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dark
reflective
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, Abortion, Suicide attempt
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Self harm
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Body shaming, Toxic relationship
strong emphasis on gender binary in this book, especially the sections reflecting on her adult life
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Margaret Atwood writes about the dynamics of human social interaction with such precision that it's always a joy to read.
I admit, I was skeptical at first, because the last novel I read of hers was The Robber Bride, and I did not like it. However, in Cat's Eye I found a lot to identify with. At times, the feminist issues seemed quite dated but that is to be expected in a novel set in post-war Toronto. Elaine's standpoint on feminism also sometimes annoyed me but I don't think she's necessarily supposed to be likeable.
I admit, I was skeptical at first, because the last novel I read of hers was The Robber Bride, and I did not like it. However, in Cat's Eye I found a lot to identify with. At times, the feminist issues seemed quite dated but that is to be expected in a novel set in post-war Toronto. Elaine's standpoint on feminism also sometimes annoyed me but I don't think she's necessarily supposed to be likeable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Death
Minor: Suicide attempt, Death of parent
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
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, Abortion
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Infidelity, Self harm, Death of parent
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Violence, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Self harm
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When I read this book years ago, I gave it a 3-star rating. It's a rather depressing read and there's not much in the way of plot. But this is one of those books that's stuck with me for years, even though it didn't seem extraordinary while I was reading it. The depiction of childhood bullying and frenemies, and the way that the main character carries the weight of those relationships for the rest of her life, will haunt you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Self harm
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Self harm