Scan barcode
meghanhines's review against another edition
3.0
beautifully written but just kinda Boring and Fine. i just wanted more about how cordelia impacted elaine - it didn’t go deep enough into the long term impact of that childhood cruelty (which was my fav part because i thought it was so well done and accurate) for me.
the present timeline chapters were all just like… okay. i feel like i coulda done without them tbh but i get why they’re there. so yeah. really enjoyed the childhood chapters, was meh about the present time chapters
the present timeline chapters were all just like… okay. i feel like i coulda done without them tbh but i get why they’re there. so yeah. really enjoyed the childhood chapters, was meh about the present time chapters
champers4days's review against another edition
4.0
Some authors create scenes, images and plot lines; Atwood creates people on the page and infuses them with reality and breathe - and Cat's Eye is a BRILIANT example of this talent.
This book was longer than most of her other works, and Atwood used that length to tell the life story of one woman, Elaine Risley, a provocative painter from Toronto. So much more than a coming-of-age novel, Atwood unveiled Elaine's life, from early childhood to adulthood, through vivid and detailed flashbacks. The author's insight into friendships, group dynamics and aging are frighteningly spot-on.
Atwood also exercised her wonderfully idiosyncratic brand of feminism and religion through Elaine's relationships and artwork. Cat's Eye was an all-encompassing and emotive read that I highly recommend to others!
This book was longer than most of her other works, and Atwood used that length to tell the life story of one woman, Elaine Risley, a provocative painter from Toronto. So much more than a coming-of-age novel, Atwood unveiled Elaine's life, from early childhood to adulthood, through vivid and detailed flashbacks. The author's insight into friendships, group dynamics and aging are frighteningly spot-on.
Atwood also exercised her wonderfully idiosyncratic brand of feminism and religion through Elaine's relationships and artwork. Cat's Eye was an all-encompassing and emotive read that I highly recommend to others!
bibliohound1's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ribbonreuben's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't my favorite Margaret Atwood work. While it was well-written, I didn't connect with it very much.
kelly_jeanne's review against another edition
4.0
An uncomfortable read, especially for this over-40 reader, but artfully crafted.
wellreadarielle's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ken121592's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
syan22's review against another edition
My first Atwood, so I really didn't know what to expect. What I got was a chilling and confronting read... I was literally so spooked and speechless when Cordelia threw Elaine's beanie off the bridge. Children can be so, so, so nasty. There's a lot of touching moments, like the memories of Stephen and meeting Ben... meeting Ben was only a page long but it was like a breath of relief and hope after you read about the tumultuous and failed relationship with Jon.
A great mix of retrospection and introspection - a great deal of lines were underlined and then pages dog-earred because of the profound effect they had on me... the haunting impact of Cordelia, the recurring object and motif of the cat's eye marble, suppression of traumatic memories as a method of coping, using self-mutilation (lip biting, chewing up cuticles/fingers) as a method to tether yourself to the present... wow. And the parts about Elaine talking about how she, as a mother, would desperately look for the signs of her daughters being tormented.... heartbreaking. So many messages and things implied. Sometimes, some things don't need to be explicitly stated. This adds to the chilling effect that I got from this.
The story-telling is separated by memory and the 'present' and can be disjointed when not done well but it works. There were a few typos in my copy (smh virago) but each sentence was so cleverly crafted and effective in evoking a feeling of some sort. Need some more time to process this.
A great mix of retrospection and introspection - a great deal of lines were underlined and then pages dog-earred because of the profound effect they had on me... the haunting impact of Cordelia, the recurring object and motif of the cat's eye marble, suppression of traumatic memories as a method of coping, using self-mutilation (lip biting, chewing up cuticles/fingers) as a method to tether yourself to the present... wow. And the parts about Elaine talking about how she, as a mother, would desperately look for the signs of her daughters being tormented.... heartbreaking. So many messages and things implied. Sometimes, some things don't need to be explicitly stated. This adds to the chilling effect that I got from this.
The story-telling is separated by memory and the 'present' and can be disjointed when not done well but it works. There were a few typos in my copy (smh virago) but each sentence was so cleverly crafted and effective in evoking a feeling of some sort. Need some more time to process this.
tinitiny's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.25