“Books are not about passing the time. They’re about other lives. Other worlds. Far from wanting time to pass…one just wishes one had more of it”

The Uncommon Reader is not what I expected. English author Alan Bennett explores the idea that after decades of strict and dedicated public service, Queen Elizabeth II discovers the joy of books. The Queen quickly becomes an ardent reader and royal protocol takes the backseat. While the story is clever and the lines poetic, I didn’t find Uncommon particularly engaging or witty. In fact, I had a difficult time finishing this peculiar novella. When I eventually did reach the last page, I was disappointed in the ending. While I appreciated the story’s themes regarding the importance and impact of reading, this “book about books” left me unsatisfied. 

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: 1 religious exclamation, 1 mild obscenity, 4 scatological words and 1 f-word derivative

Violence/Gore:  Implied occurrence of violence.

Sex/Nudity:  A few sexual references are made.

Mature Subject Matter:

Homosexuality, foreign and domestic relations

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None