160,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ 

Late Night Thursday! Our Hobsonville Bookstore is open until 9pm tonight! ✨

Queen High

Thrilling dystopian follow up to WIDOWLAND
3.92 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 25 ratings, 4 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Queen High by C J Carey is set in a dystopian alternate history where Britain is under authoritarian rule. The story follows the journey of a woman who works for the oppressive government but begins to question her beliefs and the regime itself. As she becomes entangled in a web of political intrigue and personal discovery, she's forced to confront the realities of power and her role in a controlled society.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Queen High. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by alternate history mixed with suspenseful intrigue. Set in a dystopian Britain where censorship and control dominate society, it offers a complex narrative about resistance, power dynamics, and unexpected alliances. This gripping tale will captivate fans of speculative fiction and those who appreciate stories of courage against oppressive regimes.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Thrilling dystopian fiction from the acclaimed author of Widowland. Perfect for fans of Margaret Atwood.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
A GUARDIAN, TELEGRAPH AND FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR

Britain, with the wrong Queen.

1955. Britain remains a Protectorate of Germany. The assassination of the Leader on British soil provoked violent retribution and intensified repression of British citizens, particularly women. Now, more than ever, the Protectorate is a place of surveillance and isolationβ€”a land of spies.

The royal family has been usurped, and the widowed Queen Wallis reigns in their place. Yet some citizens hold out hope that Elizabeth may one day return.

Rose Ransom marvels that she's even alive. A mere woman, her role in the Leader's death has been miraculously overlooked. Her work now focuses on the outlawed subject of Poetry, a form of writing that transmits subversive meanings. Therefore, all Poetry is banned and Rose is appointed a Poet Hunter.

President Eisenhower is to make a state visit to Britain, and Rose is tasked with visiting Queen Wallis to brief her. She finds Wallis in a state of paranoia, desperate to return to her American homeland. She claims she has a secret document so explosive that it will blow the Protectorate apartβ€”should she dare to reveal it.

Praise for Queen High

'Begins with a bang' CLARE CHAMBERS

'Full of twists' RED

'A gripping thriller' BEL MOONEY

'Exciting and provocative' OBSERVER

'Thrilling, subversive' JANE HARRIS

'A triumph' AMANDA CRAIG

'Enthralling' THE SUNDAY TIMES

'Ingenious' SABINE DURRANT

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Queen High by C J Carey has been described as a gripping and chilling dystopian thriller with a vividly imagined alternate universe. Reviewers highlight its brilliant creation of a detailed world with telling references to contemporary politics, and they praise the strong, relatable heroine. The book is noted for its compelling twists, satirical undertones, and a thought-provoking exploration of themes such as the power of women and literature to instigate change. Its sequel status to Widowland is deemed not only successful but even more engaging, offering insights into escape from tyranny.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529412079

Publisher: Quercus Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 11 May 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Quercus Publishing

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 32.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 432

About the Author

C. J. Carey is a novelist, journalist and broadcaster. She has worked at the Sunday Times, the Daily Telegraph and the BBC, among others. She also writes novels under the name Jane Thynne and lives in London. Widowland is the first novel she has written as C. J. Carey.

More from Sci-Fi & Fantasy

View all
  • New Release
    Other Worlds Than These
    I wanted to go back to Mid-World, which was always the Territories by another name - Stephen King This is Stephen King and Peter Straub's epic and unforgettable finale to the Talisman Trilogy (including the novels The Talisman and Black House) and a wrapping up of the fate of the worlds in King's iconic, fiercely beloved Dark Tower epic. It...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Sixth Nik
    New Release
    The Sixth Nik
    Daniel Kraus, 2026 Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Angel Down and soon-to-be-a-film Whalefall, returns with The Sixth Nik, a galaxy spanning, genre-blending scifi literary horror, for fans of Ursula K Le Guin and the Alien franchise. Deep into space, far past the triworld outposts, beyond range of the lethal trollbot internet, soars The Sickness: a ship woven from biomatter and capable...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Massif
    New Release
    Massif
    Caught me a mountain Rode it to the stars It's business as usual for Ship Leader Parnell Shi-Sawahla and the crew of the corvette Sassafras. Ride a Massif to a new system, fight the enemy, repeat. For more than two hundred years, humans have been hitching rides on these sentient, starfaring mountain ranges, colonising planets and exporting an on-again, off-again...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer
    New Release
    He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer
    He Who Fights With Monsters: Adventurer Book Two in Shirtaloon's wildly popular LitRPG series. The path from retail middle management to interdimensional wizard adventurer wasn't easy, but Jason Asano is settling into his new life. Now, a contest draws young elites to the city of Greenstone, competing for a grand prize. Jason must gather a band of companions if he...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Scion
    β€˜Scion’ is an electrifying sci-fi thriller that follows a contract killer tasked with protecting a scientist from assassination, only to find himself in the crosshairs. My name’s Azure. I kill rich idiots for a living. All completely legal, of course, even if it does still make the old-fashioned crowd a bit uncomfortable. Once the ultra-wealthy realised they had a way...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Project Hail Mary
    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, the SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of The Martian, offers a gripping new adventure in hard science fiction. With endorsement from notable figures such as Barack Obama and a slew of five-star reviews, this novel promises a thrilling and intellectually stimulating journey. Ryland Grace, a lone astronaut, finds himself on a...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    (5)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Strength of the Few
    The highly anticipated follow-up to The Will of the Manyβ€”one of 2023's most lauded and bestselling fantasy novels. The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am. But with all that has happenedβ€”with what I fear is comingβ€”I am not sure it matters anymore. I am no longer one. I won the...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Red Rising
    The first book in the incredible New York Times bestselling series Darrow is a Helldiver, toiling beneath the surface of Mars. As a member of the Red caste, he performs grueling labor in the belief that his sacrifice will enable future generations to one day inhabit the surface of the Red Planet. The Reds are humankind's lowest caste, living in...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Crossroads of Ravens
    THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON RETURNS... Every legend has an origin - and Geralt of Rivia's begins here. In this brand-new chapter of Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher series, follow Geralt in his earliest days as a Witcher, as he faces monsters and humans alike. Discover the untold stories and encounters that shaped the iconic character known today. Crossroads of Ravens brings readers into...
    Paperback
    $2899
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Wind and Truth
    The long-awaited explosive climax to the first arc of the Number One New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive. Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson sees Dalinar Kholin challenge the evil god Odium to a contest of champions with the future of Roshar on the line. The Knights Radiant have only ten days to prepare, and the sudden ascension of the...
    Paperback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Ministry of Time
    One of the 18 best novels of the year for the Sunday Times A book of the year for the New York Times, Guardian, Independent, Evening Standard, Spectator, Red, NPR, Vanity Fair, People, Slate, Advocate, Sydney Morning Herald, Globe and Mail, Den of Geek, Good Housekeeping, Goodreads, NetGalley and Smithsonian Magazine 'A sparkling delight' Observer 'Make room on your bookshelves...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    (2)
    Backorder
    Ships mid November
  • Assassin’s Apprentice
    Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb marks the beginning of an extraordinary adventure in the rich and immersive world of the Six Duchies. Set against the backdrop of a kingdom teetering on the brink of civil war, this gripping tale introduces readers to FitzChivalry Farseer, a royal bastard whose existence threatens the stability of the crown. When the crown prince's secret...
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 160,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy lists from the team

Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!