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Waiting to Exhale #2
Getting to Happy
In WAITING TO EXHALE, Terry McMillan chronicled the lives and love affairs of women in their mid-thirties, opening up an entirely new literary field and audience for African-American writers. GETTING TO HAPPY, her exuberant and engaging "sequel," revisits the same four spirited women - Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine, and Robin - now catapulted into midlife.Fifteen years later, her heroines are as sassy, vivid, and smart-mouthed as ever. As a broadcast investigative journalist, Savannah takes pride in her work exposing secrets and scandals - but she never expected to uncover one in her own home that would bring her already diminishing marriage to an explosive end. Bernie has had man problems that put her past challenges in the shade - these days, she finds herself popping pills and forgetting details that she might do well to recall. Robin's high-rolling life as a serial shopper runs into trouble when she loses her job to a merger, and she's hardly faring any better in the world of online dating. Gloria still runs the bustling Oasis salon, but back-to-back family tragedies hit her hard. All four face tough questions about love and loss, but they keep faith in themselves and each other as their lives fall apart and reconfigure. A particular reward of this novel is the cast of younger characters - Bernadine's now-college-age Onika; Robin's daughter Sparrow; and Gloria's son Tariq, married and with young children (and problems) of his own.McMillan's pitch-perfect prose draws us into the deeply affecting stories of these women, highlighting the humor and joy that carry them through their struggles. Although girlfriend time may have eroded somewhat under life's pressures, four-way calls and movie night get-togethers continue to reaffirm the importance of friendship not only to getting by but to chasing that perennial goal - getting to happy.
375 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
599 people are currently reading
3,965 people want to read
About the author
Terry McMillan
41Ìýbooks3,383ÌýfollowersTerry McMillan is an African-American author. Her interest in books comes from working at a library when she was fourteen. She received her BA in journalism in 1986 from the University of California at Berkeley and the MFA Film Program at Columbia University. Her work is characterized by strong female protagonists.
Her first book, Mama, was self-promoted. She achieved national attention in 1992 with her third novel, Waiting to Exhale, which remained on The New York Times bestseller list for many months. Forest Whitaker turned it into a film in 1995. In 1998, another of McMillan's novels, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, was made into a movie. McMillan's novel Disappearing Acts was subsequently produced as a direct-to-cable feature.
Her last novel, Who Asked You?, casts an intimate look at the burdens and blessings of family and speaks to trusting your own judgment even when others don’t agree.
Her first book, Mama, was self-promoted. She achieved national attention in 1992 with her third novel, Waiting to Exhale, which remained on The New York Times bestseller list for many months. Forest Whitaker turned it into a film in 1995. In 1998, another of McMillan's novels, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, was made into a movie. McMillan's novel Disappearing Acts was subsequently produced as a direct-to-cable feature.
Her last novel, Who Asked You?, casts an intimate look at the burdens and blessings of family and speaks to trusting your own judgment even when others don’t agree.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 737 reviews
December 26, 2013
I HATED THIS BOOK. I hated everything about this book. I hated the idea of it (rejoining the characters 10yrs later) I hated the choppy story line and how she jumped from one character to the next. Though mostly (and I wouldn't have even thought this possible) I HATED THE CHARACTERS! What the hell did you do?! James is a lying, con man bigamist..... wait what? Bernadine the super strong woman who took her life back in the 1st novel is playing mammy to her cheating ex's son and she a junkie?! Ms. Macmilan was clearly going through some shit when she re-visited these characters and she decided to take her vengeance out on their world. Getting to Happy is an ironic title because this was a miserable ass book. There was nothing but despair and heartache. If you're like me and you read and loved it, then you picked up this book with your own little pack of hopes and predictions. I was excited to check in on my friends and see them at this new point in their lives. Not stagnant, still man bashing and miserable. This was like the story of Job. Savannah who was kinda man hungry and desperate in the 1st novel, divorced her hubby because she was bored. Robin is still a bird brain and Micheal pops up 15yrs later and she only wants him because he's lost all this weight... great message there. Weight seems to be a major issue with her throughout the novel because they stay on Gloria as well. If you're looking for something exciting move on. If you loved the 1st book and the wit and strength of the characters, move on. If you're planning to read it out of curiosity I can save you the trouble....“Men cheat. They lie. They love porn. The don't respect you and don't care if they hurt you. It's the fucking breaks. Women divorce 'em 'cause we can't tame 'em or train 'em or control 'em like we do household pets. End of story.� that quote (taken from the novel) sums up the basis of this entire book.
February 5, 2023
Crap.
Straight up shit.
