All Fours: A Novel

Nice book, great writing, in a very original way. Not good for People who likes stories normally told.

The protagonist in this first person-voiced novel suddenly realizes to her dismay that menopause is a future reality not as distant as she had supposed. Presently raising her non-binary child while dealing with a lull in her artistic career, she feels compelled to explore new experiences that she knows will forever alter her relationship with her husband. Never have I ever felt so unable to meaningfully comprehend any two sentences like the way I feel about those above. As I proceed through the story, observing her and exploring her inner thoughts, I want to hate her for acting so strangely, hate her friends for encouraging her, hate her partners for joining in, and even hate her husband for reacting as he does. But the author refuses to let me give up, close this book, and move on to something easier for this reader to empathize with. Her prose, plotting, and perspective are just too captivating, and as soon as I surrendered to the process, I began to enjoy her journey myself. Later on, the author assigns another character to express what I want to say about her best friend’s philosophy of marriage: “You might have to be okay with being in the minority on this.” Here’s a novel that I’m going to remember, as a story of choices I don’t totally understand, but I can be a little less judgmental about. Some journey… I recommend it. Good book.

The best thing about reading Miranda July's books is that she gives you a sense that it is perfectly okay to be you, as you are. This book was a bit intense at times for me as the protagonist experiences some heavy preoccupation mentally and the writer takes you right along with her. But it was relatable as are the self reflections she has that help her get through. It is a book about trauma and transitions and it explores a lot of themes that in the past were taboo. It is so refreshing to read a book that acknowledges the struggle of going through menopause candidly and follows a woman experiencing those struggles compassionately. One of my favourite parts of the book was spending some time studying the cover art after finishing the read. It's really a beautiful experience to see so much intelligence and beauty worked into the cover, and how poignantly it expresses the message of the story.

Buena y entretenida novela, aunque esperaba mucho más por todo el revuelo que generó.

Sometimes it feels like everyone is talking about a book. Then you realise that everyone is only the small sample of reviewers from papers you regularly read and the radio station you listen to on your commute, and a few literary inclined friends, which in this case were predominantly female. This narrow everyone was talking excitedly about, and hyperbolically extolling the merits of this book. I felt compelled to read it, to be part of the conversation. Once I had finished reading, it became apparent that I went through it dispassionately, and found it neither as transgressive, daring, bold, funny, revelatory, insightful, profound, or “for our time and age” as the previously described everyone claimed it was. Am I the odd one out? It is possible.