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cady_sass's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Alright, add it to my pile of unpopular opinions. I love this! I totally get why people don’t like it but I am not one of those people. Maggie is an unlikeable, mostly deranged divorcee (or soon to be) who acts as if the world revolves around her. And yes, the character is hyperbolic to the point of almost painful, but there’s a little bit of everyone here. A unique take on divorce in chick lit isn’t an easy feat, but somehow the author made it so the “finding yourself” trope felt fresh and believable. If you’ve ever been through a rough breakup, or suffered imposter syndrome, or struggled with body dysmorphia, there’s at least something in here that will speak to you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
prairieraven's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
khoala_tea's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
thecriticalreader's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Why I Read It: I chose Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey as my add-on for my Book of the Month Club pick.
Review:
Really Good, Actually pulled me in from the first page with its wit, humor, relatability, and emotional depth, in a manner that reminded me somewhat of David Sedaris’s writing. As the book went on, I realized that it is so much more than a humorous account of millennial life: it is a book that has something to say, and it brilliantly explores mental illness, loneliness, feminism, and other issues without ever hitting the audience over the head with its message. In the hands of anyone but a master writer, this story could have easily been trite, obnoxious, cringeworthy, or shallow, but Really Good, Actually blew me away with the deftness and skill of Monica Heisey’s writing and storytelling. In particular, I loved how the book mimics the gradual of Maggie’s mental and physical health by morphing from funny relatability into horrifying mental crisis so smoothly that the reader is left wondering: how did we get here?
The Run-Down:
You will probably like Really Good, Actually if:
· You can relate to the protagonist, either by virtue of demographic or life situation
· You enjoy humorous writing with a serious side
· You appreciate a story that realistically portrays mental health struggles
You might not like Really Good, Actually if:
· You dislike unlikable or difficult protagonists
· You hate reading about “first world problems”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Biphobia, Cursing, Fatphobia, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Stalking
Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
carolynlovesbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Grief
reads_eats_explores's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Sexual content
kirstym25's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual content, and Grief
becca_thegrimreader's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Maggie and Jon have decided to get divorced. A mutual decision to separate, Maggie is left struggling to embrace her new single life. Told from Maggie’s point of view, we join her over the course of the year and witness as she joins Tinder, tries out new hobbies, and tries to find happiness.
This was a refreshing take on a theme that is explored many times. Maggie’s life is chaotic, and through the mess she has lost sight of herself. Her self-esteem is rock bottom and she truly believes that no one will love her or find her attractive since the breakdown of her marriage. Throwing herself into new hobbies and dating, Maggie uses all her energy to distract herself from her life. The one thing I found irritating however was how much Maggie whines and pities herself. She is a truly awful friend to the people who care about her, and is completely self-interested.
The humour in this book pulls the reader in at times when Maggie is unbelievably frustrating. From having chapters dedicated to her Google searches, to her inner fantasies about random things such as a karaoke night. It does remind me of Fleabag and Annie from Bridesmaids.
I had high hopes for this book since there has been a lot of hype surrounding it. However, begins to get repetitive and Maggie becomes more grating the more you read. But, it is an interesting take and a book that I think many will enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual content, and Grief