Sorry for the profanity but this is one of the worst novels I've read in a long time but let me preface this review before I get started (and there will be spoilers):
Before reading Getting to Happy I re-read Waiting to Exhale (and even watched the craptastic movie) to refresh my memory. So, I came into this prepared. I was looking forwards to hanging out again with our four sassy soul sistahs: Savannah, Bernadine, Robin and Gloria.
Side note: When I initially read Waiting to Exhale around 15 years ago I loved it. It not only tapped into the black woman zeitgeist but also it spoke to me as a young, gay, black man looking for love around the time of its release. McMillan was a fantastic new voice in African American literature. But...re-reading the novel so many years later it didn't age well. It's definitely of its time.
So, back to the review. Getting to Happy is boring and pointless. It adds nothing to the original novel. McMillan's writing is not at the top of its game. It's trite at best and amateurish at worst. Some of the topics she touches on are not really relevant today. In addition, it's difficult to determine which character is which because everyone sounds like each other. McMillan seems out of touch with her characters, how they would have grown, and who they would be today.
90% of the novel is POINTLESS dialogue. I'm a lover of dialogue if it's compelling and moves the story along but dialogue for the sake of dialogue is lazy writing and obvious filler. One chapter in particular has the four heroines rehashing on a four way telephone call all the events that previously happened which we just read about.
Also, I hate how characters say shit like: "I'm pregnant". Then another characters replies: "You mean to tell me you're standing in front of me saying you're pregnant?" Duh. Didn't she just say that? That's not from the novel but there are many, MANY instances of dialogue like this in the novel.
Or dialogue will go like this:
"I like your hair."
"Thanks, girl. My hair dresser said I would look good with red hair."
"Well, he's right."
"You know, I think he was right."
"You look fierce."
"You really think so?"
"Oh yeah. I wish I could dye my hair red like yours."
Ad nauseum. Ad infinitum.
Plus, I'm not a huge fan of how McMillan has to constantly make reference to black guy this, white girl that. I get it. You're a black writer. Anyone looking at your pic on the back of the book will see that, too. Do you have to hammer that point home? It begins to come across as a bit racist.
And don't get me started on the characters. They're all in their 50s now but no one has changed for the better.
This is one of those novels that, when I finished it, I threw it across the room and then shoved it in my things-to-go-to-the Goodwill pile.
I'm pretty much done with McMillan. She had her moment and her work really resonated but the last few novels of hers I've read weren't very good. It makes me sad but life is too short to waste on a shitty novel. I suggest you don't waste your time on this one.
Straight up shit.
Sorry for the profanity but this is one of the worst novels I've read in a long time but let me preface this review before I get started (and there will be spoilers):
Before reading Getting to Happy I re-read Waiting to Exhale (and even watched the craptastic movie) to refresh my memory. So, I came into this prepared. I was looking forwards to hanging out again with our four sassy soul sistahs: Savannah, Bernadine, Robin and Gloria.
Side note: When I initially read Waiting to Exhale around 15 years ago I loved it. It not only tapped into the black woman zeitgeist but also it spoke to me as a young, gay, black man looking for love around the time of its release. McMillan was a fantastic new voice in African American literature. But...re-reading the novel so many years later it didn't age well. It's definitely of its time.
So, back to the review. Getting to Happy is boring and pointless. It adds nothing to the original novel. McMillan's writing is not at the top of its game. It's trite at best and amateurish at worst. Some of the topics she touches on are not really relevant today. In addition, it's difficult to determine which character is which because everyone sounds like each other. McMillan seems out of touch with her characters, how they would have grown, and who they would be today.
90% of the novel is POINTLESS dialogue. I'm a lover of dialogue if it's compelling and moves the story along but dialogue for the sake of dialogue is lazy writing and obvious filler. One chapter in particular has the four heroines rehashing on a four way telephone call all the events that previously happened which we just read about.
Also, I hate how characters say shit like: "I'm pregnant". Then another characters replies: "You mean to tell me you're standing in front of me saying you're pregnant?" Duh. Didn't she just say that? That's not from the novel but there are many, MANY instances of dialogue like this in the novel.
Or dialogue will go like this:
"I like your hair."
"Thanks, girl. My hair dresser said I would look good with red hair."
"Well, he's right."
"You know, I think he was right."
"You look fierce."
"You really think so?"
"Oh yeah. I wish I could dye my hair red like yours."
Ad nauseum. Ad infinitum.
Plus, I'm not a huge fan of how McMillan has to constantly make reference to black guy this, white girl that. I get it. You're a black writer. Anyone looking at your pic on the back of the book will see that, too. Do you have to hammer that point home? It begins to come across as a bit racist.
