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Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over. Comedian and TV writer Heisey delivers an appealing debut novel (after the essay collection I Can’t Believe It’s Not Better) about a 28-year-old stalled PhD candidate left adrift after her divorce . . . Even in its darkest moments the book is very funny, and Heisey’s inspired skewering of urban millennial life hits the mark. Readers will gobble up this Bridget Jones’s Diaryfor the smartphone era.”— Publishers Weekly
Really Good, Actually - Monica Heisey - Hardcover Really Good, Actually - Monica Heisey - Hardcover
Readers will surely relate to Maggie as she navigates these choppy new waters… Really Good, Actually is a balm that will soothe the soul.”— Shondaland, The Best Books for January 2023 I've been seeing this gorgeous cover all across Bookstagram and Goodreads so I'm hoping it's good! I just DNFed my last read, and I'm actually really proud of myself for that because I was genuinely not invested in it!
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First of all, the positives as I see them. The premise is a creative one and I do enjoy the new chaotic life Maggie now lives though the standout feature that appeals to me the most is the ironic, sarcastic tone and the social commentary. The friendships are good and there are some scenes that are entertaining as Maggie employs a multitude of diversionary tactics. The Google searches she does a funny too! I feel like when you get a divorce everyone’s wondering how you ruined it all, what made you so unbearable to be with. If your husband dies, at least people feel bad for you.
Monica Heisey - Wikipedia Monica Heisey - Wikipedia
Stephenson, Hannah (17 January 2023). "Writer/comedian Monica Heisey: 'I don't really trust dating apps' ". Irish Examiner.A hilarious and painfully relatable debut novel about one woman's messy search for joy and meaning in the wake of an unexpected breakup, from comedian, essayist, and award-winning screenwriter Monica Heisey
Really Good, Actually: The funny, relatable No. 2 Sunday
I think the problem with this book is that it’s not in its ideal format. This would have worked a lot better as a short story/essay collection. As a novel, it drags and meanders without a real sense of purpose or plot. Nothing really moves forward and it feels like a collection of comedy routines on a shared topic. The zany one liners also work a lot better in that medium I think. With this being a full length novel, endless jokes about the same topic get tiring. Vacillating between the cringe-worthy/second-hand embarrassment-fueled moments of a person with no self-awareness.. and absolute heart-wrenching grief and denial... this story is hard to read. Somewhat in a good way, somewhat in a bad way? It's categorized as a novel, but most definitely makes you wonder how much of was real for the author. I’m giving it 2 stars because I managed to finish it, but I expected something good to happen at some point. I’m sad to say I regret the investment. One of the most hilarious and barbed accounts of unexpectedly starting over I’ve ever read. . . . If you’ve ever felt lost and hoped that it was leading towards wisdom, Really Good, Actually is your novel.” — Stephanie Danler, New York Times bestselling author of SweetbitterReally, Good, Actually is also an incredibly powerful reminder that people don't need to be fixed, but they do need support, and they best possibly loving intervention you can provide if you have the energy to give? Also, to not mention any kind of random Japanese pottery theory about broken people... Really, though, let's all encourage our friends to seek professional help when we can see they're clearly struggling and we don't have the tools to help them. 🥺🥺
Really Good, Actually | Monica Heisey
Maggie’s marriage is ending only six hundred and eight days after it began (despite being together nearly a decade) . . . I had high hopes for this Canadian writer and comedian, a writer for the show Schitt’s Creek which I LOVE! Time to gobble up this Bridget Jones's Diary-for-the-smartphone-era that is perfect for fans of Schitt's Creek and Fleabag. Reading like a millennial Nora Ephron, everyone will fall in love with the messy and relatable heroine." — barnesandnoble.com A cringe-filled, funny—and surprisingly poignant—look at one woman’s self-discovery after heartbreak.”— People A book begging to be read on the beach, with the sun warming the sand and salt in the air: pure escapism.A prime example of how a storyteller's voice can pull you right in and keep you clinging to every sentence. . . .This is a book I would/will give to my closest girlfriends and say, ‘You have to read this.’”— Zibby Owens, GoodMorningAmerica.com Superbly cutting . . . brilliantly sardonic . . . a Sex and the City for social media-obsessed millennials . . . An irresistible debut." — Metro One of the most hilarious and barbed accounts of unexpectedly starting over I’ve ever read. Monica Heisey isn’t just interested in the romantic side of divorce, but in how our identities collapse and the freefall that accompanies it. If you’ve ever felt lost and hoped that it was leading towards wisdom, Really Good, Actuallyis your novel.”— Stephanie Danler, New York Timesbestselling author of Sweetbitter
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