Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

    Well, this is DEFINITELY a book for women. It's a little like The Help, but not as stirring. It takes place in a small town in Ohio and also, most notably, in Savannah Georgia. Our main character is the young girl Cecelia Rose Honeycutt and the main action of our story takes place in the 1960s.

     CeeCee's momma is going insane (really) and her daddy is absent, leaving CeeCee to carry the burden of worry, care and embarrassment that her mom's mental illness heaps on young CeeCee every day. Suddenly one day when she is 12, CeeCee's life changes with the death of her momma and the arrival of her great aunt Tootie, who sweeps her up and carries her away to her gracious home in Savannah, Georgia.

     This book was pleasant, with a glowing portrait of Savannah and the gracious life of the wealthy white and their black servants (who are also their friends) being the most memorable part of the story, I think. There was no powerful punch here, even though poor CeeCee had to work out a lot of negative feelings as a result of her difficult childhood. Everything was romanticized and softened. That's usually just the way I like it, but something about this book just rang very false and made it nothing more than a pretty story to me. I don't think it's the gritty details that make a book feel real--I wasn't missing those exactly--but somehow this book felt very contrived, like something that almost happened, but never really could. The adventure on the beach, the slingshotted slugs, the exotic next-door neighbor, the lovely group of garden party ladies, the glaring lack of any good men at all (unless they're dead)....it all felt very carefully constructed and not at all genuine.

     However! I am wasting too much time on criticism when this was really a pleasant book filled with glistening word pictures. I think the best thing about this book is how lovingly Savannah Georgia is painted. Makes me want to move there right now. That is, IF I had money enough for the gracious living described. As far as the book being set in the 60s, I think the setting had more of a timeless feel. It didn't feel firmly tied to that decade but it didn't feel distractingly anachronistic either. It was a lovely book that was an easy and engaging read.

Sex: There are no titillating sex scenes, although the mildly villainous neighbor plays around (in her sheer lingerie) with the married sheriff on her porch.
Swearing: A few swear words--I think I counted 2.