Miranda July returns to the literary scene after nearly a decade with her new novel, All Fours, a daring examination of perceptions around ageing females, desire, gender roles, matrimonial institutions, and sexual presuppositions. Whilst this might seem quite solemn subject matter, July’s unconventional perspective transforms it into a lively narrative filled with laugh-inducing, boldly erotic and unflinchingly candid insights into the existential crisis of a contemporary generation-X woman.
Just as renowned for her film-making and artistic abilities as her writing, July’s 2007 compilation of short tales, titled No One Belongs Here More Than You, snagged the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. Furthermore, her 2005 cinematic venture, Me and You and Everyone We Know, garnered acclaim and honours at both the Cannes and Sundance film festivals.
The narrative of All Fours orbits around a woman in her mid-forties, identified by no name. A married mother, she works as a polymathic artist enjoying moderate fame and resides in Los Angeles, exhibiting striking similarities to July’s own persona. July, however, has stated that although the narrative features some elements rooted in her personal experiences, it remains a work of fiction.
Beginning the novel, our main character plots a cross-country journey from LA to New York. While the ostensible reason for this trip is work, the real motive lies in the desperate need to escape her restrictive marriage and confront the fear incited by a diagnosis of perimenopause. She narrates “I was a throbbing, amorphous ball of light,” attempting to reconcile her existence in her “motherly, wifely human form.”
Fearing stagnation and monotony, she makes an impromptu stop barely half an hour into her journey, landing at an obscure motel where she embarks on a transformative odyssey towards sexual enlightenment and self-realisation.
Throughout All Fours, July’s idiosyncratic, wince-inducing humour permeates the pages. The reader is bombarded with sardonic statements that compel bursts of laughter. These humorous punches often originate from the simplicity and banality of everyday life.
July presents an honest, vivid, and hilarious depiction of a post-menopausal female’s pursuit of a fulfilling existence in All Fours. She manages a precarious equilibrium of amusing and serious tones, retaining the reader’s engagement throughout the entire novel. This contrast results in a captivating and open exploration of one woman’s midlife journey towards self-discovery.