And don't get me started on the characters. They're all in their 50s now but no one has changed for the better.
This is one of those novels that, when I finished it, I threw it across the room and then shoved it in my things-to-go-to-the Goodwill pile.
I'm pretty much done with McMillan. She had her moment and her work really resonated but the last few novels of hers I've read weren't very good. It makes me sad but life is too short to waste on a shitty novel. I suggest you don't waste your time on this one.
October 26, 2014
I have rarely been so disappointed by a novel before. McMillan has taken 4 strong, intelligent, independent women from Waiting to Exhale, and made 1 a drug addict, 1 a pushover mom/desperate single woman, 1 a widow, and 1 a divorcee. All of which wouldn't be the worst thing in literature, but McMillan has made their strong bonds of friendship minimal when compared to finding a man. When one character is widowed, her friends are more concerned with her weight gain than her mental well-being.
All that aside, McMillan does strange things with point of view--2 characters tell the story from their first-person POV and 2 tell it from limited 3rd person, which is strange and very confusing initially. Any sort of social commentary, satire, remarks on race and men--all are lost due to her overwriting, over-explaining, and overall clunky style of prose. She believes in the "tell, don't show" way of writing, which can be a little insulting at times. Furthermore, the novel is set in 2005, so every movie (Crash), event (Katrina, death of Luther Vandross) or cultural reference needed (or not) is included. She's so insistent on reminding readers way, way too frequently that the book is 15 years later, which wouldn't be so annoying if I didn't know she's a better writer than this book demonstrates. She should have been able to evolve her characters better.
The messages about race, gender, class, men, and color are lost amid too many discussions about needing a man, weight, and overall childish and immature dialogue. Leave Gloria, Robin, Savannah, and Bernadine as the feisty, strong women from Waiting to Exhale.
All that aside, McMillan does strange things with point of view--2 characters tell the story from their first-person POV and 2 tell it from limited 3rd person, which is strange and very confusing initially. Any sort of social commentary, satire, remarks on race and men--all are lost due to her overwriting, over-explaining, and overall clunky style of prose. She believes in the "tell, don't show" way of writing, which can be a little insulting at times. Furthermore, the novel is set in 2005, so every movie (Crash), event (Katrina, death of Luther Vandross) or cultural reference needed (or not) is included. She's so insistent on reminding readers way, way too frequently that the book is 15 years later, which wouldn't be so annoying if I didn't know she's a better writer than this book demonstrates. She should have been able to evolve her characters better.
The messages about race, gender, class, men, and color are lost amid too many discussions about needing a man, weight, and overall childish and immature dialogue. Leave Gloria, Robin, Savannah, and Bernadine as the feisty, strong women from Waiting to Exhale.
August 27, 2010
Savannah, Bernadine, Gloria and Robin are back after 15 or 16 years to bring us up to date with their lives. After 15 years or so, you’d think these four women has found some happiness and piece, but sadly things started off for them all wrong. Savannah finally has a husband, but he’s kicked to the curb. Bernadine met the perfect man name James, so we thought. Gloria is blissfully happy, but that is instantly taken from under her feet and Robin, my goodness is a single mother with a teenage daughter that is acting like she is the mother.
When I received Getting To Happy, I couldn’t wait to read it. I was so anxious, just to see what transpired for four of my favorite characters from Waiting To Exhale. I must truly admit I was disappointed. I had such high expectations for this book and by the time I got to maybe the fifth or sixth chapter I was ready to put it down. I was honestly wondering how after 15 or 16 years these women were still experiencing such an amount of pain and agony. As I read on I kept expecting something more, something great, but I didn’t get it. By the time I was done, I had this what the hell did I miss feeling, because almost everyone in the book, including the now adult children had something going on that was not quite right.
Getting To Happy, is more like Getting To Sad. I am very disappointed, maybe because I had such a high level of expectations for this novel. I honestly will say that after 15 years, four intelligent women like Savannah, Bernadine, Gloria and Robin should have been better than they were in Waiting To Exhale. It was like getting bad news every other day in this novel. For me, this book was a true let down. I wanted to feel as half as good as I felt reading some of Terry’s early books, but I didn’t.
Anna Black
AAMBC Book Reviewer
When I received Getting To Happy, I couldn’t wait to read it. I was so anxious, just to see what transpired for four of my favorite characters from Waiting To Exhale. I must truly admit I was disappointed. I had such high expectations for this book and by the time I got to maybe the fifth or sixth chapter I was ready to put it down. I was honestly wondering how after 15 or 16 years these women were still experiencing such an amount of pain and agony. As I read on I kept expecting something more, something great, but I didn’t get it. By the time I was done, I had this what the hell did I miss feeling, because almost everyone in the book, including the now adult children had something going on that was not quite right.
