Modern novels with slightly meta titles can be rather hit or miss (especially debut works), but I think Really Good, Actually is a solid hit from what information I can source online about it.
This humorous novel follows twenty-nine-year-old Maggie, a woman whose marriage ended after 608 days, or roughly 1.6 years. Now facing an uphill battle against basic things in life, such as securing her PhD, paying rent, or even having company, I am sure any reader would assume she is doing poorly.
As you may have guessed, the novel’s gimmick is that she’s doing Really Good, Actually despite all these factors, on top of being a divorcee whilst in her twenties. Instead, the novel seems to lean into questioning a lot about life and traditions, whilst lacing everything with a dry sense of humour that highlights Maggie’s struggle, but also undermines all the seriousness.
It sounds like a good read, and it has actually been on my radar for quite a while. It is clearly a very modern poem by design, which isn’t always a bad thing. Personally, I need to read more works from the 2020s.
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