This week I read Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman. This book was not what I was expecting, and I was very pleasantly surprised.
CeeCee Honeycutt lives with her mentally ill Southern mom in that horrible wasteland one sees in the Bugs Bunny cartoons north of the Mason-Dixon line. CeeCee's mom Camille, the Vidalia Onion Queen of 1955, lives in the past most days traipsing around town in vintage prom and pageant dresses and tiaras. CeeCee's traveling salesman father is rarely around, and CeeCee attempts to manage her mother as the residents of her small Ohio town look on with pity and do very little to help with the exception of a kind elderly neighbor named Mrs. Odell. After her mom is tragically killed, CeeCee is whisked away to Savannah by her Great-Aunt Tootie Caldwell. Tootie is a hoot, and so are her other female neighbors near Forsyth Park.
Forsyth Park
Original source unknown.
This is definitely a character-driven book. I enjoy books about strong Southern women, and there is even one in this book that is fun to, well, not like. There are a couple of holes in the plot where questions aren't answered, so I'm hoping that there might be a sequel because I'd love to see what happens to CeeCee as she matures.
If you enjoy stories with strong Southern women, like Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, Steel Magnolias, and The Help, then you should enjoy this book. As in most books set in the South, there is a strong presence of extended family in both black and white households, issues concerning race, Southern idioms and culture, and a vivid sense of place. Beth Hoffman kept me in tears for CeeCee throughout the book, yet I also laughed until my sides hurt.
I'm currently reading Hoffman's latest, Looking for Me. I'll post about it next week!
Until next time...
Blessings!
Ricki Jill
Oh this one sounds good! I love a good Southern Woman book so I am adding this one to my Wish List. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Caroline
Ricki Jill,
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds great, right up my ally. I'm with you, I love books that tell a story about a strong women. Enjoy your weekend.
xo,
Karen
I think my mom needs to read this. How fun! I love the charm of quirky characters (my mom's original name was Tootie, so that cracked me up). Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIt is always nice when a book turns out better than expected. It's raining here today so a good day to curl up with an afghan and read.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this book and can remember wishing there would be a sequel. We watched part of The Help last night...again. We're to the part where the commodes are showing up in her yard instead of coats! lol Sweet hugs!
ReplyDeleteHi Ricki I can't wait to read this!! Linda's point is so true!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
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RJ, this sounds like a good book. Thanks for the recommendation. I'm way behind on my reading list, but will add this on.
ReplyDeleteHappy Weekend.......Sarah
I loved this book and all the others you listed. Southern fiction is my very favorite.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this book too and posted a review of it on Amazon and probably on Goodreads.com too.
ReplyDeleteYikes! The list of books to read is growing faster than I can read them!
ReplyDeleteI loved LOOKING FOR ME! Beth Hoffman is awesome... I'll be reading CeeCee soon!
ReplyDeleteHi Ricki Jill, I read this book a couple of years ago and enjoyed it too :) I need to check out LFM!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun read!
ReplyDeleteHi Ricki Jill ... Thank you for your terrific review of CeeCee! I'm delighted that you enjoyed the story and I appreciate your kind words. Looking for Me is very different, and I hope you'll enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this book also. And will look for the next one, which you tell us of. Always lovely to find more book suggestions.
ReplyDeleteTessa~