one of my absolute favorite margaret atwood novels... i can relate to so many aspects of the main character's life, as well as to many of the other characters. touching and real. ( )

While I am a fan of her more speculative fiction, I’m finding that Margaret Atwood can write about almost anything and make it fascinating. This long mainstream novel is a character study of Elaine, a female artist growing up in Toronto who finds herself riding the wave of early feminism. The narrative moves back and forth from the present, when Elaine has returned to her native city for a showing, to her past, from her early childhood through her first marriage and divorce.

Clearly, the most formative time in Elaine’s life is when as a pre-adolescent girl, she was bullied mercilessly by her friends in the torturous ways that only girls can seem to devise. Ironically, she can’t even remember these events, having blocked the abuse completely, until she is going through her dying mother’s things and discovers some meaningful items from her childhood that bring the memories flooding back. I think all women can relate to what Elaine experienced, and I even found myself cheering out loud when she finally stands up to her tormentors. Still, she never quite gets over it, and that incident will shape her life and her art, even when she doesn’t remember it.

Atwood tells a wonderful coming-of-age story here, while aptly weaving in the history of the feminist movement, especially in art, and drawing parallels between the young bullies and the militant feminists Elaine will later encounter. ( )

While I typically love Atwood, I did not enjoy this book. I gave it more of a shot than I normally do books that do not initially grab me. I did finish it, but it was a chore to do so. I must prefer Atwood's futuristic work more than her tales taking place in more contemporary times and locations. I did not ever really connect with the main character. At first I pitied her, and then found myself just not caring for her as an adult at all. The story skipped back and forth in time, which added a bit of interest, but it was not enough for me. ( )

I liked this book & it really affected me emotionally while I was reading it. Its main theme- and this I think is the theme 'done' most successfully in the book- is bullying, and in particular, girls bullying other girls. Someone said it's like 'the lord of the flies' but with girls; well that's right. Anyone (especially us women) who has had similar experiences, of being tormented in childhood by other girls- those who supposedly are 'best friends- will be also deeply affected by this book & probably deeply saddened.

It is a very sad book, to be honest. Elaine Risley, the Canadian painter who is the narrator of the book & the main character, never quite gets over the childhood bullying. She doesn't turn into a lifelong victim; rather, she turns into a sort of bully herself, pretty heartless at different times in her life. I found it- at times- hard to relate to the adult Elaine. But maybe it's easier to identify with a pure 'victim' (like the child Elaine was) than the much more complex, multifaceted victim / bully adult person who has emerged out of such a harrowing experience. This book teaches a lesson to all of us, one that we should try to hear, about the cruelties that children (who we often idealize) are capable of inflicting on each other.

(As a side note, and as another reviewer wrote, I too am grateful I have a boy! Girls just seem so much scarier...which is one of the main points in this novel, actually).

The other question the novel poses- and actually it's a question that Elaine herself has to deal with when preparing for her retrospective- is whether Margaret Atwood is a 'feminist author'. I think, in an essential way, she is. That is, she discusses very intelligently the life of women & girls. In this way, yes, she is a feminist author. But in a more black & white kind of way, one that would be recognizable by the vast majority of feminists, no she's not since she depicts the 'sisterhood' in a very dark, sinister way (that is though very true to life).

The novel has another very good point about it. It doesn't show Elaine triumphantly rise out of her tortuous childhhood into a mature, happy adulthood. Rather, her life is never quite happy. In fact, one thing that struck me is how distant she is (as an adult) from her parents & brother. I wonder why that was? They literally disperse in different directions once the children are adults & seem to meet very rarely. I wonder if that is something characteristic of American & Canadian life (not so common in Europe) or is it the particular family that is depicted to be distant from each other? Anyway, just something to think about... ( )

I probably got around a third of the way through this book before stopping. It is so excruciating, the way it builds up the details and emotions and such. A very delicate and masterful novel, but I just could not read it, for it provoked such a strong reaction in me. I believe that is a bit of a fault for the novel - why would someone want to write something so excruciating? But I'm sure Atwood has her reasons. Anyways, I'm staying a long way away from the rest of her novels for a while. I'll just stick to the poetry.

