Review of ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ by Walter Tevis

I enjoyed the TV series based on this book, but I was hesitant about reading it. Reviews said there were a lot of chess games described, and although I know the basics of chess, I’m not very interested in the game. My experience of the book was just as I expected – I found the chess descriptions rather tedious to read, but the explorations of isolation and substance abuse are similar to Tevis’ science fiction novels, The Man Who Fell to Earth and Mockingbird. The writing style is that artless realism found in some American writers of the late 20th century.

Set in the 1950s and 60s, the story follows Beth Harmon, who grows up in an orphanage, addicted to the tranquilisers they give her. Her best friend is Jolene, a worldly older black girl never to be adopted. When the janitor teaches Beth to play chess, it becomes clear she is a prodigy and later on, her adopted mother, who is an alcoholic, takes her to chess tournaments where the prize money funds their expenses. Beth aims to be the best, but she finds herself increasingly cut off from everyone and dependent on substances.

Beth is an intriguing character, single-minded and resourceful, not inclined to interact with people unless she has something useful to say. She has no interests other than chess, pills and drink, but she does like to eat boiled eggs. We could interpret her as autistic but I don’t know if the author intended her to be. As well as a commentary on isolation and genius, the book has feminist leanings as Beth navigates the prejudice she faces as woman in a man’s world of grandmaster chess. She is a contrast to Jolene, who from an unpromising beginning, progresses to higher education and a career, staying away from tranquilisers. When the two women meet after years of separation, it’s clear that Jolene has the brighter future. What Beth is to do after becoming a champion at her young age, is a question left unanswered.

First published in 1983.