Love love love Claire’s take and totally agree. Also loved how the book bounced back and forth between childbirth and menopause, the trauma and beauty of both, the life and death qualities of both… I found it a rare and intriguing way to explore womanhood
I loved this book! I'm 41 and even two years ago it would not have hit with as much relevance as it does for me today. Her take on the mid-life crisis from a female perspective is fresh, authentic, and insightful. How can we not have some kind of "crisis" at the mid-point, when life's journey is now closer to death than to birth? At mid-life you have to make sense of all the choices that you've made and you begin to see the limitations you've chosen but now feel trapped in. Women also have to contend with all of the systems and rules that were designed for and by men and it starts to piss you off. I find her frankness and quirkiness incredibly appealing. It is a common experience for affairs and other life-changing behaviors to emerge at mid-life. People blow up their lives all the time. As an artist and a hard-core "parker" her style was eccentric...but I think the agony she describes matches what many people go through. I am also confused by the discussion of "no consequences".....she was navigating consequences throughout the entire book...... she didn't consummate her affair with Davy, the nature of her relationship with her husband completely changed after the affair, she was rejected by her next lover, all of these were consequential and prompted deep pain and learning. The "Weird" or "uncomfortable" sex stuff is in the eye of the beholder I guess. I found these parts to be authentic and they connected broader relationship, psychology, and intimacy issues. I thought this was refreshingly human. Sex isn't always erotic, it fulfills many roles for people and I thought she got at that....... I was really surprised by how conservative the discussion was about this book. But, it was listed on many "top books of the year" lists, so I guess I am not the only one who really loved it
I really like Caley's observation about the "all fours" metaphor and how it is there throughout the book. I agree so much and didn't even realize. Reframed my view of the book some.
Love love love Claire’s take and totally agree. Also loved how the book bounced back and forth between childbirth and menopause, the trauma and beauty of both, the life and death qualities of both… I found it a rare and intriguing way to explore womanhood
I loved this book! I'm 41 and even two years ago it would not have hit with as much relevance as it does for me today. Her take on the mid-life crisis from a female perspective is fresh, authentic, and insightful. How can we not have some kind of "crisis" at the mid-point, when life's journey is now closer to death than to birth? At mid-life you have to make sense of all the choices that you've made and you begin to see the limitations you've chosen but now feel trapped in. Women also have to contend with all of the systems and rules that were designed for and by men and it starts to piss you off. I find her frankness and quirkiness incredibly appealing. It is a common experience for affairs and other life-changing behaviors to emerge at mid-life. People blow up their lives all the time. As an artist and a hard-core "parker" her style was eccentric...but I think the agony she describes matches what many people go through. I am also confused by the discussion of "no consequences".....she was navigating consequences throughout the entire book...... she didn't consummate her affair with Davy, the nature of her relationship with her husband completely changed after the affair, she was rejected by her next lover, all of these were consequential and prompted deep pain and learning. The "Weird" or "uncomfortable" sex stuff is in the eye of the beholder I guess. I found these parts to be authentic and they connected broader relationship, psychology, and intimacy issues. I thought this was refreshingly human. Sex isn't always erotic, it fulfills many roles for people and I thought she got at that....... I was really surprised by how conservative the discussion was about this book. But, it was listed on many "top books of the year" lists, so I guess I am not the only one who really loved it
I really like Caley's observation about the "all fours" metaphor and how it is there throughout the book. I agree so much and didn't even realize. Reframed my view of the book some.
Claire + I on the same page ( as always)