My SIL occasionally exchange book recommendations - mostly fluffy romances. Hey, read the newest Linda Holmes book, I sent her in May. So imagine my keen interest when she sent me this text:
All Fours by Miranda July is a National Book Award Finalist form 2024. In this book, our main characters is a dissatisfied wife and mother who says she is going on a solo cross-country road trip and then checks into a motel thirty minutes from her house and proceeds to cheat on her husband in a horrific way. I don't want to spoil anything for you, but there is a scene with a tampon that shall live in infamy.
The writing was good. The characters, the plot, the general disgusting and raunchy focus on sex, and how truly disturbed I was by the whole thing was not.
More clips from my text convo with my SIL. I clipped out things that mentioned personal stuff, so it's a bit choppy, but you get it. (Her bubble is white, mine is blue.)
Anyway, I didn't like this book, but the writing was well done and if this sounds like something you'd enjoy, maybe you would. I do think it would inspire an amazing book club discussion, depending on how open you are at your book club (maybe don't recommend it for the church or public library sponsored book club). After I texted with my SIL, my husband and I also had an interesting convo about it, even though he didn't even read it!
I considered DNFing it many times (it was really gross at parts), but I'm glad I persevered so I could have these discussions about it. 2.5/5 stars
Lines of note:
Other people's relationships never make any sense. (page 4)
Sometimes I think this and sometimes I think some pairings make perfect sense.
Our eyes met and I flashed forward ten years to a time when artificial intelligence allowed dogs' thoughts to become words. (It was easy, the scientists would say. They were nearly verbal already, we hardly had to use any AI - just a smidge to get them going.) They dogs immediately start speaking about all the horrific things they've witnessed - crimes, violations. Turns out they are a garrulous species, won't shut up, and have incredible memories. Unlike humans, who could never remember what they'd been subjected to as babies, the dogs easily recall events from their puppyhood. Smokey recounts this particular day - mimicking me with a cruel, uncanny accuracy. (page 163-164)
Such a rich text! Today Hannah was barking out the window and I could see nothing for her to bark at. We joked that there was probably a fistfight across the street in a house and she could hear, but thought we were dumb for not knowing. ANYWAY. I'd love to be able to talk with my pets. LOVE IT.
In old sweatpants and a T-shirt I heaved black metal balls and barbells around, dumbly lifting and lowering however many times I was told to, my face bright pink with heat and embarrassment. Wasn't this basically what Hell was? People forced to endlessly lift and lower heavy things for no reason? (page 179)
Right? RIGHT? (I mean, there IS a reason, but sometimes it's hard to convince myself.)
Things I looked up:
Blinken Prize (page 182), Love Estes (page 228), Elsa Penbrook-Gibbard (page 275) - I think these are all fictional people or things. It's hard to tell sometimes!
Hedgehoppers Anonymous (page 188) - Hedgehoppers Anonymous were a 1960s beat group from the United Kingdom. They formed in November 1963 as The Trendsetters, and became The Hedgehoppers the following year. Jonathan King took over their record production in 1965, and added Anonymous to their name. Their most successful single was "It's Good News Week."
Title spotting:
"Everyone thinks doggy style is so vulnerable," Jordi said, "but it's actually the most stable position. Like a table. It's hard to be knocked down when you're on all fours." (page 301)
Hat mentions (why hats?):
I'd left countless things in this park - my sunglasses, Sam's hat - and nothing was ever still there when we came looking for it. (page 147)
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Would you read a book like this? Have you ever had an extended text conversation with someone about a book?
I mean, I did read it and I did like it! But I am astounded that you read it at all! The tampon part and also the dog poop part are now burned in my brain, forever. Also burned in my brain and something I think about more often than you might think is the part where she is wearing giant panties and she tucks her shirt into them and thinks "this is an outfit he's never seen before." Every time, I crack up thinking about it, EVERY TIME. I remember starting the book and then I listened to a podcast where they talked about it. "Have you gotten to the weird part yet?" one of the hosts asked, and I thought THE WHOLE THING IS THE WEIRD PART, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. Anyway, I found it highly entertaining but whoa is it not for everyone.
ReplyDeleteSo, the thing with the dog poop is that we had a Lhasa apso when I was growing up (RIP Dusty, you bratty thing) and that same thing happened when we first adopted him. We didn't know that his fur would grow over his anus and when it got shaved, things happened. So that scene didn't even register for me!!!
DeleteIt's definitely not for everyone. I honestly don't know who the audience is (i.e., who I would ever recommend it to).
This was not on my radar but thanks to you, if it ever is suggested to me, I will back away! No, no thank you, not a me book at all.
ReplyDeleteRight? I wish my SIL had given me more of a heads up about the content!
DeleteThe book that I love to hate! My problem was of course that I was promised a cross country driving trip, which is something that I would looooove to do. I went into it with such a literal mood that I couldn't make the switch to literary. And then I just got bored and started skimming, so whatever message the book had went right over my head. I think the author was trying to say something, but the only thing that I heard is that it sucks to be a middle aged woman, and speaking as a middle aged woman I don't appreciate that.
ReplyDeleteI do think it was a sort of female empowerment message, but honestly it turns out that I'm too much of a prude and not sex positive enough for it. I'll sit in the discomfort of that reality for me, I guess.
