Sorry, Ma'am

I, like many people, have often looked at the Royal Family during state functions or PR opportunities, as they shake hands with complete strangers and do their best to be interested in what they have to say, and thought to myself "What are they really thinking?".  Finally, in 'Gin O'Clock' by the Queen of Twitter, we might find out.

'Gin O'Clock' by The Queen
(of Twitter) (Hodder, 2012)

Following in the ink blots of her illustrious ancestress Queen Victoria, HM Elizabeth II has decided to publish her memoirs.  But, being a modern queen in modern times, rather than writing them in a leather bound journal, she's made full use of the latest technology, tweeting her thoughts to her adoring subjects.  (At last we know what she keeps in her handbag - a smartphone complete with Twitter ap!).  'Gin O'Clock' is a collection of her messages from December 2011 until June 2012, a time of weddings, visits and - if this is to be believed - an awful lot of wild parties and fried breakfasts.

I bought this book last year because my reading was getting far too serious and I wanted something to cheer me up.  Like more than a million other people, I'd followed @Queen_UK and found the quips funny enough to want to read 'Gin O'Clock'.  After all, I've read several books based on blogs, some of which I've really enjoyed.

Unfortunately, I don't think the humour really translates.  In losing it's immediacy and context in the big news of the day, I think the satire has lost it's edge.  I found myself scrabbling around in my memory trying to recall what was going on at the time, which didn't help really.

Also, after a while some of the jokes also wore a bit thin.  Nick Clegg's colouring in, Prince Edward's campness and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall's interesting fancy dress choices also lost their sparkle after about 100 pages.  That's why it's taken me so long to read it (probably about eight months).  I found the best way to enjoy it was to put it down long enough to have forgotten the running jokes.

I also found the structure rather annoying.  Each part starts with a tweet, which is then covered in more detail.  Trouble is that a few lines in the tweet is often repeated as part of the prose, so something that was funny when first read becomes irritating very quickly.

'Gin O'Clock' does have its very funny moments and unlike some satire it's not really mean or cruel, more cheeky and upbeat.  Unfortunately there weren't quite enough for me.

So I guess we'll just have to keep wondering what is going on in the heads of our Royal Family.  Or at least hope that Her Majesty is as gracious and loving as she says she is and I don't end up writing my next post from the Tower...  It's been nice knowing you!