The Interruption Of Everything (2005) - Plot & Excerpts
n the early 1990's, author Terry McMillan gave a voice to young African American women via the antics of the characters in her New York Times bestseller, Waiting to Exhale. Now, nearly 13 years later, she is back with another definite hit, The Interruption of Everything, which focuses on the trials and tribulations of a middle-aged woman, Marilyn Grimes. It is an engaging novel that truly transcends race and culture because art imitates life - Marilyn's experiences are very real for many women of all ethnicities. Years ago, Marilyn put her dreams, education and career on hold, dedicating herself to motherhood and marriage. Now, a forty-something-year old homemaker whose children have recently left home, she can't quite enjoy her new child-free phase of life. She works part-time in a crafts store largely to fight boredom, loneliness, and pursue her lifelong hobby. Her husband, Leon, a chronic workaholic, is absent all day and most evenings. Her children still rely on her as the primary problem solver for anything that goes wrong in their lives, whether it be physical, financial or emotional. She unwillingly has been pulled in as chauffer, chef, and caregiver to her nosey, manipulative, opinionated, live-in mother-in-law and her mangy poodle. Yet another burden she faces is dealing with her foster sister (a single mother and drug addict) who recently started disappearing for days leaving her young, unruly children with their ailing mother, who is showing signs of Alzheimer's. Things are further complicated when a routine doctor's visit to address menopausal symptoms reveal Marilyn is pregnant! She is at the apex of frustration and exhaustion. A lonely, tired, and numb Marilyn struggles to reclaim her life, dreams and passions. She summons an inner strength and musters resilience to determine her next steps despite wanting to "roll over and die." She resolves to reprioritize her life and place her wants and needs first. She secretly applies to school, looks into starting her own business, changes her hair, starts to work-out, among other things. But just before she can share her proclamation with Leon, he, surprisingly and unexpectedly, announces that he is bored with their passionless marriage and is going to an exclusive, secluded Costa Rican resort - alone for a month - to "find himself." It would not be a true Terry McMillan tale without the power of friendship. Marilyn's best friends, Bunny (a chronic sufferer of "no class" in the fashion and home décor areas) and `know-it-all' Paulette provide comfort, comic relief, and bring a little excitement of their own. Thus the drama continues and pages are rapidly turned to seek the outcome. The novel is funny, laced with witty dialogue, great subplots, a few surprises, and unforgettable characters. It has a universal appeal to all audiences and reminds women to find and rekindle their passion(s) and regain their independence. The Interruption of Everything will hit close to home and touch hearts as an emotional and endearing tale. The commonality of the experiences and familiarity with its center, Marilyn, will pull readers in instantly. She could be anyone's mother, sister, and/or friend - and that is the beauty and uncanny simplicity of it. McMillan's fans (old and new) will not be disappointed with this offering.
This week I have began reading 'The Interruption of Everything' by Terry Mcmillan. Marilyn Grimes is a wife and mother of three who is currently going through a midlife crisis. Marilyn sits on the handicapped stall at her job eating a Good n Plenty bar contemplating whether she should get a blood test according to her friend Paulette. Paulette has been telling Marilyn that she has been showing symptoms of beginning menopause. Paulette warns Marilyn that she needs to give some things a break including her husband Leon and his mother who they care for Arthurine. Marilyn then comes to the conclusion that she has noticed these symptoms and that even though she denied that she had seen them to Paulette its only because she hated being wrong. Marilyn currently works at Heavenly Creations part time and dreads her job when the stores favorite customers come by. Everytime they come by its like a reality show in the storm. Maureen and Trudy are the two ladies who come in and this time Maureen is complaining and confiding to Trudy about her problems with her husband. But Trudy doesn't have it and gives Maureen the bitter truth, causing them to turn into two loud ladies (like on a tv show).Trudy and Maureen come so often to Heavenly Creations that they outdid Marilyn out the craft classes so Marilyn's boss hired them as a set up crew for the company. Hearing Maureen's raid Marilyn gets a thought about wondering what her life would be like outside of being a wife and mother. She realized she became one of the women who got married and had kids and forgot about her own personal dreams.
What do You think about The Interruption Of Everything (2005)?
Empty nest syndrome, midlife crises, the "change", family issues, loneliness, and just plain boredom creep into all of our lives at one point in time or another, but it seems that the forties are riddled with these issues. Marilyn Grimes is no different from any other woman in her forties and as we get a peak into the issues of her life, we learn that those of us who are facing the same issues are not alone. Terry McMillan creates real characters and places them in real-life situations, making the reader feel like a fly on the wall as the events of their lives unfold. I absolutely loved this page-turner. Ms. McMillan has proven that her talent just gets better with time! This book reminds me why she's my literary idol!Adrienne Thompson - Author of Bluesday
—Adrienne Thompson
I finished Terry McMillan's The Interruption of Everything tonight. This is definitely a page-turner. It's a universal story. It's not full of cliches or male bashing or gratuitous sex (I hate that that's what I expected from her, but it sorta was). It's not sugar-coated or exaggerated. It's just real. If we all live long enough we'll experience many of the things these characters do: that mid-life thing they say men go through, menopause, caring for our parents in their old age, empty nesting. I think the author did a great job telling the story of a woman who raised three kids and when she didn't have kids to raise anymore had to redefine her purpose and maintain her sanity while dealing with a shaky marriage, an aging mother and an irresponsible adopted sister, among other things. Initially, you meet these characters who you immediately want to dislike...a strung-out mother of two, a cheating husband, an overbearing mother-in-law. Then the whys of these faulty characters unfold, and you get to what causes their behavior...loneliness, fear of abandonment or rejection, insecurities. Ultimately, it's impossible to dislike these characters, because you understand the whys. The more you learn about them, the more difficult it is to dislike them. The more the main character learned the whys...the more she came to understand her adopted sister, her niece and nephew, her mother, her husband...the harder it was for her to look at them with nothing but love in her heart. She was also able to look into herself...get to some of her own whys. Understanding is so powerful. And just like Terry McMillan's other works, this one ends with you wondering what will happen, but knowing everything will be okay. This is a good book y'all. I can see this one joining How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Waiting to Exhale and Disappearing Acts in my DVD collection. Isn't it about time for another Terry McMillan book inspired film? If it is ever put on film, we already know Angela Basset's got dibs on the lead role.
—Raquel
Marilyn Grimes is a nice lady. She’s a non-swearing, jewellery-making, churchgoing San Francisco suburbanite who spends her life administering to the every need of her children, mother, sister, niece, nephew, grandchild, husband, and mother-in-law. Then, unexpectedly pregnant and subjected to the increasing demands of a demented mother, drug addicted sister, overbearing mother-in-law, and her husband Leon’s midlife crisis – complete with Harley, perky girlfriend, and a sudden desire to find himself on retreat in Costa Rica – she decides she’s had enough.It’s a sassy, engaging, witty, and effortless read which McMillan manages to make moving in parts without sloping off into sentimentality. I’d hoped for a more dramatic ending, erupting from Marilyn’s mounting anger at Leon’s antics, but McMillan chose instead to end the novel on a note of hope rather than revenge. It’s unlikely to change your life, but if the sun ever re-emerges, it’ll make for enjoyable summer reading.
—Kate Gould
