The Sugar Queen
2008 • 412 pages
Ratings18
Average rating3.7
15
Ratings18
Average rating3.7
In this irresistible follow-up to her New York Times bestselling debut, Garden Spells, author Sarah Addison Allen tells the tale of a young woman whose family secrets--and secret passions--are about to change her life forever.Twenty-seven-year-old Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favorite season, she's a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mother's house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night.... Until she finds it harboring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis--and two parts fairy godmother...Fleeing a life of bad luck and big mistakes, Della Lee has decided Josey's clandestine closet is the safest place to crash. In return she's going to change Josey's life--because, clearly, it is not the closet of a happy woman. With Della Lee's tough love, Josey is soon forgoing pecan rolls and caramels, tapping into her startlingly keen feminine instincts, and finding her narrow existence quickly expanding.Before long, Josey bonds with Chloe Finley, a young woman who makes the best sandwiches in town, is hounded by books that inexplicably appear whenever she needs them, and--most amazing of all--has a close connection to Josey's longtime crush. As little by little Josey dares to step outside herself, she discovers a world where the color red has astonishing power, passion can make eggs fry in their cartons, and romance can blossom at any time--even for her. It seems that Della Lee's work is done, and it's time for her to move on. But the truth about where she's going, why she showed up in the first place--and what Chloe has to do with it all--is about to add one more unexpected chapter to Josey's fast-changing life.Brimming with warmth, wit, and a sprinkling of magic, here is a spellbinding tale of friendship, love--and the enchanting possibilities of every new day.From the Hardcover edition.
Reviews with the most likes.
Another book full of characters I now love by this author. The plot lines might be predictable and some might feel the magic realism to be a bit too much, but I love it.
This is the kind of book that gives me a satisfied and hopeful feeling at the end of it. It makes me want to sit down and create characters and plots. I love it!
Of course there is romance, but there is also a strong element of friendship and a look askance at familial duty. We get the chance to dive deep into who these characters are and what they have been through. There is more magic in this one than I expected, but it fits the story. It took me a bit longer than I expected to connect with the characters and that little bit of magic in their lives was the oomph they needed.
And the housekeeper, Helena, was so much more awesome than I expected. Her character just kept getting better. The name issue puts her character over the edge. It is deep and superficial. It is funny and serious. A small point that really resonated with me.
I would recommend this if you want a light slightly magical read that makes you want to squeeze the characters. If you want strong and compelling plot, this may not be the one to choose. If you want great characters, this is the one to choose.
The Sugar Queen is een boek als een suikerspin: zoet, plakkerig, wollig, magisch en nostalgisch. Een liefelijke vertelling over een modern Raponsje dat eindelijk haar toren kan verlaten en de buitenwereld kan ontdekken. Het perfecte boek om mee op te krullen in de zetel en in één ruk uit te lezen.
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I picked this book up at Barnes and Noble because of the $4.98 price tag and after being intrigued by the synopsis. I was worried the storyline would be too heavily laced with magic and enchantment but did not find this to be the case.
I really enjoyed how this story kind of played off of the usual fairy tale components but in a more eclectic and unconventional way. Della Lee is quite possibly the strangest character in the story and yet serves as an unexpected friend and fairy godmother of sorts to Josey. From Josey's bedroom closet, Della Lee is able to change Josey's life from one characterized by fear and insecurity to one more suiting for a 27 year old.
My favorite part of the novel is Chloe Finley's secret - novels relevant to her life at any given point in time magically appear and reappear if ignored. She didn't even have to read some of the books but a simple glance will suffice in providing advice for a decision she needs to make.
I love the offbeat dynamic between characters and how they react. The story is completely unrealistic, but this is not something that bothered me. The ending of the novel was one that felt complete and was not entirely unexpected either. However, if there was a sequel to this novel, I would definitely be interested in reading it to see where the author takes these characters next.
