The Interruption of Everything - Softcover

Terry McMillan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0141016981 ISBN 13: 9780141016986

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd, 2007

Synopsis

At forty-four, Marilyn Grimes is facing up to the menopause (something is definitely up with her hormones), bored to tears by her responsible but unsexy husband Leon, and feeling the strain of having raised three children who may be great kids but who leave her feeling anxious all the time. Her mother-in-law, Arthurine, has moved in, as has Arthurine's beloved elderly dog, Snuffy. Meantime the needs of her own extended family (particularly her crack-head foster sister) are escalating like mad. No wonder Marilyn is feeling tired and hormonal. But everything is interrupted when Marilyn finds out she's not menopausal ...but pregnant.

About this title

Review

Terry McMillan's sixth novel, The Interruption of Everything, is every bit as enthralling and empowering as her earlier hits Waiting to Exhale and A Day Late and a Dollar Short. However, as McMillan matures as an author, her characters follow suit, which leads her to a wiser, more introspective lead character in the form of Marilyn Grimes. Our reward, as readers, is a tale of midlife crisis, mixed with family and personal drama, all told in the witty, honest, and inspiring style we've come to expect from this seasoned storyteller.

As Marilyn approaches middle-age, we follow her struggle to discover herself outside the constraints of a passionless marriage, a demanding family and an ever-growing list of dreams deferred. With three children in college, a husband who suffers from destructive professional and personal inertia, a demanding mother-in-law, a senile mother and a drug-addicted sister, Marilyn has more on her plate than she expected at this stage of the game. Torn between taking care of her friends and family and attending to her own needs, she's faced with choices, like deciding to finish her graduate degree, that never before seemed hers to make. Along the way, supporting characters like Marilyn's feisty little niece and supportive-yet-opinionated best friends Paulette and Bunny add humor and depth to our heroine's character. And as always, McMillan does a flawless job of incorporating humor into even the most traumatic situations, as evidenced by a scene in which Marilyn ends up babysitting her hairdresser's children while waiting twelve hours for new braids. ("At three, Blue has to make a run. Orange has to go to the bank to get a money order. I ask Lexus to find me a Pamper and I take the baby in the bathroom.")

Warm and witty, sincere and heartfelt, The Interruption of Everything is sure to delight McMillan devotees and attract a host of new fans. --Gisele Toueg

About the Author

Terry McMillan is the critically acclaimed, award-winning author of five previous novels and recipient of the Essence Award for Excellence in Literature.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0141016981
• ISBN 13: 9780141016986
• Binding: Paperback