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When we’re young, we tend to look ahead with excitement and optimism, planning out our happily ever after. But in The M Word by Eileen Wharton, a middle-aged woman is frustrated by all of the ways in which her life has been a disappointment—only to find that it’s about to take some big new twists.
The story finds Roberta Gallbreath facing a number of major changes in her life—starting with the death of her mother. Roberta’s mother has always been cold and distant, and they haven’t spoken in years—so when Roberta is called in to say goodbye, her emotions are mixed. But her mother’s death comes with some remarkable revelations in the form of a stack of old letters—and as Roberta deals with changes at work and in her family, she also tries to come to grips with this new information about her past.
The M Word is the story of a divorced middle-aged woman who’s moody and menopausal and struggling to find happiness. Roberta isn’t an upbeat, happy-go-lucky kind of character. In fact, she’s a pretty prickly person. She doesn’t like her three grown children, and she avoids talking to them if at all possible. Her brief discussions with her mother and sister end up with little more than attacks and abuse. She’s still incredibly bitter about her ex-husband, even 16 years after their divorce. And she can’t really stand anyone at work—especially her new boss—so when troubles arise at the office, she simply walks out.
Admittedly, many readers will be able to relate to Roberta. She’s a genuine character who’s understandably frustrated by the things happening around her. She was raised by an uncaring woman. She had three children at a young age before her husband cheated on her and walked out. And now she finds herself racing toward 50 and attempting to meet someone new any way that she can—from Tinder to speed dating—with amusingly cringe-worthy results.
It’s really no wonder that Roberta is more than just a little bit cynical and sarcastic—and her bad attitude toward pretty much everything can be funny and even refreshing. But, eventually, it just goes too far. She takes her frustrations out on everyone, and she seems like the kind of person who lives with a scowl on her face and an insult on her lips. And though she has some redeeming moments—some moments when she is reluctantly kind or when she admits to her true feelings—her bitterness and negativity often make for an exhausting read.
The M Word is clearly just the beginning of Roberta’s story—because one of the subplots remains in the background of the story until popping back up again the end. Her ongoing story promises more unexpected adventures, but you’ll have to accept the character’s overall surliness—and that makes it a pretty tough sell.
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