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merissalee's review against another edition
I really enjoyed the first part of the book, but as it moved into an experience of middle school and high school and started to focus on the tenseness of bullying and self harm thoughts , it became too dark for me to enjoy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
caleighlynne's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Finishing a book like this, mostly any Atwood, gives me such a special feeling. Mostly of accomplishment but also wisdom. I feel like I just lived another life after finishing this book. It’s a nice spectacle to see this book finally without my bookmark placed inside the pages.
My favorite character was Stephen. He is very different from my own brother but something about the way Margaret wrote him felt so real and his story was so interesting to me. But the hero of this book was Elaine. Most of the time it was hard to know what she has doing, because although sometimes she described her surroundings or actions. We were mostly shown everything in this world through her thoughts.
This book is perfect for a woman to read. She made me relieve so many things about my childhood I never considered and the impressions they left on me.
The beginning was slow and I almost dnfed it but I kept coming back to her. It was like the whole time I wanted to put it down but I couldn’t. If you read this I really recommend taking your time and reading the words carefully because this is not a quick and easy read in any way.
Cats Eye is so impactful to me. I loved the themes on memory, trauma, relationships, and hometowns. I loved the hometown aspect of this, how the locations of her childhoods greatest and worst events cause her to remember even the things she tried so hard to forget. Cordelia was such an annoying character but she was so real. The bullying and little quartet of girls was just so real. The representation was so real. Everything was perfect.
Another thing was Elaine’s father. This was super minor but meant a lot to me. I found is so interesting that even forty years ago when this book was published Atwood was already warning us about our treatment of the planet and the creatures on it. I loved how because this book was set in the early-ish 1900s we saw a piece of the past that doesn’t get shown a lot. I love reading about characters from a time without cell phones to fill their spare moments, or even social media to compare themselves to. They only had one another and that was hard but made everyone quite different if that makes sense.
If anyone reads this sorry this review is splotchy. If you are a woman, or perhaps a man, this book will leave you feeling raw and exposed.
My favorite character was Stephen. He is very different from my own brother but something about the way Margaret wrote him felt so real and his story was so interesting to me. But the hero of this book was Elaine. Most of the time it was hard to know what she has doing, because although sometimes she described her surroundings or actions. We were mostly shown everything in this world through her thoughts.
This book is perfect for a woman to read. She made me relieve so many things about my childhood I never considered and the impressions they left on me.
The beginning was slow and I almost dnfed it but I kept coming back to her. It was like the whole time I wanted to put it down but I couldn’t. If you read this I really recommend taking your time and reading the words carefully because this is not a quick and easy read in any way.
Cats Eye is so impactful to me. I loved the themes on memory, trauma, relationships, and hometowns. I loved the hometown aspect of this, how the locations of her childhoods greatest and worst events cause her to remember even the things she tried so hard to forget. Cordelia was such an annoying character but she was so real. The bullying and little quartet of girls was just so real. The representation was so real. Everything was perfect.
Another thing was Elaine’s father. This was super minor but meant a lot to me. I found is so interesting that even forty years ago when this book was published Atwood was already warning us about our treatment of the planet and the creatures on it. I loved how because this book was set in the early-ish 1900s we saw a piece of the past that doesn’t get shown a lot. I love reading about characters from a time without cell phones to fill their spare moments, or even social media to compare themselves to. They only had one another and that was hard but made everyone quite different if that makes sense.
If anyone reads this sorry this review is splotchy. If you are a woman, or perhaps a man, this book will leave you feeling raw and exposed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Suicide, and Abortion
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Infidelity, Self harm, and Death of parent
moncastrog's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Grief, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
robynsanderson's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Minor: Suicide, Antisemitism, and Suicide attempt
averyhawthorne's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
"I'm supposed to have accumulated things by now: possessions, responsibilities, achievements, experience and wisdom. I'm supposed to be a person of substance."
"'I'm not mad because I'm a woman' I say. 'I'm mad because you're an asshole.'"
While Atwood is a beautiful writer, the same story could've been told in about 300 pages. The entire book blends the past and present of one character, but the character isn't exactly lovable, unique, or all that interesting. A large portion also covers her adolescence with awful friends who are bully her and, it turns out, I hate reading about bad friends. It gave me The Bell Jar energy (reflective & dark), so if you loved that book then this one might be for you!
"'I'm not mad because I'm a woman' I say. 'I'm mad because you're an asshole.'"
While Atwood is a beautiful writer, the same story could've been told in about 300 pages. The entire book blends the past and present of one character, but the character isn't exactly lovable, unique, or all that interesting. A large portion also covers her adolescence with awful friends who are bully her and, it turns out, I hate reading about bad friends. It gave me The Bell Jar energy (reflective & dark), so if you loved that book then this one might be for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
jennifer_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide