Margaret Atwood always makes me look at the world of women with new eyes. This story focuses on girls and their ability to hurt one another so deeply that a lifetime later, the wounds are just beginning to heal.

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Told from the point of view 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 present day 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 is indeed possible 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.

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It's classic margaret Atwood at her best -- the story of a woman in her fifties coming to terms with being a woman, an artist, a wife, and a friend. It bounces back and forth between the story of her relationships with her childhood friends and her brother, and her later life as a grown woman with a husband and children of her own. Atwood as usual can really get into a woman's head.

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This is an excellent book--well written. It's the story of a young girl, her experiences with her friends and family while growing up. I did't want the book to end.

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Returning to the city of her youth for a retrospective of her art, controversial painter Elaine Risley is engulfed by vivid images of the past. Strongest of all is the figure of Cordelia, leader of the trio of girls who initiated her into the fierce politics of childhood and its secret world of friendship, longing, and betrayal. Elaine must come to terms with her own identity as a daughter, a lover, an artist, and a woman - but above all, she must seek release from Cordelia's haunting memory. Disturbing, hilarious, and compassionate, Cat's Eye is a breathtaking contemporary novel of a woman grappling with the tangled knot of her life.

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I wasn't sure if I would even finish the book after starting....but I throughily enjoyed it. It brought back so many childhood memories of things long forgotten. Very good read.

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This book is written like a finely crafted piece of needlework. It is most eloquent in the first half when the childhood experience is developed in a raw, untarnished way. Unfortunately, the second half of the book fell off for me as much of the character recycles, in one way or another, her early years. Atwood is at her best when she's telling the truth and not just trying to finish the book.

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Great book! After reading this one, I wanted to run out and buy up every book Atwood had written!

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Hands down my favorite Atwood books. Probably one of the most impactful books I read during college. The line 'lay down, Cordelia, you're dead' hit straight to my heart. I found myself saying that myself, in my healing over a boyfriend who broke my heart and haunted me for months.

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her most popular canadian author Painter images of the past.

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SYNOPSIS
Cat's Eye is the story of Elaine Risley, a controversial painter who returns to Toronto, the city of her youth, for a retrospective of her art. Engulfed by vivid images of the past, she reminisces about a trio of girls who initiated her into the fierce politics of childhood and its secret world of friendship, longing, and betrayal. Elaine must come to terms with her own identity as a daughter, a lover, an artist, and a woman -- but above all she must seek release from her haunting memories. Disturbing, hilarious, and compassionate, Cat's Eye is a breathtaking novel of a woman grappling with the tangled knot of her life.

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The book seemed to slow down toward the end, but with Margaret Atwood, the reader doesn't actually care...her writing is exquisite, and this story is no exception. Always powerful, always engaging, The characters stand out and you are engaged in their lives. Definitely would recommend this book!

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horrific story of a girls friendships... and her struggle with the memories as a grown woman. I could relate to this book and if you have ever had a hard childhood friend - you will relate to this character!

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I have read two other books by Atwood: ALIAS GRACE, an historical novel about an accused murderess; and the dystopian novel, THE HANDMAID'S TALE. Both of these novels were very compelling but were totally different in theme and tone. In CAT'S EYE, Atwood goes in another direction and seems to write a more autobiographical novel. Atwood grew up in Canada and lived in Toronto and is the daughter of an entomologist. The novel tells the story of Elaine Risley who also grew up in Toronto and whose father was an entomologist but Atwood has rarely commented on these similarities.

The novel is told in the first person by Elaine who is a successful artist attending a retrospective of her work in Toronto. In each section of the novel, Elaine reflects on her childhood, teenage years, and eventually her young adulthood. These memories are often not pleasant. Her strongest thoughts are of Cordelia, a childhood "friend" who was the leader of a group of three girls who were often cruel to Elaine and each other. Later this relationship changed and Elaine seems to have the upper hand over Cordelia. She also has memories of her family including her older brother who collected trading cards, comic books, and marbles. Although her recollections are very vivid, Elaine realizes how unreliable memories can be and how they can also affect her present state of mind. The novel takes place in middle 20th Century from WWII to the 1980s and is filled with many of the elements of that time period including feminism and various art movements.

Atwood made this novel very readable and relatable with very eloquent language that puts the reader into Elaine's past with its ups and downs. Even though I am a male, I could still relate a lot to many of the childhood activities as described in the story. I grew up in the 1950s and 60s and remember playing games of marbles, collecting comic books, and baseball cards. The title of this book "Cat's Eye" is a reference to a prized blue cat's eye marble that Elaine keeps in a childhood plastic red purse. This also becomes a motif in some of her later paintings and when she discovers the marble many years later in a trunk in her mother's basement, she regains her memories from "her entire life." Overall, a very engrossing and relatable novel.

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