The Sugar Queen

by Sarah Addison Allen

I have really mixed feelings about this novel. On the one hand, I almost quit reading it after only a few pages. The writing is so over the top cheesy. In the first two pages, the author mentions the "feathery frost" and the "sugary frost." Too much.

But then the silly descriptions decreased (or I just skimmed them, I don't know), and the story picked up. This is the story of Josey Cirrini. She is 27, her mother's personal slave, and extremely wealthy due to her deceased father, the late, great Marco Cirrini. Josey stays at home mostly, when she's not playing chauffeur to elderly (and bitter) mother.

Then everything changes. A rough local women shows up in, of all places, Josey's closet, and a friendship is forged. Josey's friendship with Della Lee Baker leads to great things for Josey, including a boyfriend.

To say anything more would be to give it all away. This is a super quick beach read with tons of magical realism.

6/4/08