Really Good, Actually

by Monica Heisey

Twenty-nine-year-old Maggie is getting divorced and this novel charts her journey, hopefully reminding us to laugh through the difficult times, but in the end it just made me feel old. I remember the gross insecurity of my younger years, and God knows I’m not free of it now, but did I really disappear into such self-depreciating, humiliating thoughts and behaviours? The narrative is claustrophobically set inside Maggie’s head, and she seems committed to doing everything and anything to avoid any authentic feelings. Written by a comedy script writer, the novel has the intensity of a stand-up monologue, but is broken up by some clever creative devices, like lists of Maggie’s recent Google searches (hilariously revealing) and email’s to and from her soon-to-be-ex husband.