DeleteHa! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! No, it's definitely not a book for me. But your review is great and made me laugh! I have never had a book discussion via text. I love that you shared yours!
ReplyDeleteMichelle! You need to have a book discussion via text. It's so much fun! Put it on your bucket list!
DeleteI know of this author but don't think her writing is for me. I've yet to hear anyone recommend the book whole-heartedly. Not one person, so I'll pass. Never had an extended text conversation with anyone about books and now I feel like I'm missing something good in life.
ReplyDeleteNot for me, I'm guessing. Sooo...what is the magical realism book? I'm curious. I'm generally a fan of the genre...
ReplyDeleteOh, good question! I almost added an asterisk about it, but I figured no one would care. It was The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami. She was SO PISSED about it. LOLOLOLOL.
DeleteI was told this is NSFL (not safe for Lisa) by several people. So I have not read it and won't. It was a book we voted on for book club for 2025 and had it been picked, I wouldn't have read the book because I know it is SO NOT FOR ME.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who does that for me with movies! "Oh, no, it was great but you don't want to see this one." Excellent friends to have.
Deleteoooookay... I think I'll skip this one. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI mean, are you sure you don't want to do a buddy read of it with your daughter?! Ha!
DeleteThis is so clearly not for me, but I am soooo curious, I will admit.
ReplyDeleteYou know about curiosity and the cat, right?
DeleteYou nailed it! (So to speak, given the subject matter here.) I had very mixed feelings about this one myself. My Goodreads review:
ReplyDeleteWell, that was interesting.
I loved the writing but kind of hated the protagonist. Deceit isn't sexy, especially when it lacks any semblance of remorse. She treats her husband like crap and her daughter (presumably, being gender-neutral) not much better. I never once found myself rooting for her.
But...
Like I said. The writing. It's sharp and witty and well-crafted. I may have disliked the main character, but I still enjoyed the novel.
I think we are in 100% agreement except that I did not enjoy it. LOL.
DeleteNot for me. This simply doesn't interest me. I mean, like, Is That All There Is? I'm trying to see a reason for me to read this, and I can't really find one.
ReplyDeleteI think there's probably an underlying message about women owning their sexuality and that monogamous relationships aren't for everybody and that getting older has drawbacks, but everyone experiences it differently and it doesn't have to suck. But, in reality, the way to get to those messages was pretty unpleasant to me.
DeleteIn my memory I didn’t love this book, just thought it was OK. Then I go back and look at my review, and apparently I loved it. It was a strange book for sure, and the tampon and urine thing was super gross. I liked the ending, though, and that she found out that getting older doesn’t entirely suck.
ReplyDeleteHuh. I thought the ending was unsatisfying. I didn't actually care what happened to her, but what about her family? How's that child doing?!
DeleteUh, hard pass for me. I do not think I would like any part of this. Your text exchange thread with SIL was very entertaining though.
ReplyDeleteI have the best SILs!
DeleteYeah, I have seen this book everywhere but I know it is NOT the book for me. My book club is very open about sex and stuff, so it could be an interesting one to read with everyone, but I just don't think I could get myself to read it!
ReplyDeleteI'm 50/50 on recommending it my book club. I think it could lead to interesting discussions, but I also think I might learn some stuff about my fellow book clubbers that I don't want to know!
DeleteI read it when Nicole talked about the tampon part and I had to see what it was about, but I did not enjoy it, did not enjoy the main character, did not love all her weird relationships and what was up with the kid? It was all weird, and I did not enjoy it. 2 stars. The tampon thing was weird but not the worst part of the book by any means.
ReplyDeleteOh, what was the worst part of the book? I need to know!
DeleteI read a review of this book, and possibly also an interview with the author and thought probably not. I saw a movie she made a few years ago, and it was just too self absorbed for me. But. I'm so intrigued by the tidbits and the level of revulsion and the giant panties mentioned in these comments, I have developed a fascination. Will I read it? Given my recent reading apathy, still probably not. Am I curious? Yes, definitely yes.
ReplyDeleteEh. You don't need to spend your limited reading time on this, I promise. It's not worth it!
DeleteI also HATED the main character but liked the book a lot...
ReplyDeleteI don't even know that I hated the main character. I just didn't understand her (and, to be fair, I don't understand most people) and thought the descriptions in the book were unnecessary graphic. I mean, that's FINE, it's not for me, but I found the whole thing a bit befuddling.
DeleteI'm not a fan, but I'm so, so glad weirdness like this exists and will always celebrate it! It wasn't even the sex bits that seemed weird to me... it was the motel. I thought she was a very self-aware author with a narrator who was annoyingly self-absorbed (but I agreed with her on both points she made about doggos).
ReplyDeleteWhat her husband said to her when he found out was one of the saddest things ever...
I have seen this book everywhere and so many have recommended it. But I had a feeling I may not like it and reading your recap I think I am going to pass on it. I am not fond of infidelity tropes and I don't know why the whole sex party needs to be so ... I don't even have words for it. It just bothers me. I sometimes feel like just because guys talk like this women need to in order to be taken serious but I don't think it is the right way. I don't know... obviously haven't read it and may be way off here.
ReplyDeleteAnyway just dropped it from my TBR. Thank you.