OK, so by now everyone knows that I am a huge Atwood fan. Cat's Eye is the fourth Atwood novel that I have read this year, so it is no surprise, I am sure, that I loved it. I don't need to spend paragraphs extolling Atwood's way with words, or her amazing ability to turn a boring moment into something exciting - I've already done that. What I do need to talk about is this story.

Cat's Eye is about evil - about the harm that one person can do to another, and the deep psychological repercussions that result from that harm. Oh, and it's also about nine year old girls.

That's right, the evil in this story is a child. As anyone who was once a nine year old girl can tell you, girls are cruel. Adolescence is bad enough, but the ages of 8-12 can be worse. Subtle manipulation, humiliation, control - these are the tools of nine year old girls.

Atwood's heroine is Elaine, an aging artist who has returned to Toronto for a retrospective of her paintings. Elaine spent much of her youth living in Toronto, and has since escaped to Vancouver. Back in her old neighbourhood, Elaine starts to remember her past, and slowly unravels it for the reader.

Cordelia is Elaine's best friend - at least, Cordelia is supposed to be Elaine's best friend. However, along with two other girls, Grace and Carol, Cordelia torments poor nine year old Elaine, using those weapons whose usage generations of girls have perfected.

Elaine is a classic unreliable narrator. It becomes clear to the reader that she has repressed much of her past, and is only beginning to come to terms with her childhood. Interspersed with her memories are snippets of her present life - the showing of her work, an encounter with her ex-husband, and her constant preoccupation with seeing Cordelia. Over the course of the novel, the reader gets a full picture of Elaine's life, and her present character is eluminated by her past experiences.

As always, Atwood's attention to detail is extreme, and her skill at weaving together plot threads is unmatchable. Cat's Eye has a simplistic story - it is just a telling of a woman's life - but its examination of girlhood has a ring of truth. Teenagers who fill the roles of "Mean Girls" just might have been a Cordelia growing up - or an Elaine. ( )

This is a very layered book which while painful to read in some parts when it deals with a childhood bullying brings a level of understanding to how childhood experiences
affect you as an adult and how you gain more perspective about your experiences . It also provides a social commentary on Canada between the 1940s-80s and also touches on feminist issues. ( )

In my 30s now I still feel deep pain from those teenish years and hatred towards "those girls" Cat's Eye captures all those feelings so well and weaves the story in such a way that we are cringing in advance for Elaine and booing Cordelia. This is one of Atwood's more accessible novels as well. ( )

Long before there was "Mean Girls," Margaret Atwood was writing about the complexities and cruelties inherrent in young, female friendships, and how it has long-term effects. The novel's protagonist, Elaine, is a celebrated, yet controversial, painter showing off her work in a gallery. Her work represents the turmoil locked inside her, depictions of people and events from her past. The novel continuously skips from the present to the past to show just how Elaine's girlhood remains a shadow over her adulthood.

In the past, Elaine was at the mercy of what we, today, would call "frenemies": Ringleader Cordelia, and followers Grace and Carol. Elaine craved their acceptance, and was sorely taken advantage of, to the point of physical and emotional abuse. When one day the girls go too far in their torment, Elaine experiences an epiphany that will later shape her life and artwork.

The best thing about Atwood is how all her characters are developed. In Atwood novels, as in real life, there are no one-sided characters. We come to understand Cordelia a little better in her teen years, and see how Elaine is put into a position of power over her. This period of Elaine's life, too, works its way into lasting influence in the character's life and art.

This is one of my most favorite books, being extremely well written. A lot of emotion exudes from every page; women, in particular, may find that the girls' cruelty hits close to home. ( )

One of my all time favorites. ( )

I really liked this book. I would even go as far as to say it's one of the best books that I've read by this author. I didn't care quite as much for the parts where Elaine was an adult and talking about her strange artwork. Fortunately, most of the chapters were about her childhood, which was much more interesting. ( )

One of my all-time favorite books: Nobody weaves through time and emotion like Margaret Atwood ( )

I really enjoyed this book. It so captured how I look back on the coming-of-age times in my own life. The interactions between the girls and between the girls and their mothers were so human and accurate, at least for my own experience. Great character development, interesting story, and just the right amount of complexity to both the story and her style.

