Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

By: Beth Hoffman 2010

Once and a while as a lover of both fiction and nonfiction alike, you stumble upon a special book. The above title is the book I had the pleasure to read. Usually a mystery/crime/biography type of reader, I scanned all I could about this book and its reviews. What is intriguing about this story is that there is; mystery, a little crime, comedy, along with warm and tender aspects as well. Just when you think everything is bad, some good comes through carrying with it with some old Southern wisdom.

This is a first book for the author and she sure is a talented writer and storyteller.

CeeCee's Family

The main character is a young girl who is having a struggle with her family life. Her Dad, Carl Honeycutt and mother, Camille are seeing less and less of each other as he struggles to deal with her mental illness. He does his work and is attending college away from home. This leaves the young CeeCee to tend to her mother and literally take on the role of caretaker while taking care of herself.

The problem is, Camille is going deeper and deeper into a mental decline that is robbing her of living life in reality. She was always a woman who wanted attention because of her good looks and does embarrassing things in front of the whole small town where they are living. We are talking about acts that would shame any child especially one that is starting to become a young lady. CeeCee loves her mother and remembered how things between the two of them were before Camille's decent into the black hole of her illness. Her mother was fun, loving and warm.

Without revealing too much of the story to you, eventually, CeeCee is taken in by an aunt who lives in Georgia and her life style completely turns around. From old clothes and little food, she begins a new life with beautiful dresses and a choice of wonderful bedrooms. Her Aunt is a warm and caring woman who wants nothing but the best for her.

The friends and neighbors of CeeCee's Aunt will have you chuckling as CeeCee builds relationships with them. Many of these characters have interesting though some what kooky backgrounds that made them who they are. "Miz" Goodpepper, "Miz" Hobbs and others will add to this enjoyable story. The family house keeper Oletta is a stern but wise and caring woman. Through her CeeCee learns about the sadness of prejudice in our history. She and CeeCee grow to love each other and Oletta is also treated and loved as one of the family. This makes a warm and happy household for them all.

I would highly recommend this book for everyone, young and old alike.