‘Queenie:’ The Biggest Differences Between the Novel and Hulu Series

Note: this post contains major spoilers for the novel and TV show Queenie.

Candice Carty-Williams’ breakthrough novel Queenie is finally coming to TV.

The book, which follows 25-year-old British-Jamaican journalist Queenie Jenkins as she navigates early adulthood following a break from her boyfriend, first hit shelves in 2019, and was a literary breakthrough upon release. Exploring topics like trauma, race and complicated family dynamics, Queenie is a poignant story with an unforgettable protagonist. 

“I’m still yet to see a character like her, which makes me feel sad, in that we should have more of these characters,” Carty-Williams told PEOPLE of her protagonist. “It should be commonplace to see Black women who are making mistakes, and who are learning and trying their best.”

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“But it’s really nice to see Queenie fly the flag of being that Black woman who doesn’t have to be strong in a world that, I think, still demands that we are strong, that we have everything together,” she adds.

The TV adaptation of Queenie stars Dionne Brown as Queenie, Samuel Adewunmi as Frank, Bellah as Kyazike, Tilly Keeper as Darcy, Llewella Gideon as Grandma Veronica, Joseph Marcell as Granddad Wilfred and Michelle Greenidge as Aunty Maggie. All eight episodes will be available to stream on June 7.

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Though Carty-Williams oversaw the series as a showrunner and executive producer, there are some differences between the TV show and novel — read below to learn more.

Queenie’s job title is slightly different

Queenie is a budding journalist working at the London newspaper the Daily Read. It’s there that she begins to form ideas for articles exploring race in the U.K. and beyond, though her exact job title is slightly different between the book and the show.

In the novel, Queenie works in the culture section of the paper, and is always trying to get her article pitches approved by her editor, Gina. In the TV show, Queenie is a social media assistant.

There is a new character introduced in the TV show

The TV series sees the introduction of a new character: Frank, the cousin of Queenie’s best friend, Kyazike.

While Frank is not in the novel, he makes frequent appearances throughout the show. Frank is a supportive figure in Queenie’s life, particularly as she navigates multiple toxic relationships. In the show’s last episode, at Queenie’s housewarming party, Frank and Queenie even share a kiss.

Queenie’s involvement with Guy is revealed earlier in the TV show

One of the biggest plot twists in both versions of the story revolves around Queenie’s friend, Cassandra, and Cassandra’s boyfriend Guy — who Queenie is seeing, not realizing that Guy is taken.

In the novel, Queenie learns about Guy and Cassandra’s relationship toward the end of the book. Their relationship is only revealed when Cassandra arrives at Queenie’s apartment to go out, and finds Guy inside after he slept over.

While Cassandra still finds out about Queenie and Guy in the TV show, she learns the news earlier in the series than in the book. Queenie and Cassandra also do not make amends on the TV show, while they do become hesitant friends again in the novel.

Queenie’s mother’s backstory is explored in more depth in the series

In both versions of the story, Queenie has a fraught relationship with her mother, Sylvie. The Hulu series provides more insight into Sylvie’s background — as a teenager, Sylvie was in a relationship with an older, married man, who then left her. Sylvie gave birth to Queenie when she was a teenager.

Queenie and her mother then lived with Sylvie’s abusive boyfriend, Roy. Roy actively disliked Queenie and even sent her to live by herself in the apartment for a period, before Queenie moved in with her aunt and cousin. Much of Queenie’s conflict with her mother in adulthood stems from Queenie feeling that Sylvie didn’t protect her enough as a child.

In both the novel and the show, Queenie later learns that Sylvie is involved in a court case against Roy. Sylvie gives the news to Queenie, as well as a sum of money that she won from the case, as an apology for the past.

Queenie goes a different route with her job

Queenie’s professional path also differs between the book and TV show. Both versions of the story include a plotline with Queenie’s coworker Ted. The two begin an office romance, but Ted doesn’t disclose that he’s married. In an attempt to cover his tracks, Ted files an HR complaint against Queenie and lies about the circumstances of their relationship. Queenie returns to work once Gina finds out that Ted fabricated the story. 

In the novel, after the HR scandal, Queenie decides to stay at the Daily Read and is given a regular job as a music writer. In the TV show, however, Queenie quits her job at the newspaper in the wake of the incident. It’s revealed that she is in talks with Jasmila, a creative she met at a museum exhibition. Jasmila is excited about a series of videos that Queenie has been making about her family’s history, and asks if she would be interested in collaborating in the future.