend's hilarious Adrian Mole books and The Queen in Hell Close is an extract from The Queen and I, a brilliantly acerbic take on a Royal Family in dire straits.

Genres: Fiction

57 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Susan Lillian "Sue" Townsend was a British novelist, best known as the author of the Adrian Mole series of books. Her writing tended to combine comedy with social commentary, though she has written purely dramatic works as well. She suffered from diabetes for many years, as a result of which she was registered blind in 2001, and had woven this theme into her work.

Reviews

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the series of slim novellas/extracts Penguin brought out to celebrate 70 years in 2005. This is an extract from ‘The Queen and I’ which I now need to get, as this has wet my appetite. Britain has rid itself of the royal family and the Queen and family are now applying for benefits and living on a dodgy council estate.

[Pegasus & Chrysaor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and still manages to seem modern. Good inclusion of sections from the larger work; multiple characters/family members covered in funny detail. Highly recommend.

[Coenraad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Queen has fallen on hard times, not explained in this extract, and experiences poverty. She buys broth ingredients which she then cooks herself, has to pay half fare on the bus for her corgi, and is followed by a plainclothes policeman cursing his luck. We see a deliriously happy gardening Charles, Harry on his first day at the council estate school, Diana grinning and bearing it, Anne fixing a troublesome washing machine. Nothing exceptional - except for the characters involved. Sue Townsend creates a juxtaposition that gives us a fresh new look at the world as we know it.

Sue Townsend satiriseer die moderne samelewing deur die Britse koningsgesin in 'n arm omgewing te plaas. Die Koningin moet smeek om 'n maatskaplike toelaag, terwyl Charles hom gate uit geniet in sy tuintjie. 'n Vreemde, vars blik op die wêreld.

[Phillippa Mills]

brilliant