Getting To Happy, is more like Getting To Sad. I am very disappointed, maybe because I had such a high level of expectations for this novel. I honestly will say that after 15 years, four intelligent women like Savannah, Bernadine, Gloria and Robin should have been better than they were in Waiting To Exhale. It was like getting bad news every other day in this novel. For me, this book was a true let down. I wanted to feel as half as good as I felt reading some of Terry’s early books, but I didn’t.
Anna Black
AAMBC Book Reviewer
November 13, 2011
Twenty years ago, I snuck my mom's copy of "Waiting to Exhale" out of her room and read it cover to cover. Of course, 14 year-old me couldn't relate to much, but I was blown away by the strength and vulnerability of these women. Life challenged them in ways I couldn't imagine then. Now, as I approach Year 35, I can.
I was hesitant to download the sequel because the reviews for it were pretty awful, and I didn't want to deal with all the doom and gloom that would befall Savannah, Gloria, Bernadette and Robin. I thought it would be nothing but angst and woe. And for the most part it is. But there is a hopefulness, a beauty in McMillan's writing that at once soothes and disturbs you. It compels you to reevaluate your life. What does it mean to be happy? What are you willing to compromise to get there? Throughout the book we see each character struggle with these questions in the face of tragedy.
While McMillan seems to overcompensate for the nationally televised faux pas she made on Oprah several years ago with a number of LGBT characters who could've been fleshed out more, I appreciate the effort. She seems to be doing her best to handle her personal demons, and that definitely comes through in her writing.
"Getting to Happy" isn't going to change your life, but it will at the very least give you food for thought. Sometimes, that's all we need.
I was hesitant to download the sequel because the reviews for it were pretty awful, and I didn't want to deal with all the doom and gloom that would befall Savannah, Gloria, Bernadette and Robin. I thought it would be nothing but angst and woe. And for the most part it is. But there is a hopefulness, a beauty in McMillan's writing that at once soothes and disturbs you. It compels you to reevaluate your life. What does it mean to be happy? What are you willing to compromise to get there? Throughout the book we see each character struggle with these questions in the face of tragedy.
While McMillan seems to overcompensate for the nationally televised faux pas she made on Oprah several years ago with a number of LGBT characters who could've been fleshed out more, I appreciate the effort. She seems to be doing her best to handle her personal demons, and that definitely comes through in her writing.
"Getting to Happy" isn't going to change your life, but it will at the very least give you food for thought. Sometimes, that's all we need.
February 13, 2016
Terry McMillan may be one of my favorite authors but this novel falls very short of what I expected from her. After having recently re-read Waiting to Exhale, the bar was set high as I anxiously turned the pages waiting to read a passage or something to happen in the story line that would make me laugh out loud or grin sheepishly at her creativity in bringing the lives and friendship of Black women to life. It never happened.
The book wasn't horrible. It just never resonated with me. The funny conversations as a group, or even the self evaluations dripping with truth, humor and pain that touched me in WTE, didn't so much as prick me in Getting to Happy.
I was also saddened at many of the love stories presented in the book. The demise of Marvin, and Bernadine's second husband, just didnt add up. Nor did Robin's eventual jump into love.
One of my book club members surmised that I didnt enjoy the book because I couldn't identify with 50 year old menopausal women, but not identifying with characters has never prevented me from falling in love with a novel. I fell in love with Waiting to Exhale at 12 years old, and again at 19 years old, at a time when I shared no common ground with Bernadine, Robin, Gloria, or Savannah.
A few things never connected to me: Bernadine's addiction to pills, when in WTE she had an extremely strong disdain for them; Robin becoming docile and celibate, allowing her teenaged daughter to essentially run her love life, when in WTE nothing could calm her attitude or her escapades in the bedroom, not even her fathers battle and subsequent death from alzheimers; Tarik's particular career being overshadowed by his original obsession and life long dream in WTE: music...the list goes on. Savannah and Gloria did seem to stay true to their original characterizations, though, which made me happy.
Also the book seemed to be weighed down by the current events of 2005, beating us over the head with the fact that the book did not take place in 2010. I understood that before I even started the book. The last thing I needed were tidbits about Hurricane Katrina, interest in Obama prior to his bid for president, and other such facts that didnt quite fit in with the storyline.
One book member commented that it is quite obvious that McMillan wrote this sequel with only the subsequent movie in mind. I am inclined to agree. It may not have moved me in literary form, but this story has the potential to do well on the big screen.
I still love her, though. Just not this particular book...autographed copy and all.
