The book is very challenging to read. It’s totally out of my comfort zone! As a mature and professional woman, I believe the author’s idea of intimacy is disturbing, sick and far fetched from reality. It takes the passion and sensualist out of the pleasure of the idea of having good or wild sex. The main character seems very immature for a woman of her age which is very upsetting.

I bought this book after reading some breathless rave reviews. I don't get it. The protagonist sets off on a life-changing cross-country trip which stops 20 minutes from home. The problem for me is that I did not like this dishonest, self-absorbed person who indulges in a series of graphic encounters. True, her marriage is eh and she is heading into menopause, but I didn't think the experience improved her. She apparently never leveled with her husband about the abbreviated trip; how can anyone grow with that kind of dishonesty? I found her behavior with her child, taking baths together, etc., downright creepy. The author is clearly a very good writer, I expected more. (Edit: actually, I thoroughly, intensely, disliked the book. There are so many great books out there, don’t waste your time.)

This book was well written and it made me think deeply, which in my opinion are defining features of a really good book! But, as a 58 year-old mother of two who gave up a career to stay home with my now successful kids (relationship and career-wise), I’m sensitive to the idea of prioritizing my own self discovery when a child is involved. It would make my kids pretty insecure if I was still groping for adolescent experiences at 45 years old. Her kid was definitely secondary to her willful and frenzied attempt to find out more about her own sexuality. I get it, it’s a time of hormonal change and there’s a natural desperation to relive all the experiences you never had or may never have again. (Your eggs ARE dying, after all…). I’m glad she figures out her sex stuff, though, that’s so so important. But at the end of the book, not much mention of how her child is doing? Were they/them okay and thriving? I certainly hope the corners were all working out. So I took a star to give to her little kid. Fly to the moon.

Miranda July is something I thought I'd never meet again: She's an honest woman. As a woman in the twilight of middle age, I felt every word of this book. I loved the main character. Deeply flawed? Yup, just like the rest of us. And the comments section highlights why we need Miranda so bad - people are ridiculous about sex. Sex is life, it's the force that through the green fuse drives the flower. Women bring life. Women like sex. That scares people. Too bad. Buy this book. Love this book. It's about sex. It's about life.

I can’t decide if I’m more like Harris (Driven, Aloof, cold) or Miranda (scattered, obsessive, neurotic). At times I’m both at times neither. The only thing I’m certain about is I’m not Davey as I fail to embody the self assurance or youth or Jordi as I don’t have that kind of bravery in me. At times this became an explanation of my divorce who I was, at other times the explanation of my current relationships. A lot of people have complained about the self absorption or childishness of the protagonist. We’ve been taught for so long to repress who we are and who we want to be. Go along to get along that our souls have been crushed. If anyone is unwilling to be crushed under the wheels of conformity then they are selfish. I think she was brave. Never giving up her responsibility but also never giving in when she wanted to be herself and fighting to finally be that person. If only we could all be so brave. My partner asks a lot “what are you reading today”. I described it off hand as “are you there god, it’s me Margret” but about becoming older. Telling this truth about sex and hormones and love and life. And I loved every minute that I hate it and loved it even more when I loved it. Respected it when it confused me and adored it when it understood me ohh so well.

Not sure this is the best book to read when you’re going through a mid life crisis. But it’s written well and the story is a good one. It just, it wasn’t a pick me up. I didn’t know I needed one but it also kinda brought me down a little. Could just be me and it is written well.

This grabbed me from the start, with its setup, brutal honesty, and going to parts of the mind that are forbidden. The writing is direct and smart, and the details are fabulous. Thinking about the book when I finished reading, I realized the main character wanted sexual freedom, but within the safety of her marriage. She wanted to disregard the old rules yet make new rules with each relationship. She wanted commitment yet freedom. She wanted a solid fluidity—an impossibility. Even her child’s identity was up for grabs. With so much freedom without a solid base, it’s hard to imagine the main character being happy in any relationship as long as the glowing exit sign promises a never ending set of new frontiers.

This book was so odd. The main character was not likeable, but I could not put it down. The story so unique that I was compelled to keep reading. It is nice to see a main character that discusses menopause.