“It’s an entire world of just 64 squares. I feel safe in it. I can control it; I can dominate it. And it’s predictable. So, if I get hurt, I only have myself to blame.”
At the age of 8, Beth Harmon finds the janitor playing chess in the basement of the orphanage when she goes down to clean erasers. Fascinated by what he is doing, she keeps coming back and watching the game until she convinces him to teach her how to play. In a very short period of time, she not only learns, but masters the game, beating him just about every time. However, just as she gets to the point where she is being taken to play chess outside the orphanage, she breaks into the pharmacy room to get some of the tranquilizers that they stopped giving the children. As a result, chess is taken away from her … until she is adopted.
I was looking for an audiobook to listen to and saw that The Queen’s Gambit was available. I had heard a bit about is due to its Netflix show popularity. I decided to check out the audiobook through the Libby app and see what the book was about. I didn’t know much except that it had to deal with chess.
Soon after Beth is adopted, the couple split up and Beth stays with the woman. After Beth wins a chess tournament and shows her adopted mother the prize money, they both see a way to survive without a man to support them. Beth has her sights not just on being the U.S. champion, but also facing the chess champions in Russia. However, along the way, she has to face the demons that first started haunting her at the orphanage in the shape of little green pills.
I really enjoyed listening to The Queen’s Gambit. It’s a fascinating coming of age story about a chess phenom who has very few people to guide her in life outside of chess. She falls to several addictions and has trouble keeping relationships. The book deals with a few heavy topics, so it is definitely for adults. I don’t know if I’ll watch the Netflix show any time soon, but I am curious how they brought the story to the screen.
Do you know how to play chess? (I do a bit, but my daughters can beat me.) Share in the comments!
Buy The Queen’s Gambit here (affiliate link).
