The novel’s structure is bookended by Queenie’s therapy sessions. In the audiobook, the opening session is rendered with Marks’ voice tight, defensive, and fast. The final session, however, is slower, with deeper breath control and a warmer timbre. This sonic arc provides a measurable "healing curve" that is less obvious in print. Additionally, the audiobook preserves the novel’s humorous footnotes and internal asides as shifts in tone rather asides to an imaginary confidante, reinforcing the theme that Queenie is finally learning to listen to herself.
Candice Carty-Williams’ 2019 novel Queenie was heralded as a landmark text for its unflinching portrayal of a young Black British woman navigating mental health, race, sexuality, and systemic microaggressions in London. While the print novel received critical acclaim, the audiobook edition—narrated by actress Shvorne Marks—presents a unique case study in how performance transforms literary voice. This paper argues that the Queenie audiobook does not merely replicate the text but actively reinterprets it, using paralinguistic cues (pacing, tone, and emotional inflection) to deepen the reader’s (listener’s) intimacy with the protagonist’s internal fragmentation. queenie audiobook
Voice, Authenticity, and Intimacy: A Critical Analysis of the Queenie Audiobook The novel’s structure is bookended by Queenie’s therapy