The Sugar Queen

Allen, Sarah Addison. Sugar Queen. Bantam (2008). ISBN 978-0-5538-0549-9

Plot Summary

                The Sugar Queen is about a woman named Josey who is dealing with a lot of difficult issues. She lives at home as a servant to her mother, basically, and tries to make up for being a terrible child. To cope with her mother's smothering influence on her life she hides sweets, novels, and travelling magazines inside of her closet. She is stuck in her sad life until one morning she finds a woman in her closet and her entire world starts to change.

                Chloe, the other protagonist of the book, was orphaned at a young age.  She loves to read; she has a great boyfriend but still feels something is missing.  Neither of these women are happy but they don’t realize just how many changes will take place very soon – many of which will lead them to happiness.  This is a story of self-discovery.  Both Chloe and Josey take intense journeys towards their own happiness and end up being connected in a way they never expected.

Critical Evaluation

Sarah Addison Allen is an excellent fiction writer.  Her books bring to light many topics facing women today but in a subtle way.  Her books are mostly just normal fiction but there is always a little element of magic in them that I love. She makes magic seem possible in the real world, which is my opinion it is. This book is a great one and has a good message too. It is all about being who you are and not being ashamed of it. I know it made me think about how I was living my life.

Sure, some of the plot lines seemed to combine in unbelievable ways but this isn’t supposed to be a story that is mirroring what could actually happen in real life.  This is a story where a little magic is possible, and necessary, for some changes to take place.  Josey deals with self-esteem and self-acceptance issues.  Her mother is keeping her hidden away because she is afraid of what will happen when other people start taking notice of her.  Chloe deals with similar self-esteem issues and both come to terms with who they are in this lovely book.

Reader’s Annotation

Come take a journey of self-discovery with Josey and Chloe, who find love and happiness in the most unlikely of places.

Author’s Information

Sarah Addison Allen was born in North Carolina and loved reading from a young age.  She majored in literature because she couldn’t believe she could get a degree just for reading.  She began to write seriously after college and her first book out is called Garden Spells.  More about her and her magical books can be found on her website: http://www.sarahaddisonallen.com/.

Genre

Adult Crossover

Book Talking Ideas

While the genre of this book is technically “adult,” the protagonists are very relatable.  Their inner issues have carried over from when they are young, so they are dealing with things very relevant to teenagers.  There is love, betrayal, delicious food and candy and much more in this book.  So many aspects of this book are serendipitous so if readers enjoy that, they will love this book.

Reading Level/Interest

15/15

Challenge Issues

I don’t see many challenge issues with this book.  There is some mention of death, some dealing with boyfriends cheating, and maybe other minor things.  For the most part, I think parents will be fine with their children reading this.

Why Include This Title?

Sarah Addison Allen writes in a way that her books can span generations.  People young and old can appreciate her books – they are easy to read and have topics that relevant to all.