The book wasn't horrible. It just never resonated with me. The funny conversations as a group, or even the self evaluations dripping with truth, humor and pain that touched me in WTE, didn't so much as prick me in Getting to Happy.
I was also saddened at many of the love stories presented in the book. The demise of Marvin, and Bernadine's second husband, just didnt add up. Nor did Robin's eventual jump into love.
One of my book club members surmised that I didnt enjoy the book because I couldn't identify with 50 year old menopausal women, but not identifying with characters has never prevented me from falling in love with a novel. I fell in love with Waiting to Exhale at 12 years old, and again at 19 years old, at a time when I shared no common ground with Bernadine, Robin, Gloria, or Savannah.
A few things never connected to me: Bernadine's addiction to pills, when in WTE she had an extremely strong disdain for them; Robin becoming docile and celibate, allowing her teenaged daughter to essentially run her love life, when in WTE nothing could calm her attitude or her escapades in the bedroom, not even her fathers battle and subsequent death from alzheimers; Tarik's particular career being overshadowed by his original obsession and life long dream in WTE: music...the list goes on. Savannah and Gloria did seem to stay true to their original characterizations, though, which made me happy.
Also the book seemed to be weighed down by the current events of 2005, beating us over the head with the fact that the book did not take place in 2010. I understood that before I even started the book. The last thing I needed were tidbits about Hurricane Katrina, interest in Obama prior to his bid for president, and other such facts that didnt quite fit in with the storyline.
One book member commented that it is quite obvious that McMillan wrote this sequel with only the subsequent movie in mind. I am inclined to agree. It may not have moved me in literary form, but this story has the potential to do well on the big screen.
I still love her, though. Just not this particular book...autographed copy and all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2012
I'm not quite sure why this book had to be done? I really loved Waiting to Exhale and the ending was so pat and yet not happily ever after... So this book literally spends the first 50 pages deconstructing any and all gains from the first novel... Divorces, betrayals, and other means are used to tear down what made these characters settle
That said--I missed Savannah, Robin, Bernie and Glo and was happy to get back into their world(s). I liked that they all seemed to have grown and learned things but not necessarily past them... I like the part that the various children (now teens and adults) played in the story as well--not overpowering the main 4 but adding to them...
And I didnt realize how much I missed McMillan's voice. She has a strong and distinct sound to her words that I enjoy, she jumps easily in POV between the girls and still keeps everything sorted out and easy to follow... At times the book does get clunky and there are more than a few plot choices I am NOT happy with--its a solid read.
But I dont know if I would have read it knowing how much she would take away from the first novel
That said--I missed Savannah, Robin, Bernie and Glo and was happy to get back into their world(s). I liked that they all seemed to have grown and learned things but not necessarily past them... I like the part that the various children (now teens and adults) played in the story as well--not overpowering the main 4 but adding to them...
And I didnt realize how much I missed McMillan's voice. She has a strong and distinct sound to her words that I enjoy, she jumps easily in POV between the girls and still keeps everything sorted out and easy to follow... At times the book does get clunky and there are more than a few plot choices I am NOT happy with--its a solid read.
But I dont know if I would have read it knowing how much she would take away from the first novel
April 18, 2017
Definitely not as good as I remember "Waiting to Exhale" being. I listened on audiobook; I don't think I would have been able to finish it with a physical copy. The narrations were probably the best part.
August 4, 2014
Familiar. Predictable. Funny.
Let's face it. You know what your getting when you pick up a Terry McMillan book. If you don't, try a few you'll pick up the pattern pretty quickly. Sistah-girl, successful, sassy, life drama with family/kids/men, "I need a change in my life I'm bout to get my groove back". *Snap*Snap*Neckroll* lol On my reading list, this type of book has it's place. Very rarely I'm in the mood for it but I could never endure a steady diet of it as some do. It's comfortable, it's not challenging but it's also very limited and can become boring, repetitive and down right old very quickly. That's where I found myself with this book. I'd read Mama, Disappearing Acts and Waiting to Exhale (this books prequel) eons ago in the 90's when we all jumped on the band wagon inhaling books by a variety of budding new African American authors. Then it was new and interesting to read books that sounded like us or our movies. I was young and the way they talked about relationships sounded familiar. It would to a teen who only knew limited relationship knowledge based on limited experience, parents, relatives and Hollywood. Fast forward about 20 years later, this mess sounds dysfunctional, childish and amateur. Don't get me wrong, it's funny, some of it is familiar to real life experience but it's kinda tired. It's the type if thing and attributes that when I run across in real life people, that's my cue to say "Peace", throw up the deuces and keep it moving. Save the drama for your mama, as the saying goes. Lol That being said as old as these ladies now are I could not wrap my head around the concept of their so called life changes. Four friends (is that what they were because they talked to each other and about each other horribly) supposedly supportive to each other but to me it was a lot of gossip and chatter. The way they talked to each other, if that is friendship, who needs an enemy. I would never call someone I claim to love any of the language or gossip the way they did. And the sad thing to me is that readers of these books may think it's ok. Life and death is in our tongue and this was just not a good example. I digress...