I had been thinking that it seemed I would enjoy Atwood's work, as I really enjoyed her poetry, and this book certainly whetted my appetite for more. ( )

I can't think of a better modern writer than Margaret Atwood.

I can't think of a better modern writer than Margaret Atwood.

Recently read this again for the eighth time (re-visiting a book from time to time is like seeing an old friend, yes?). Disturbing and evocative, I especially like Atwood's descriptions of her main character's art. Like The Robber Bride, this is a book that I pick up once every so often to savor. ( )

This book got me hooked with Margaret Atwood. Bought on sale when I hadn't known anything about her, I immediately charmed by what she tells me and how she tells it. Since then I've read every book she wrote that comes in my way. ( )

Told from the POV of a middle-aged Canadian painter as she waffles back and forth in time, digging up memories from her childhood and young adulthood in Toronto to ‘now,’ when she has returned to the city for a showing of her paintings at a local gallery. A poignant and sometimes painful book about childhood and about life; about living and loving and loss, and how it’s possible indeed to miss what never was. Atwood has a magical way with words and despite the childhood part of the book being set in post-WWII Canada, I could easily relate to much of what she described. Excellent read, highly recommended. ( )

I know! I know! The critics love this author and it is great to read about the "local" area, but good old Margaret does not excite me! Yes, I know that there is a lot of deep hidden meaning and symbolism. I reread this book after my daughter read it for her Gr. 12 English class and I must say, I think that we could be giving our kids far more exciting books to read. This book was boring and a hard struggle for my non reader to get through. ( )

Any book by Atwood can give you a glimpse into womanhood. Cat's Eye does it superbly, taking the reader from childhood, through adolescence, into adulthood and maturity, providing moments in Elaine's life that develop her, define her and often defeat her. It is one of the most beautifully depressing books I have ever read.

Perhaps growing up as an outsider allowed me to connect on numerous levels with Atwood's main character. Perhaps thinking of myself as a writer (though not an author) allowed me to empathize more so than other readers might be able to. But anyone with haunting memories of childhood friendships will be able to relate in some way or another, and I believe most everyone has a childhood friend that lurks in the shadows of the consciousness.

While this might not be a fit for all readers, any woman who knows that her past has colored her present will appreciate it, in my opinion. Those women who have an artistic approach to life will appreciate it even more. If you know that life's bleak moments are as meaningful as the bright, and that the pale moments tend to stick with you longer than the florescent, you'll love it as much as I did. ( )

Eliane Riley- middle aged artist- cannot move into future as she si still trapped by childhood trauma caused by Cordelia, tormentor and sould mate. Traumatized by the 'bullying' of her childhood she becomes detached and devoid of feeling. Looks at feminism and presents God as anegative.

Slow moving and introspective ( )

This novel could be subtitled “The Secret Life of Girls.” Atwood states the work is about how girlhood traumas continue into adult life. My question is, how did she remember so much from her childhood? Or did she observe children while writing this? She also stated this novel had the most autobiographical elements of all her novels. It does share some common details with “Surfacing”, one of her earliest novels: the girl that spends her summers in the North woods, that has difficulty relating to other girls during the school year.

The novel is excellent, and very convincing. Highly recommended. ( )

I loved this book, perhaps even more than The Handmaid’s Tale, which I also rated 4.5. Whereas The Handmaid’s Tale was mostly a cautionary tale about men’s subjugation of women, Cat’s Eye is about girls subjugating and intimidating other girls. Elaine Risley as an adult is a successful artist, but as a little girl she was bullied by her friends and their ringleader, Cordelia. What makes little girls (and big ones!) do this, and why do the ones being tormented let them do it?

In an interview in the back of the book, Atwood states this is her most autobiographical novel, and she states the theme of the book as follows:

'Cat’s Eye is about how girlhood traumas continue into adult life. Girls have a culture marked by secrets and shifting alliances, and these can cause a lot of distress. The girl who was your friend yesterday is not your friend today, but you don’t know why. These childhood power struggles color friendships between women. I’ve asked women if they fear criticism more from men or from other women. The overwhelming answer was: “From women.”'

