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Cover of Cat's Eye by Margaret AtwoodCat's Eye
Classic · Fiction, Classics, Fantasy

Cat's Eye

by Margaret Atwood
1988 · 462 pages · Fiction
62.2Must-Read
Score Classic
Critics' pick
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Elaine Risley, a controversial painter, returns to Toronto, where she grew up, for an exhibition of her work. The city brings back memories of her childhood in the 1940s, when she was tormented by three girls who called themselves her best friends, especially Cordelia, and of the lasting damage of that cruelty.

Why it's worth reading

It was a Booker finalist. It's one of the most perceptive novels ever written about girlhood friendship and bullying.

You'll love it if you liked

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The Golden NotebookDoris Lessing

Good to know

The bullying scenes are hard to read. It moves between past and present.

By the numbers

62.2Must-Read Score
  • Readers35 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Booker Prize finalist (1989)

Reads as

Adventurous, Moving, Thought-provoking

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 762 rankedBooks of the 1980sTop 25 · 202 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Cat's Eye worth reading?

Yes. It was a Booker finalist. It ranks #2,165 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.2 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Cat's Eye about?

Elaine Risley, a controversial painter, returns to Toronto, where she grew up, for an exhibition of her work. The city brings back memories of her childhood in the 1940s, when she was tormented by three girls who called themselves her best friends, especially Cordelia, and of the lasting damage of that cruelty.

How long does it take to read Cat's Eye?

About 12 hours (462 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Cat's Eye?

If you liked it, try The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood or The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing.