ECONOGAL

This is the first Terry McMillan book that I have read. It moved me. Not only did I feel empathy for the individuals in the story, but I also felt connected. Even though I have lived a vastly differently life I laughed and cried as the story unfolded.

On the surface I have nothing in common with Dr. Georgia Young, the main character. She is twice divorced, a daughter from each marriage, has her own practice, lives on the West Coast in a thriving city and a woman of color. But boy how I could relate!

Dr. Young is going through a bit of a mid-life crisis. She is lonely. Happiness is fleeting. She wants to quit her lucrative practice, sell her house and find herself. However she is a bit daunted by the fact that she is in her fifties. In addition, obstacles, normal life events, stand in her way.

McMillan does a fantastic job of exploring that age when more years are behind rather than in front. Questions pop up when you reach your fifties. Have I made a difference? How would things turned out if…? This is the age where you either reach Maslow’s self-actualization or think you might need to start over.

In real life, seldom do changes occur over night. Thus the author creates a realistic tale by having Young’s desire for change transpire over a number of years. The characters are so well-developed the reader feels a part of the story. And the time flies.

The trigger for the entire story is the discovery of the death of a former lover. Dr. Young decides to find, make amends, forgive if possible, or thank as the case may be all her past significant others. One BFF thinks this is a great idea and the other is horrified.

The search takes time. Life keeps churning even through the stops and starts of the search. Old issues are resolved, or not. Finally, a happy ending, which does not always happen in contemporary novels.

I loved this novel and recommend it for mature readers. The writing is superb and I plan to buy more of McMillan’s books. However, this is a novel which covers topics which can be shocking or controversial depending on your background. Read with an open mind. Or don’t read at all.