It was entirely too lengthy. 200 some pages would have done the trick. There was too much detail or should I say rambling about what I know was Terry putting her two cents in about the world, the country, her random thoughts. I didn't need all that. I got bored. I did start skimming. At first the different character voices were entertaining but after more than 250 pages I wanted to tell a few to shut up. It seemed as if there was a need to jam pack this with every available concept that came to mind and of course it ended with a dance sequence like any good book/movie in this genre. ~Sigh~
I'll go with 3 stars on this. Yeah I'll recommend it but only if you read Terry or this genre. Am I disappointed? When I think long and hard, nope. This is what one can expect from this author. When you want this genre she's one if the best, but she's still limited. I read this in two days, mostly to finish and move on to the next read quickly.Ìý
~NEXT!!~
Let's face it. You know what your getting when you pick up a Terry McMillan book. If you don't, try a few you'll pick up the pattern pretty quickly. Sistah-girl, successful, sassy, life drama with family/kids/men, "I need a change in my life I'm bout to get my groove back". *Snap*Snap*Neckroll* lol On my reading list, this type of book has it's place. Very rarely I'm in the mood for it but I could never endure a steady diet of it as some do. It's comfortable, it's not challenging but it's also very limited and can become boring, repetitive and down right old very quickly. That's where I found myself with this book. I'd read Mama, Disappearing Acts and Waiting to Exhale (this books prequel) eons ago in the 90's when we all jumped on the band wagon inhaling books by a variety of budding new African American authors. Then it was new and interesting to read books that sounded like us or our movies. I was young and the way they talked about relationships sounded familiar. It would to a teen who only knew limited relationship knowledge based on limited experience, parents, relatives and Hollywood. Fast forward about 20 years later, this mess sounds dysfunctional, childish and amateur. Don't get me wrong, it's funny, some of it is familiar to real life experience but it's kinda tired. It's the type if thing and attributes that when I run across in real life people, that's my cue to say "Peace", throw up the deuces and keep it moving. Save the drama for your mama, as the saying goes. Lol That being said as old as these ladies now are I could not wrap my head around the concept of their so called life changes. Four friends (is that what they were because they talked to each other and about each other horribly) supposedly supportive to each other but to me it was a lot of gossip and chatter. The way they talked to each other, if that is friendship, who needs an enemy. I would never call someone I claim to love any of the language or gossip the way they did. And the sad thing to me is that readers of these books may think it's ok. Life and death is in our tongue and this was just not a good example. I digress...
It was entirely too lengthy. 200 some pages would have done the trick. There was too much detail or should I say rambling about what I know was Terry putting her two cents in about the world, the country, her random thoughts. I didn't need all that. I got bored. I did start skimming. At first the different character voices were entertaining but after more than 250 pages I wanted to tell a few to shut up. It seemed as if there was a need to jam pack this with every available concept that came to mind and of course it ended with a dance sequence like any good book/movie in this genre. ~Sigh~
I'll go with 3 stars on this. Yeah I'll recommend it but only if you read Terry or this genre. Am I disappointed? When I think long and hard, nope. This is what one can expect from this author. When you want this genre she's one if the best, but she's still limited. I read this in two days, mostly to finish and move on to the next read quickly.Ìý
~NEXT!!~
May 31, 2010
I liked reading Terry McMillan back in the day. Liked the women in Waiting to Exhale, to which this book makes a sequel. I'm thinking maybe I'm outgrowing this kind of book, for just like Sex and the City 2 leaves me with absolutely no desire to see it, even though I loved the TV series, this book did not engage me. The women are all about 15 years older, and not really any wiser. One ends up divorcing her husband over a matter that -might- have been worked through if she was really interested in saving her marriage, but she was bored with it anyway. One is addicted to prescription drugs. One has a child that she lets say and do anything, including getting her mother involved in internet dating, to which she becomes far too dependent. There is a horribly poignant storyline in which one woman loses her husband to a drive-by.
These women nag each other, lie to each other, and can't ever figure out what makes them happy or how to be both realistic and fulfilled. They are friends to the end, and that, I guess, is the moral of the story. I just wasn't sure I'd want to be friends with any of them.
