Secret Life

For me, reading The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes was a bit like eating fruit for dessert – it tastes good, but it doesn’t really completely satisfy.

I have never read anything by Diane Chamberlain, who appears to be quite prolific. Some of the reviews of this book on Amazon indicated it took a bit longer to get into this book than some of the others she has written. I can’t compare, but I will say that it took some time for me to get into this book. Once I did, I found the author’s writing to be quite good, drawing me into wanting to read the next chapter.

Having said this, I struggled with this book on a number of accounts. I have said before, if one wants to enjoy reading, one has to very often suspend reality. And so I tried very hard to convince myself that it was possible that a 16-year-old girl with no parents could be convinced to become involved in a kidnapping. And not just an ordinary kidnapping (is there such a thing?), but the kidnapping of a very well known public figure. However, CeeCee seemed to be so sensible in all other aspects of her life that it really was hard for me to overcome this nagging doubt that this basic element of the book would happen.

I was intrigued by the underground network that helped her escape with Cori, and wondered if such a thing actually exists. Don’t know. Seems unlikely.

The other thing that I really struggled with was Cori’s rejection of her mother during her college years and after. I recognize that the boyfriend was largely responsible for this rejection, but I felt as if the author didn’t present Cori and Eve’s relationship in such a way to indicate that Eve had been very overprotective. There were a few comments by Eve’s husband that he should allow Cori to be hurt, experience shyness, etc., but not to the extent that you would totally reject your mother.

Furthermore, it seemed somewhat unrealistic that the governor/university president would so quickly fall in love with his daughter; likewise, the sister. Finally, recognizing Cori’s intense dislike for her mother, it troubled me to see just how quickly she forgave her and came around to her side. Though, maybe that just indicated that her anger was never really genuine.

This review makes it sound as though I heartily disliked this book, and I didn’t. As I said, I found it very readable once I got into it. I liked most of the characters (not Timothy and his brother, of course). I enjoyed Marian very much, and also liked Eve’s husband (though I have to admit he was much more forgiving of someone who had fed him so many untruths than I would have been).

Having Eve be so sick with rheumatoid arthritis provided depth to the book that I liked. It provided a realistic element.

I’m curious to know if all of you were able to suspend reality better than me. Also, who were your favorite characters and your least favorite characters, and why? Would you read anything else by Diane Chamberlain?

Cee Cee

Voting is complete; we chose The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes, by Diane Chamberlain. We will begin discussion Saturday, June 4.

May book choice

This month, our "host" is Andrea. Here are her offerings:

Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood; The Kitchen House, by Kathleen Grisson; The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes, by Diane Chamberlain; Every Last One, by Anna Quindlen; and Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand.

Email your vote to me at kzmclain@comcast.net. Voting ends May 2.

Annie Freeman

In all honesty, I can’t tell you that I never abandon a book. In fact, I abandon books all the time. When it comes to reading, my motto has always been Life is too short to read a bad book. Furthermore, there are lots and lots and lots of really good books to read, and so little time to read them.

I will tell you, however, that I generally give books more time than I gave this one. What’s more, I rarely have to write a book review about a book that I have so unsentimentally tossed aside. But here goes.

With apologies to any of you who enjoyed this book (and that’s why there are so many authors and so many kinds of books), I thought this was one of the worst books I have ever read (or attempted to read). I have never read anything by this author, so I’m reluctant to use such a broad sweep in dismissing her, but I don’t think I will ever attempt another book by Kris Radish.

Her characters, whom I was undoubtedly supposed to like and commiserate with, were pretentious and overbearing. In the short time I spent with this book, I came to heartily dislike them all – and Annie Freeman most of all.

The dialog was unrealistic. Nobody talks that way. The narration was so over-the-top. I just felt that I could never be friends with any of the characters, and most assuredly not with the author. Isn’t that so unfair of me?

The chapters were mostly blessedly short. But even a few pages devoted to a bra was simply too much to bear. It’s a BRA for God’s sake. The bra could be made out of mink lined with silk and I wouldn’t be that distraught over its destruction. And were I to ever interact with a UPS delivery person in that way, I would most assuredly be incarcerated.

I am more than willing to allow for literary license. If we were to require that all books be totally like real life, none of us would likely read at all. But still, these women were thrown together in these unlikely circumstances, and simply loved each other immediately. Really? And not only that, but everyone around them loved them as well. REEEEEAAALLLY?

I wanted to like this book. I really love the idea of friendship books. Not to bring up a sore subject, but that is one of the things I like most about Fannie Flagg (Remember? Our last author? The one you all hated?) I love the friendships among her women characters. But I just didn’t like any of these women, and didn’t want to be any of their friends. I didn’t know how they could stand each other!

Please, please, please, if you disagree with me, tell me why. I really hope that I misunderstood something about this book.

March/April book

The book chosen is Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral, by Kris Radish. Deadline to begin discussion will be April 23.

Enjoy reading.

New Book Choices

Following are the book choices offered by our March/April host, Jen:

The Echo Maker, by Richard Powers;

Lark and Termite, by Jayne Anne Phillips;

Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral, by Kris Radish;

and

Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo, by Heather Wardell

Please vote for your book choice by Thursday, March 17, by emailing kzmclain@comcast.net.

Interesting choices!

Stars Fell on Alabama

So, who could possibly have thought when we chose this book that I, your esteem host, would subsequently have a nearly month-long stay in the hospital, only to leave minus part of my bowel. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and good wishes. I am on the road to recovery.

As a result of my illness, however, I was unable to read this or any other book until recently. While it was slow getting into, I enjoyed this book a great deal.

While I love any Fannie Flagg book, the subject matter is nearly always eccentric and uncomfortable and the characters are always (to use an old-fashioned and currently politically incorrect term) queer. I honestly can't think of a better word. Off-beat. Weird. Funny. Loveable. Even the bad guys. Don't you LOVE that Babs Babington never came around to being nice? She spent that entire day with Maggie, but proudly proclaimed at the end of it that she was still going to be an evil bitch, and proud of it.

And really Ladies, how can you not like a book where the character driving the entire story line is a midget who has been dead for a number of years? Hazel was one of the most decent and loveable characters I have ever come across in a book. She positively impacted her friends tremendously, and they will love her forever because of that. And talk about not feeling sorry for yourself? Hazel certainly never did.

True, suicide is an uncomfortable topic. And I never could quite figure out why exactly Maggie felt the need to leave this earth. But her plans for carrying out the deed, and the way she carried them out, making sure that all of her debts were paid and she took care of those she loved prior to the suicide were so sweet to me. And I loved the way she would run into her roadblock and simply go put the suicide note away until she solved the newest issue facing her.

When you read Fannie Flagg, you must know that you are going to have to struggle a bit with a serious issue, but she will never let you down. Her characters' decency always rise to the top. And she always makes me laugh out loud.