And Then There's Margaret by Carolyn Clarke

TITLE INFORMATION

And Then There’s Margaret

Carolyn Clarke

Black Rose Writing 257 pages

9781684339936, 7.20.22

Overall Rating = 4.25

Storyline & Concept = 4

Writing & Delivery = 3.75

Editorial = 5

And Then There’s Margaret is a comedic depiction of the relationship between middle-aged Allie and her less-than-pleasant mother-in-law as they navigate through loss under the same roof, much to Allie’s dismay. Allie is an average, chardonnay-loving kindergarten teacher who has reached a crossroad in her life where she finds herself faced with many challenges. Among them are a tense relationship with her daughter, jealousy over her husband’s flirty colleague, a young snooty gym receptionist, and, most importantly, her criticizing mother-in-law, Margaret. When life gets hard, letters to her late father-in-law help keep her sane.

Carolyn Clarke depicts Allie in a very realistic and relatable way. During this time of transition and loss, Clarke writes in a dramatically humorous manner. Through Allie’s witty narrative, the reader feels connected and attached to her every thought. I could not help but feel annoyance toward Margaret as she escalates each situation, which becomes more frequent as the novel unravels. The humorous aspect of the story focuses heavily on the toxic relationship between Allie and Margaret, though I would have liked to experience more of it focused on other parts the story. The light-hearted moments add more depth to the narrative, which could have been emphasized more to add contrast to the otherwise tense natures of the relationships throughout. I would recommend this read to anyone who can relate to the aches and pains that come with family. It is a great read in which to escape with a glass of wine in hand.

Sublime line: “A humorously relatable story of a middle-aged woman trying her best to handle her criticizing mother-in-law while holding onto her marriage.”

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