MidLifeCrisis

All Fours | Miranda July

pick

A middle aged female artist facing a midlife crisis writes about a middle aged female artist facing a midlife crisis with all the credulity of a teenager who has just figured out how to have an orgasm, certain the rest of the world must not be clued in to the experience.

I still really liked it though, there were moments of real insight and while the main character remains insufferable from beginning to end, I still liked her. 💜

BkClubCare Nice review. 2d

32 likes1 stack add1 comment

HettyG

All Fours | Miranda July

"I'd thought the two paths were:

sex with Davey vs. a life of bitterness and regret

But maybe the road split between:

a life spent longing vs. a life that was continually surprising"

I'm still not sure about this book but I feel this quote deeply, and it's one of the few times I've felt any genuineness from the main character, who hides herself from everyone, including the reader.

25 likes

HettyG

All Fours | Miranda July

"It took me two days to call Brian the neighbor because I was busy savoring my position, like when a crush finally texts back and you want to enjoy having the ball in your court for a while."

Y'all know I have a soft spot for unlikeable female main characters but it is only page five and I am really being tested on this one. Also this particular quote had me ??? I have no idea why it's not THAT funny

JuniperWilde I loved this one 📕 1w

23 likes1 comment

fredthemoose

All Fours | Miranda July

so-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I didn‘t love this. The writing was engaging and I got through it quickly but I just did not connect with the MC. There were some interesting pieces of commentary about women‘s sexuality and relationship structures and menopause, but by the time they came around I wasn‘t willing to give the MC a pass for being a self-absorbed jerk. #ToB2025 #ToB25

CarolynM Yep. 3w

TrishB Accurate description of said MC. 3w

Larkken Haha, agreed 2w

57 likes3 comments

ncsufoxes

All Fours | Miranda July

pick

Read in 2024. At first I was a little unsure when I started listening to this one. It dealt with many topics & areas that I know nothing about but I realized that it‘s important for people with all different experiences to be able to tell their story. The biggest thing that resonated with me is the f-in patriarchy. Just that realization of how much of our lives as women is directed by the patriarchy (especially as we get older). The societal

ncsufoxes expectations of women. There are some uncomfortable discussions in the book & at first I was ready to give up but definitely happy I stuck with it. It‘s really made me think about things I didn‘t expect to get from this story. 3w

34 likes1 stack add1 comment

rmaclean4

All Fours | Miranda July

pick

Surprising at every turn. Some very explicit sex scenes in this novel about a woman facing change in her body. A story about family and how to be an individual within parenthood. Great first book of 2025. Not for the faint of heart. 4.5 🌟

22 likes

Bevita

All Fours | Miranda July

so-so

I really do not get the fuss. The first 2/3 of this book was stupid. Is it possible that an educated woman has never heard of perimenopause? I trust the other books on all the “best of” lists will be an improvement.

6 likes

squirrelbrain

All Fours | Miranda July

https://amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/dec/24/this-book-is-my-bible-the-w...

Interesting read! A couple of comments here that made me 🤔 - eg ‘the author is older and cooler than me so that makes non-monogamy more legitimate.‘🤷‍♀️

What do you all think?!

CatMS I'm on the fence about reading this book, when I read books that have gotten rave reviews I am less than thrilled. May have to wait till the hype dies down. What is everyone thinking about this book now? 1mo

Ruthiella So interesting the way it has struck a chord with so many readers. I think on the whole, the reaction underscores how women are often asked to sublimate their needs in the Western traditional family setup. 1mo

squirrelbrain @CatMS - we buddy-read this on Litsy in the summer and it was very polarising - most Littens either loved it or hated it. I‘d give it a go, just don‘t expect it to be fabulous and you won‘t be disappointed - maybe even pleasantly surprised! 1mo

See All 17 Comments

squirrelbrain @Ruthiella - the woman who said that her husband expected his needs to be put first definitely needed to read this book! 1mo

TheBookHippie I still stand by my loathing of this book 🤣🤣🤣😅😬🫠😝 1mo

Flaneurette I appreciated this book for the inclusion of menopause and women‘s roles more than I enjoyed it- I don‘t really understand ppl who center their lives w sex- just not my thing. Thought Sandwich was a much better book on similar themes

Sandwich: A Novel

1mo

squirrelbrain @Flaneurette - I completely agree about Sandwich and, in fact, thought of it to recommend to @CatMS just before you posted! 1mo

Cathythoughts I‘m shying away from this book. Even though I have no idea what it‘s really about. Not drawn to it though. 1mo

Tamra I‘m with @Cathythoughts. I am though intrigued by Sandwich. @Flaneurette 1mo

sarahbarnes I‘ll admit that I‘m a shameless fan of Miranda July - her writing and her films. She also puts a lot of really interesting artistic content on social media. I loved this book. 1mo

BarbaraBB I loved this too and wasn‘t a fan of Sandwich. It didn‘t change my personal ideas on monogamy though, I didn‘t relate to the narrator personally but I loved what July did and caused among people all over the world! 1mo

CarolynM I read this article the other day. I guess I can understand that menopause really messes with some women, and I should be grateful I wasn‘t one of them, but I just couldn‘t stand how utterly narcissistic she was. @Maggie4483 described July as a “self indulgent exhibitionist” in her review and I think that description is perfect for the MC of the book. 1mo

Hooked_on_books I hated this book so much that I really don‘t want to read about women who blew up their lives because of it. Some lives need to be blown up, so if that was the case for them, that‘s great. If not, I‘d rather not know. 1mo

squirrelbrain @CarolynM @Hooked_on_books - I agree with you Carolyn with how narcissistic she was, which is what worries me that women have used this book as an excuse to/ reason to blow up their lives. We don‘t all have her financial (and emotional) capability to not give a shit. Yes, if you need to change something, you need to do it, but not based on this self-obsessed version of real life. 1mo

tpixie @squirrelbrain this conversation thread has me intrigued! 3w

squirrelbrain I thought this must have been where you saw Sandwich @tpixie but clearly not. 🤓 All Fours is much more OTT than Sandwich and people either loved it or hated it - I‘ll be interested to hear your thoughts if / when you get to it. 3w

tpixie @squirrelbrain I‘ll keep you posted if I get to it! 3w

54 likes1 stack add17 comments

cariashley

All Fours | Miranda July

so-so

Hmm. This was a little too out there for me. While it‘s full of great lines that will actually stick with me, the protagonist was just too over the top on the sex stuff and it felt incomprehensible to me. Not that there isn‘t a certain enjoyment in reading those kinds of characters. The parts about her birth trauma and perimenopause were far more interesting to me than the lust parts. #tob25

49 likes

rachelk

All Fours | Miranda July

pick

My feelings about this one are complicated. The mid-life experience of a woman going a little crazy during perimenopause while dealing with child rearing, career, marriage and fidelity told in such an honest and intimate way was very well done. The narrator made me feel uncomfortable and maybe that is a good thing, but as I struggled with that feeling I realized that I really did not care for her or her cringey behavior. Light pick for me.

34 likes

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