By: Monica Heisey
RECOMMEND
TLDR: Maggie is going through a breakup, and trying to figure out a new plan for life without the person that she thought she’d share everything with. This is a comedy, and a (mostly) lighthearted read.
The Longer Review: Maggie lives in Toronto with her husband Jon, until that is – she decides that she and Jon no longer ‘work’. Following Maggie’s eratic and emotional journey post-separation feels very authentic to the human experience when going through a divorce. The author is witty, and brings levity to an otherwise tumultuous scenario.
No life lessons or emotional awakenings here; just the relationship grieving process brought to life. For a moment, likely because the separation was her idea, Maggie tries to cling to the idea that she’s doing really well actually. Her friends and family know her better than that though, with one friend eventually calling Maggie a “little garbage tornado”. I identified with Maggie’s tendency to overthink things and even her desire to over-communicate (though I admittedly lack her bravery to hit ‘send’). I also think that the author channeled every woman’s inner critiques beautifully in this novel (‘I hate my arms’, ‘If I could just get rid of that forehead wrinkle’, etc.), even if Maggie may occasionally take even those to another lever.
