Really Good, Actually
Ratings56
Average rating3.4
Monica Heisey's “Really Good, Actually” is a laugh-out-loud funny memoir about what it's really like to be a woman in today's society.
As a woman in today's society, Monica Heisey knows a thing or two about what it's like to be always be “on” and to be judged by her appearance. In her memoir, “Really Good, Actually,” she opens up about her own insecurities and the societal pressure she feels to always look her best. While her book is full of humorous anecdotes, it also feels relatable and honest.
Heisey's book covers a wide range of topics, from dieting and body image to relationships and work. In one particularly moving chapter, she opens up about her experience with sexual assault and how it has affected her relationships with men. Heisey is unafraid to tackle difficult subjects with humor and grace.
“Really Good, Actually” is a necessary read for any woman who has ever felt not good enough. Heisey's memoir is funny, relatable, and ultimately empowering.
As someone who also went through a quarter-life crisis after a big breakup (getting a divorce) at a relatively young age, this book hit very close to home for me. I laughed and cried with the main character for all the things she thought she wanted, all the things that happened instead, and all the manic online purchases made at the height of an emotional breakdown. It was an emotional roller coaster of a book, but so is being a divorced millennial.
The fact that people seem to not like this book makes me a little embarrassed to admit this, but I really enjoyed it. I was taken away on a unique character journey that I feel like I've never experienced before. I kind of hated Maggie most of the time, but in a good way? I kept wanting to come back for more. But then also I would occasionally see myself in some of the less-appealing things she did or said, which has some implications I guess. Then, since she was so unpleasant in the beginning, I was almost rooting for her as she started to move on and work on herself, because the change was so noticeable.
This was really not good, actually. It was an entire book about a girl who felt like she should be the center of attention, and was a bitch. Whine, whine, whine. Not one for me, and I wouldn't recommend to anyone I know.
I can definitely see the throughline between Schitt's Creek (which Heisey wrote for) and this book–Maggie is definitely giving season 1 Rose family at first, she is intentionally insufferable and that can be a hard line to walk in fiction. I can see from the reviews that it clearly didn't land for every reader but for me I enjoyed her ~journey~. For me the way that Heisey includes social media and Google search results hit exactly right and was hilarious. I also really loved the group chat and the friendship here. I cried multiple times while reading this about the power of friendship. (Also: I was on a plane which always adds +1 to crying.) Anyway, it's not a book for everyone (and it's overall very white [Canadian white even] and straight [with the one token gay friend, who I did love]) but I had a good time with it.