These women nag each other, lie to each other, and can't ever figure out what makes them happy or how to be both realistic and fulfilled. They are friends to the end, and that, I guess, is the moral of the story. I just wasn't sure I'd want to be friends with any of them.
July 29, 2019
Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine and Robin are back~
"Getting to Happy (Waiting to Exhale#2)" is the sequel to "Waiting to Exhale" by Terry McMillan.
The story takes place fifteen years later and the now middle-aged friends: Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine and Robin are still looking for lasting love, peace of mind and happiness! But life is not easy with for the ladies!
There's stress of course in the forms of family drama, divorces, job downsizing, death, and even abuse (drugs and domestic child abuse! With equal doses of tears and laughs, the quartet goes through life trying hard to get to staying happy!
5 emotional stars~
"Getting to Happy (Waiting to Exhale#2)" is the sequel to "Waiting to Exhale" by Terry McMillan.
The story takes place fifteen years later and the now middle-aged friends: Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine and Robin are still looking for lasting love, peace of mind and happiness! But life is not easy with for the ladies!
There's stress of course in the forms of family drama, divorces, job downsizing, death, and even abuse (drugs and domestic child abuse! With equal doses of tears and laughs, the quartet goes through life trying hard to get to staying happy!
5 emotional stars~
May 15, 2011
When I started listening to this book and I must admit Terry M, should not narrate audio books. Her voice sounds like a run on sentence. I'm not saying that as a dig or a compliment just an observation. As I stated reading this book I was so excited to revisit these women several years later. To see where they are in their lives and what happened after they exhaled. What I found out is "Once you breathe don’t talk about it, be about it"
� Savannah Jackson (Whitney Houston) is a successful television producer who holds on to the belief that one day her married lover (Dennis Haysbert) will leave his wife f or her. Ummmm
o Married to Isaac � they are moving towards divorce, Issac moved out and Savannah has finally filed. They've decided to make it a friendly divorce, but then Isaac calls to borrow $3K and she gives it to him, only to find out a few days later that he has defaulted on a loan she co-signed on. This act totally changes the idea of an amicable divorce.
� Bernadine Harris (Angela Bassett) abandoned her own career and desires of having a catering business to raise a family. Her husband (Michael Beach) is now leaving her for a white woman. There is a back story of Savannah and Bernadine being best friends since they were both in college together. Update: her new husband polygamist (Jessie/James), does the same thing to her which happened 6 yrs ago. We are not given much detail about the wife but one can assume this time she is African American. Jessie/James took her for everything, Onika her daughter is a lesbian. Taylor (15 yrs old step daughter) is her ex husband’s child. Her wit is truly something I appreciated in this somewhat dry story. Her ex offers to give Bernadine one of his properties, to help her from going broke. Hooked on pills, hooked on the victim syndrome Bernie finally realizes that she MUST do something for things to change. Is the answer rehab or being blessed to find out that Kathleen; the women her ex left her for has in fact left John?
Robin Stokes (Lela Rochon) is a high-powered executive and the long-time mistress of Russell (Leon Robinson). After dumping him she has problems finding a decent man of her own. She now has a daughter named Sparrow who seems to also be her best friend. Robin is on the internet looking for love. She meets a man online named “Dark Angel� and he sounds really nice. But what she gets instead of her Dark Angel is her Dark and handsome ex, Russell. Dark Angel stands her up but she later on finds out that he is married w/kids. Sparrow is trying to gain a connection with her dad and it leaves Robin feeling a little off balance.
� Gloria Matthews (Loretta Devine) is a beauty salon owner and single mother raising a teenage son (Donald Faison) who is preparing to leave home and travel the world with Up with People. After years alone, she falls in love with a new neighbor, Marvin King (Gregory Hines). Grandkids � losing her husband to gang violence. Glorias story was my favorite in this sequel.
All the women are trying to find happy again. What is happy? How do you find that island again, when you don’t love your husband anymore, or when he’s been a victim of gun violence and now you are no longer a wife but a widower? How do you get to that island when your first husband left you for a younger woman of a different race, and here you are again; but this time your new husband is a not only a cheater but a polygamist.
I enjoyed the middle of the book where the group gets together again to vent their issues, and breathe once again. As sisters they also try to figure out a plan to bring them back to their original queen-ness, one sister at a time with truth and advice.
Once you’ve exhaled as this group did there comes a time when you have to learn to breathe normally again.
