Customer Reviews

Eating The Cheshire Cat: A Novel

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This debut novel is packed full--hatred, love, lust, football, and Big Hair. All these things are the backbone of the South, especially the tension between University of Alabama and Auburn University.

This novel was totally engrossing. I purchased it around noon one day and by ten that night I finished the novel. I could not put it down. I read constantly. I devoured every page since each one was packed full of truly Southern characters, events, and emotions.

Many reviews of this novel (on Amazon as well as in magazines) discuss the unbelievable characters. However, if one truly knows the South, one will realize how accurate they are. The ladies who claim sororities are not like the one decribed are only fooling themselves. They may have had a wonderful time in their own sisterhood. However,being a Big Brother to a sorority at my undergraduate Univeristy, I personally saw the inner workings of such a system. (Although, I truly still love the Greek system.)

Helen Ellis's debut must be considered just that a debut novel. People should not try to find the next Flannery O'Connor in a first novel. Very few writers can hold a flame to O'Connor. Take this novel as a good time read. Let your imagination go wild and RELISH in the exaggerations and enjoy the ride. Sarina, Nicole, and Bitty Jack are all present in each and everyone of us, whether we admit it or not. As for Johnny Igauna and Stuart, they too are hiding somewhere beneath the surface of us all.

If you are looking for an interesting and fun novel, pick this one up. Enjoy the ride through the pits of despair and lonliness of these characters. Realize that Helen Ellis is an emerging talent. She truly knows the characters, places, and emotions she uses in her novel.

I feel honored to have been let into this world of EATING THE CHESHIRE CAT. I can not wait to read her next novel. I now can truly say I am one of her Biggest Fans.

This is one of the most compelling books I have read this year. The characters immediately jump out to grab you and never let go. If you can guess this ending, kudos to you.

Oh, the joys of being a Southern sorority alumna! You are the women everyone loves to hate. Thanks! ;) Even in a couple of the reviews on here, I've read some catty remarks. But, as a good lady does, I'll just smile my Cheshire Cat smile and read on... :D

Anyway, "Eating the Cheshire Cat" was one of my summer reads this season. Sure, it was a fun, easy read...total fiction of course. This is in the same genre as Heathers or Jawbreaker, except I didn't really shed any tears reading this book. (Not that I remember crying at those movies, either.)

This certainly is no literary masterpiece - like I said, it's just a fun read. If you were in a sorority (esp. Tri Delt) or went to college in the South (esp. Bama), then you will get an extra shudder of joy/familiarity/embarrassment? because you can relate to the setting of this story.

I was born and raised in Tuscaloosa and attended both Central High and the University of Alabama, so I had quite a bit of personal interest in this story. The characters are fascinating and the plot twists unexpected. The story flows well and it's definitely a quick read (I finished it in one sitting.) While parts of the book definitely ring true, I don't think it's meant to be an extremely accurate portrayal of the South, Tuscaloosa (which is really a pretty nice town) and The University of Alabama (a wonderful place but the greek system really is like that!) Overall, it's a very entertaining book and an impressive first novel.

Having lived in Tuscaloosa, attended "The" University, and been a member of a sorority, this novel hit very close to home. Ellis does an excellent job of exposing the pathos that is Southern womanhood. The author surely must have done her research, becuase her descriptions of Tuscaloosa (especially sorority rush) are right on target. I laughed till I cried - people like Sarina and her mother surely exist, and this is what's so frightening. Sure, it's rather violent, but the funny thing is, I could actually imagine it all happening. Her use of imagery is especially deft; like another reveiwer said, Tuscaloosa is an entire universe to itself. Ellis seems to capture the essence of this twisted world all too well.

Sarina. Nicole. Bitty Jack. If you read this book, these are three names you will not soon forget. All meet at different times, their lives intertwineing to create one of the most devilishly funny novels I have read in a long time. Let's start with Sarina who is outstandingly beautiful-and know's it. Ever since she was a child she would stop at nothing to get her way,eventually using sex as her most handy tool. She carefully follows every instruction that her mother gives her to ensure her high southern social standing, and marriage to wealthy man, as soon as the right one is found. But do her looks get her everything that she wants? ...Next we have Nicole. The self mutalator, who is obsessed with Sarina, who would do anything for "Ree", but she is also the one who Sarina abandens, and this takes a serious tole on the already deranged girl. Being seen as a failure to her mother probably didn't help either. When she finally mentally breaks down, the results are unbelievable... Sweet, sweet Bitty Jack is the last main character in this book. The dorky one, the one with glasses and acne whose parents are campsground keepers. She means well, and is works hard for what she has. Unfortunatly, Sarina keeps her from getting what she deserves, and more. This is a book about competition, betrayal, and perhaps most importantly revenge. When all of the girls are in one way or another reunited all at once, you can't help but keep the pages turning to find out what crazy stunt has just been pulled, each one will leave you wide-eyed in shock. Ending in a blood bath, this book is truely an original in every way.

Yes, its true, teen life CAN get scarier. If u read this book u will know what i mean! This book is absolutely AMAZING. How a writer can keep a girl turning pages as fast as that i have yet to learn. I happened to not find this book all together wonderful, but its so disturbing and unexpected, there is no possible way u will be able to put this book down. I guarantee it. The plot is almost absurd, the characters all the extremes, but i have to say it was almost fascinating. Just the first chapter flings u into their to-the-death popularity contest, with no turning back. Trust me, no matter who u are, no matter where u came from, this book will give u a blast- wether its fun or just plain breath-taking.

I used to read a lot when I was in grade school, but I dropped off the books and became more interested in other things. Around November of last year, I saw an article on this in Vogue magazine, and by the description, I decided to ask for it for Christmas. I got the book, and for about five minutes, looked at the cover alone: a goldfish swimming around unknowingly in a blender. What a very poetic and ascerbic application to the mood of the book. Read it and think about it. You'll love every word, every character, every event, and from the very beginning, this story will take such a hold of you that you'll hardly be able to pry yourself loose.

I couldn't put this down and I read it all in one day. So that is definitely a plus of the book. It was funny and fun and got under my skin. But the ending was a big disappointment and when I finally finished this, at 3 in the morning, I was annoyed. To Ellis' credit, I also couldn't fall asleep, there was so much noise in my head from these characters. But I think Ellis took it one step too far, as if she couldn't reign in all she had let loose over the course of the novel. And as a Southerner, I have to say that no, the South is not like this: this is wildly overblown satire, something I like about the book, but please, don't go assuming that if you come down here for a visit, you're going to find anyone close to these characters. For other good Southern reads, pick up anything by Lee Smith, The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis, and Tending to Virginia by Jill McCorkle.

i noticed in reading the other reviews that no one is from the south. being from alabama and going through sorority rush at the university of alabama made this book even better for me. one of the reviewers said the characters were not believable. i completely disagree - mainly because my best friend is "nicole" and i knew a "bitty jack" in high school. i think EVERYONE knows a "sarina"!

it's unbelievable how close the stories about sorority rush and pledging are to reality. a lot of what the author reveals in this novel are secrets that sisters pledge to take to their graves!

the extremes that these girls go to for beauty (although riduculous) are so true! it's VERY common in the south for parents to give their daughters boob-jobs (lipo, nose jobs, etc) as high school graduation or birthday presents! other than southern charm and good genes...that's part of why the south is full of "beautiful people"!

definitely true to life (at least in the south).

i've let 5 of my friends borrow my copy...and their friends...and their friends....everyone loves it!!!