If you were the ruling monarch of a country, would you make time for your favorite fantasy novels? The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett is a humorous, biographical fiction novella featuring Queen Elizabeth II and her journey through reading literature for pleasure. The Uncommon Reader was a delightful, fantastical spin on the life of the beloved late Queen.Â
The novella starts with a funny little anecdote: “It was the dog’s fault.” This sets the tone for the rest of the book. When the Queen’s corgis decide to take a different route and drag her over to a little mobile library parked somewhere nearby Buckingham Palace, the Queen feels that it is her obligation to buy a book from this little library collection. Up to that point, she had only read out of responsibility and royal duties, but because of a simple walk with her dog, she discovered a whole new world of possibilities. As she begins her journey through literature, she finds that her view of the world has changed drastically. With the newfound obsession with reading books for pleasure, she is acquainted with a young man working in the royal kitchens who feeds not only her meals but dreams that do not coincide with the drab routines of her role as the royal monarch. This causes panic among the royal staff that brings forth very funny dialogue and consequences for the country at stake. The question is, will the queen neglect her duties as a royal in pursuit of a good book, or will she do what her people demand of her?
Bennett does a fantastic job at bringing together humor and the love all readers have for the worlds we bury ourselves in when we get stuck in a good book. When we read, sometimes it’s hard to pull away from the words that captivated our attention, and Bennett beautifully displayed that in the character of the Queen every time she hides from her staff to read a book she’s enjoying or annoys her husband when she tells him every little detail of her current read.Â
My favorite line from this book made me realize the significance of books in our lives. “The appeal of reading, she thought, lay in its indifference: there was something undeferring about literature. Books did not care who was reading them or whether one read them or not. All readers were equal, herself included.” You might read occasionally or not at all, but for all of those readers out there, you know that every time you pick up a book, you’ll learn something new or notice something you hadn’t noticed before. Like the quote said, books don’t need to be read, but when they are, there is a new lesson to be learned every time. That’s what makes it so thrilling. Through the lens of humor, Bennett created a world that taught us how to fall in love with books all over again. I know I did.
I was well and truly captivated by the narrative that Bennett created. With this relatable, laugh-out-loud, joyous piece of fiction, it was easy to imagine what it would have been like if the Queen had chosen reading for pleasure over her queenly duties. If you’re looking for a quick, easy, fun read, this is the book for you.Â
