The Queen's Chair: Review of Terry McMillan"s Getting To Happy
The good news is author Terry McMillan is back. The bad news: her newest novel doesn't live up to expectations. It pains me to write this, but I have to tell the truth.
This IS a sequel. McMillan keeps saying it's not, but it is. She takes us to see Bernedene, Gloria, Robin and Savannah 15 years later. Things aren't going so well for our ladies. Without giving away too much, my biggest complaint about this book are the portrayal of men (don't have to be a genius to figure this one out) and way too much drama happens throughout the pages. You literally have to keep a scoreboard of what happens to whom.
These women never really grow. They don't let anyone new in their sister circle and are kind of stuck in time. The novel tends to be a hard read, but it's apparent this really should be the sequel to Stella. I really disappointed by her decision to kill off a character. She incorporates new story lines and plot twists to relate to a younger audience, but if this ever becomes a movie. I don't want to see it.
I'm a BIG Terry McMillan fan. I'm thinking maybe she had to write this novel cause she needed the money and couldn't give the advance back. I know she's still angry about the ex. Her novel, Getting To Happy doesn't.
This IS a sequel. McMillan keeps saying it's not, but it is. She takes us to see Bernedene, Gloria, Robin and Savannah 15 years later. Things aren't going so well for our ladies. Without giving away too much, my biggest complaint about this book are the portrayal of men (don't have to be a genius to figure this one out) and way too much drama happens throughout the pages. You literally have to keep a scoreboard of what happens to whom.
These women never really grow. They don't let anyone new in their sister circle and are kind of stuck in time. The novel tends to be a hard read, but it's apparent this really should be the sequel to Stella. I really disappointed by her decision to kill off a character. She incorporates new story lines and plot twists to relate to a younger audience, but if this ever becomes a movie. I don't want to see it.
I'm a BIG Terry McMillan fan. I'm thinking maybe she had to write this novel cause she needed the money and couldn't give the advance back. I know she's still angry about the ex. Her novel, Getting To Happy doesn't.
It's interesting that you blogged about the new book because I heard an interview with McMillian on Black Women Connect w/ Janet A. Jackson [Just interviewed Terry McMillan. Listen here: http://tinyurl.com/2ex9cj9 ]
The interview was a big turn off for me to even wanting to read the book.