A review by duckoffimreading
All Fours by Miranda July

3.0

My feelings on this are conflicted: I both am disgusted and in awe of the main character. Her menopause onset acts as a kind of floodgate releasing all the unhingedness she can muster. With a very typical, conforming life at home with reliable, upstanding husband Harris and child Sam that adore her - our narrator throws everything aside in search of something else, something to get her excited again, maybe redefine herself? While I absolutely couldn't imagine myself following in her footsteps (or the emotional destruction she leaves in her wake), I also applaud her for throwing aside standard conformity and convention and embracing her impulsivity. My favorite part by far was blowing $20k on redesigning a tired motel room in nowheresville, just because. Least favorite part was the search for intimacy but in a physical sense only - she connects with several people on a feral level but seems to miss the substance and deep emotional talking connection that long relationships, especially romantic relationships need to survive and sacrifices her conventional marriage as a result. Also, I struggle with the impracticality of the artist's approach to life. Maybe I'm more boring and black and white and while I don't begrudge (or judge so much) an artistic approach to life (no defined gender roles, everyday is Tuesday) I also just don't really get it. I crave predictable structure...understanding...clarity. Made for a wild read, definitely TMI in parts and an opportunity to live vicariously through another middle-aged woman blowing up her life without me personally having to deal with the fall out. You do you, boo.