Book Club Chapters 50-71

This is the last section of the book - The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlein. Let's get to it:

1. At the end, we find out Tim was sending Cory money because he thought that she could be his daughter since he was having an affair with Genevieve. Did you see this coming?
NO! I thought that was a good twist. We really never get to see much about Genevieve - only that short time in the cabin before she passed away. I didn't think it was Tim...I just figured he was too selfish to think of anyone else.

2. By the end of the story, what were your feelings about Eve? How had they changed since the beginning?
We really were able to see how Eve grew up. She matured a lot during the book and really pulled herself together and made a good life for her. I did think it was a little immature how it all came out.

3. Were you happy with the way President Russell treated Cory?
It was odd at first, but they do not really know each other. The money was strange and I know he was upset about her asking to go easy on Eve. I can understand where he is coming from. This is new to him too.

4. If you were in Cory's shoes and 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?
That's a hard question to answer, since I've never been there. I would try to give the woman who raised me the benefit of the doubt, but I know it would take years of therapy to get through it.

5. In your mind, how does the story end? Do they all live happily ever after? Does Cory go on having relationships with her old family and her new family?
Yes, I think she does have a relationship with both of them, separately. It will be hard for her to maintain that though.

6. How do you think Cory has changed throughout the story? Have your feelings about her changed?
I think we go from seeing a weak individual to someone who really does transform right in front of us to a really strong person. She is afraid of everything, very co-dependent on the people in her life. I have always felt sadness for her, but happy that she had a great life.

My thoughts on the book. I felt this last section of the book was rushed a bit - they didn't give as much detail. I can't believe she would turn herself in without having an attorney with her. I can't believe that they didn't show her mother's trial. It was a quick and easy read and a very interesting story. I would give it a 3 1/2 stars out of 5.