Cat's Eye is a 1989 novel by Margaret Atwood. In it, painter Elaine Risley vividly reflects on her childhood and teenage years. Her strongest memories are of Cordelia, who was the leader of a trio of girls who were both very cruel and very kind to young Elaine, in ways that tint Elaine's perceptions of relationships and her world -- not to mention her art -- into the character's middle years. The novel unfolds in the Canada of the mid-20th century, from World War II to the late 1980s, and includes a look at many of the cultural elements of that time period, including feminism and various modern art movements.

The book is sometimes seen as containing autobiographical elements. For example, like Risley, Atwood is the daughter of an entomologist. However, Atwood has rarely, if ever, commented on the similarities directly.

See also Southern Ontario Gothic.

External links

Cat's Eye listing at randomhouse.com
Reading Group Guide