Book Review: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough

 Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough by Ruth Pennebaker takes a unique perspective on a family of three generations living together. Joanie, the woman in the middle generation and the bread-winner, is dealing with her ex-husband who’s having a baby with his girlfriend, her mother who’s moved in with her for financial reasons, her daughter who’s experiencing her horrible teen years, and a co-worker who’s putting the moves on her.

The tale is often funny, sometimes rather heart-breaking, and will make most of us glad we’re not Joanie. But don’t think Ivy, the grandmother, or Caroline, the daughter, are out to get Joanie. They’re just living their lives, trying to survive like everyone else. Caroline is trying to be something other than the invisible girl at school. Ivy wants to be seen, too, as a whole person, not an old person having to live with her daughter. Pennebaker has even drawn the ex-husband’s girlfriend as a three-dimensional character with her own problems and fears.

Each character is well-drawn and believable. I think it doesn’t matter whether you’re young, older, or the generation in-between, you would like the book and identify with the characters. (Although if you buy it for your daughter, I recommend you read it first since it does have some language and scenes you’d want to check out.) But no matter which generation you identify with, you’ll find yourself wondering if they can ever come together. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough is character driven and the three main characters are up to the drive through the hills and valleys of life and family.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough
Amazon -- paperback or Kindle
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I give Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough a rating of Hel-of-a-Story. It’s a book I wish I’d written.

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FTC Disclaimer: I bought Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough with my own money. This did not influence my review, only my pocketbook. I was early to a meeting, so I stopped at a bookstore and wandered the aisles. The author’s name on the book caught my eye since I know her from way-back but haven’t talked to her in quite a while. Another thing that caught my eye was the Discussion Questions at the back of the book. By adding just twelve questions, Pennebaker has made this an easy choice for book groups. I think that’s something to think about when you’re writing your own book.