In typical Atwood fashion, there were also themes concerning male-female relationships. In one painting of Elaine’s, called Falling Women, she describes what was meant in the artwork:

'There were no men in this painting, but it was about men, the kind who caused women to fall. I did not ascribe any intentions to these men. They were like the weather, they didn’t have a mind. They merely drenched you or struck you like lightning and moved on, mindless as blizzards. Or they were like rocks, a line of sharp slippery rocks with jagged edges. You could walk with care along between the rocks, picking your steps and if you slipped you’d fall and cut yourself, but it was no use blaming the rocks.

That must be what was meant by fallen women. Fallen women were women who had fallen onto men and hurt themselves. There was some suggestion of downward motion, against one’s will and not with the will of anyone else. Fallen women were not pulled-down women or pushed women, merely fallen.'

Definitely one to read if you’ve enjoyed other Atwood novels.

http://1morechapter.com/2008/03/11/ca... ( )

This is quite possibly the best book I have ever read, by anyone, ever.

The only experience I've had to this point with Atwood is The Handmaid's Tale, which I absolutely adore. When I read it last year, I couldn't believe how relevant it is to today's political climate, having been written in the 1980s. But, I think that's part of Atwood's considerable talent. Cat's Eye has some of the same elements -- women and relationships, the power people have over others, faith or the lack of faith, and regret over what might have been.

Cat's Eye is the story of Elaine Risley who was born and raised in Toronto in the years following WWII. Elaine is now a moderately successful artist (although she prefers the term painter) living with her second husband, Ben and her two daughters in Vancouver. She returns to Toronto for a retrospective of her work and must face the demons that she has failed to exercise since leaving the city. Through flashbacks, Elaine recalls the challenges she faced as a child. From all appearances, she had a very typical childhood. In one way, the things she describes seem like the sorts of things we all went through as children -- being teased and left out. However, there's something more sinister about the way Elaine is treated by her 'friends' -- Carol, Grace and Cordelia. At one point, she is actually buried in a hole at night by the other girls. On the way home from school one day, she falls through the ice of a creek and almost dies. The other girls run off (I don't think they knew she had fallen in) and tell her mother that she had gotten in trouble and had to stay after school. Thankfully, her mother sees through the girls and goes to look for Elaine. The entire middle portion of the book contains situations such as these. It becomes almost too much for the reader at times. It sounds heartless, but at times I wanted to shout at the adult Elaine to just get over it. It's in the past. We all go through terrible things. But in the next few pages, I would find myself almost at the point of tears. Elaine is very gullible and naive, and her 'friends' take advantage of this. I actually remembered some things that happened to me as a child while reading this book. Oh, nothing quite as horrible, but still it was bad at the time.

I often found myself wondering why Elaine's mother didn't do something. After all, she had to know that Elaine was miserable. Didn't she? But, I don't guess that's fair. Elaine didn't tell her parents anything about what went on among the girls. Again, looking back there are things that happened to me that I never said anything about to my parents, either. Towards the end of the book, Elaine has a conversation with her mom who is now quite elderly and ill. As they're going through things from an old trunk, her mother tells her that she knew 'those girls' were giving her a hard time. She wanted to protect her, but she didn't really know how. Sometimes intervening in situations only make things worse. But, then again she didn't know how far things had often gone.

Elaine loses contact with Carol and Grace when they go to high school, but Cordelia remains a constant in Elaine's life. They consider themselves best friends, though it's not ever a healthy relationship for either of the girls. Elaine begins to see that Cordelia has demons of her own. She lacks the security of a healthy home that Elaine possesses. She also lacks Elaine's considerable intelligence and talent, as well. When Cordelia begins to self-destruct, she reaches out to Elaine. However, Elaine isn't able to help her. She doesn't know how; she doesn't really want to. Not because she's cruel or hates Cordelia. It's just too much for her. Elaine will carry this guilt with her throughout her life.

This book made me glad all over again that I had boys. Girls can be so ruthless and heartless in their treatment of each other. Yes, boys fight, but it;s violent, quick, and then it's over. They're friends again. They don't hold secret grudges. They don't talk about each other behind their backs. They sometimes perpetrate superficial physical wounds, but girls often inflict emotional wounds that last a lifetime, which is certainly the case with Elaine Risley. ( )