The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes: The Final Post

Well, we're done with The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes! I really liked the book, a lot. BUT, I was a little disappointed with the ending. There were so many things that I still wanted to know about. Mostly, how did Eve/CeeCee feel when she saw Tim again? What was she feeling & thinking? Chamberlain just kind of avoided that.. and I found myself wanting more. Overall, the book was fantastic & I could have read it in one day if not for this book blog keeping me on a schedule! Check out Book Beginnings and Bookends for more opinions on this book, and to vote on the next one we'll read. You know you want to join, it's fun!!

1. At the end we find out Tim was sending Cory money because he thought she could be his daughter since he was having an affair with Genevieve. Did you see this coming?
NOT AT ALL!! I was shocked! I gasped outloud! But, then I remembered that earlier a paternity test had been done & confirmed that Russel was her father. So, when I realized that, I thought, what a crappy way to explain the money.. Chamberlain could have been more creative.

2. By the end of the story, what were your feelings about Eve? How had they changed since the beginning?
I really loved Eve/CeeCee throughout the story. I felt totally connected to her as soon as I read the first sentence regarding her. Obviously, I loved them for different reasons. I loved CeeCee's innocence and ability to love so deeply (even though it was dumb). But, even more, I loved the woman that Eve became. She was a dedicated, loyal woman who loved her family fiercely. I loved her honesty and her willingness to put her life on the line so that Tim would not have to.

3. Were you happy with the way President Russel treated Cory?
I don't know. I don't know how I expected him to treat her - but something about the way he did seemed odd to me. I thought it was really crazy how he brought her a check for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The first time they met. That's nuts. I think that he didn't really know how to show her that he loved her. I can't imagine the emotions that he felt after Eve came forward with the information. I thought it was really decent of him to make the call so that Eve's sentence was minimal -- to me, that shows how much he loves Cory.

4. If you were in Cory's shoes and had just found out all of this about the woman who raised you and who you believed to be your mother, how would you react? Would you forgive?
I would forgive. It would take me awhile, but eventually I would be okay. I guess I just think about the fact that Eve is the only mother she has ever known and loved. This information would definitely throw me for a loop, and I would need some major counseling, and time to heal from all of this.. and, I'd most definitely need a lot of Jesus!!

5. In your mind, how does this story end? Do they all live happily ever after? Does Cory go on having relationships with her old family and her new family?
In my mind, I think they live happily ever after... for awhile... and then Cory moves on with her life. I see Cory establishing a life of her own with her son to figure out what family means for her.
 
6. How do you think Cory has changed throughout the story? Have your feelings about her changed?
Well, I went from feeling really sorry for her as a young girl/teenager, to being really irritated with her and the way she treated Eve, to feeling really sorry for her again as an adult. Poor Cory. She was really put through the ringer! She changed so much throughout the story, and really fell into CeeCee's footsteps, which was really interesting. I'm glad that the novel ended with Cory in a positive light -- as a loving mother. In my happily ever after, she continues to follow in Eve's footsteps by loving her family first and protecting them at any cost.