The Sugar Queen (2008) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters edit see section history

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• Josey Cirrini: The main character. Josey finds meaning in her life. Called Oldsey by Helena.
• Chloe Finley: Josey's friend. Books are attracted to her appearing whenever she needed help. Chloe influences Josey to be more assertive.
• Della Lee Baker: The woman who ends up in Josey's clandestine closet. She influences Josey's life.
• Adam Boswell: Josey's mailman and the love of her life. Adam is also Jake's best friend.
• Margaret Cirrini: Josey's mother. She wanted to control and manipulate Josey's life. Called Oldgret by Helena.
• Jake Yardley: Chloe's boyfriend who cheated on Chloe by having a sexual encounter with someone at his job, but he won't tell anyone who it is.
• Helena: Josey's new Hispanic housekeeper who speaks very little English. Helena adds some comic relief to the story. She's superstitious and believes in ghosts.
• Marco Cirrini: Josey's father. He was a man who enjoyed wealth and women.
• Julian Wallace: Della Lee's ex-boyfriend. He tries to seduce Chloe.
• Rawley Pelham: He owns a taxi company and drives a cab himself. He keeps promises when he's told to promise because he has to. He also has a history with Margaret.
• Zelda Cramdon: The owner of the house Chloe wants. She is also a book lover.
• Kyle Yardley: Jake's father. He is controlling and wants to tell Jake how to handle the difficulty with Chloe.
• Annabelle Drake: One of Margaret's friends. She uses Rawley 's taxi service.
• George Cramdon: Zelda's husband, He was kind to Chloe. He owns the house Chloe has always loved and has wanted to buy.
• Mr. Lamar: Marco's lawyer. He's retired.
• Wade Beasley: Local. Arrested for killing his maid. He was a wife-abuser. Jake works on the case against him.
• Nova Berry: Town witch, of sorts. She sells herbs and natural remedies. Josey buys peppermint oil from her.
• Livia Lynley-White: A 91 year-old woman who knows a secret about Margaret and has been forcing her to have tea with her once a month as a form of blackmail.
• Amelia: Ms. Lyndley-White's granddaughter, who she calls Ma'am-mother. Amelia has been brainwashed into being content with her life of servitude to her grandmother.
• Faith Yardley: Jake's mother. She does a great job decorating for the holidays, and loves Chloe. She wants to be a part of Chloe's life not matter what happens with Jake.

Quotes edit see section history

• “The whole world opened up and I fell inside”

• “I think heaven will be like a first kiss”

  Della Lee

• “"In all my life, I've only been sure of one thing. Food makes everything better. At least until its gone."”

  Josey

• “Page 45 " We can't hold on to our hearts to save our lives..."”

  Della Lee

• “A hard cry could draw walls in, it could bend metal, it could turn a full moon into a sliver.”

  Chloe

• “Books can be possessive, can't they? You're walking around in a bookstore and a certain one will jump out at you like it moved there on its own, just to get your attention.”

  George Cramdon

• “Sometimes what it is inside will change your life, but sometimes you don't have to read it. Sometimes it is a comfort just to have a book around.”

• “"It feels like he's taken your heart, doesn't it?" Della Lee finally said. "Like he's reached in and pulled it from you. And I bet he smiles like he doesn't know, like he doesn't know he's holding your heart in his hand and you're dying from him."”

  Della Lee

• “Amelia pushed the bag across the table, giving it back to Josey. "You're a bad influence on me.""Then I really hope a rough, disreputable woman never shows up in your closet," Josey said. "I don't think you'd be able to handle it."”

• “The downtown library, one street over, rose up behind the buildings, it's dramatic arches almost white in the moonlight. It looked like a frosted confection, like God could break off a piece and eat it.”

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• I lost myself trying to find happiness in things that didn’t love me back.”

  Highlighted by 36 Kindle customers

• “It feels like he’s taken your heart, doesn’t it?” Della Lee finally said. “Like he’s reached in and pulled it from you. And I bet he smiles like he doesn’t know, like he doesn’t know he’s holding your heart in his hand and you’re dying from him.”

  Highlighted by 30 Kindle customers

• Sometimes you weren’t supposed to share pain. Sometimes it was best just to deal with it alone.

  Highlighted by 29 Kindle customers

• “Books can be possessive, can’t they? You’re walking around in a bookstore and a certain one will jump out at you, like it had moved there on its own, just to get your attention. Sometimes what’s inside will change your life, but sometimes you don’t even have to read it. Sometimes it’s a comfort just to have a book around.

  Highlighted by 25 Kindle customers

• Books were good for a story or to teach a card trick or two, but what were they really? Just paper and string and glue. They evoked emotions and that was why people felt a connection with them. But they had no emotions themselves. They didn’t know betrayal. They didn’t know hurt.

  Highlighted by 20 Kindle customers

• Separately, they were just objects waiting for a purpose. Together, they were parts of a whole. Something significant, something solid.

  Highlighted by 20 Kindle customers

• A hard cry could draw walls in, it could bend metal, it could turn a full moon into a sliver.

  Highlighted by 18 Kindle customers

• it was always easier to be generous with people you didn’t know well.

  Highlighted by 16 Kindle customers

• “You have to understand the wrong way to have a relationship to be able to do it right. I’m a bona fide expert in the wrong way.”

  Highlighted by 15 Kindle customers

• “Nothing is real in here. Your life is outside. It’s waiting for you.”

  Highlighted by 11 Kindle customers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Bald Slope, North Carolina: Where the story takes place.
• Asheville, North Carolina: Closest city to Bald Slope, where Margaret is from and gets her clothes.
• Chicago, Illinois: This is where Adam is originally from and his brother Brett currently lives.

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Glossary edit see section history

• kudzu: Kudzu is a serious invasive plant in the United States. It has been spreading in the southern U.S. Its introduction has produced devastating environmental consequences. This has earned it the nickname, "The vine that ate the South."

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Self-discovery: Describe this theme.
• Self acceptance
• Friendship
• Unhealthy family relationships
• Magic
• infidelity

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Sarah Addison Allen (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• SIBA Book Award (2009: Fiction, Nominee)
• RT Award (June 2008: Women's Fiction, Won)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813.6

Notes for Parents edit see section history

This book is not meant for young people under the age of 15 due to the violent scenes and adult related content.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Romance › Contemporary
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Women's Fiction › Mothers & Children
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Women's Fiction › Friendship
• Books › Romance › Authors, A-Z › ( A )

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Sarah Addison Allen's Webpage: Chloe's sandwiches, deleted scenes, accolades, tidbits, not just fiction, and the candy.