Missy
Readers Paradise
4 book marks
"Waiting to Exhale" summary in this review taken from Wikipedia
� Savannah Jackson (Whitney Houston) is a successful television producer who holds on to the belief that one day her married lover (Dennis Haysbert) will leave his wife f or her. Ummmm
o Married to Isaac � they are moving towards divorce, Issac moved out and Savannah has finally filed. They've decided to make it a friendly divorce, but then Isaac calls to borrow $3K and she gives it to him, only to find out a few days later that he has defaulted on a loan she co-signed on. This act totally changes the idea of an amicable divorce.
� Bernadine Harris (Angela Bassett) abandoned her own career and desires of having a catering business to raise a family. Her husband (Michael Beach) is now leaving her for a white woman. There is a back story of Savannah and Bernadine being best friends since they were both in college together. Update: her new husband polygamist (Jessie/James), does the same thing to her which happened 6 yrs ago. We are not given much detail about the wife but one can assume this time she is African American. Jessie/James took her for everything, Onika her daughter is a lesbian. Taylor (15 yrs old step daughter) is her ex husband’s child. Her wit is truly something I appreciated in this somewhat dry story. Her ex offers to give Bernadine one of his properties, to help her from going broke. Hooked on pills, hooked on the victim syndrome Bernie finally realizes that she MUST do something for things to change. Is the answer rehab or being blessed to find out that Kathleen; the women her ex left her for has in fact left John?
Robin Stokes (Lela Rochon) is a high-powered executive and the long-time mistress of Russell (Leon Robinson). After dumping him she has problems finding a decent man of her own. She now has a daughter named Sparrow who seems to also be her best friend. Robin is on the internet looking for love. She meets a man online named “Dark Angel� and he sounds really nice. But what she gets instead of her Dark Angel is her Dark and handsome ex, Russell. Dark Angel stands her up but she later on finds out that he is married w/kids. Sparrow is trying to gain a connection with her dad and it leaves Robin feeling a little off balance.
� Gloria Matthews (Loretta Devine) is a beauty salon owner and single mother raising a teenage son (Donald Faison) who is preparing to leave home and travel the world with Up with People. After years alone, she falls in love with a new neighbor, Marvin King (Gregory Hines). Grandkids � losing her husband to gang violence. Glorias story was my favorite in this sequel.
All the women are trying to find happy again. What is happy? How do you find that island again, when you don’t love your husband anymore, or when he’s been a victim of gun violence and now you are no longer a wife but a widower? How do you get to that island when your first husband left you for a younger woman of a different race, and here you are again; but this time your new husband is a not only a cheater but a polygamist.
I enjoyed the middle of the book where the group gets together again to vent their issues, and breathe once again. As sisters they also try to figure out a plan to bring them back to their original queen-ness, one sister at a time with truth and advice.
Once you’ve exhaled as this group did there comes a time when you have to learn to breathe normally again.
Missy
Readers Paradise
4 book marks
"Waiting to Exhale" summary in this review taken from Wikipedia
March 13, 2014
This book was magnificent. I felt like I was catching up with old friends, and at times, family members. The character work here is extraordinary. The women have aged and have years of experience since we last saw them in the classic predecessor. Age has brought about all new challenges that are tragic, enlightening and ironic but always a lesson learned. McMillan isn't missing a single beat here. She knows these characters better now that they have matured. I love the multi - perspective telling of the story. Keeping in line with the original. The voices sound clearer; thicker, more human. At times I felt like I was listening directly to Robin, Bernie, Savannah and Gloria even when the perspective was third person. I have always loved that about McMillan. Probably her best writing skill. This a must read for 'Exhale' fans. Great book!
November 14, 2010
I am undecided on Terry McMillan’s sequel to Waiting to Exhale. I told someone recently that I wasn’t loving it, nor was I hating it…just stuck in the middle somewhere. That was at page 97, and my feelings never changed.
I started reading Getting to Happy like it was a destination Ms. McMillan needed the characters to reach; however, as it went on, I found myself wanting to scream, “Are we there yet!� But the reality is, happy isn’t a place we should be trying to get to, it is merely an emotion we experience when the stars line-up in our favor.
Unfortunately, not much lined up for the four women we grew to love in Waiting to Exhale. Where we find them today is pretty much where they were fifteen or so years ago, over in some cases, worse off. Ms. McMillan painted a portrait that clearly shows that if there is no internal growth, if we aren’t willing to change the things that burden us down; we can’t evolve and grasp that little bit of happiness that may be out there for us.
It was a little disheartening for me to see these women go through so much and some of it, I felt was a little bit extreme. I am not naïve enough to believe the situations in the book aren’t real and don’t happen everyday, I just didn’t need them all happening in the lives of each character in the same book. As I read the story I wanted to be objective and say that she was not writing from a place of pain and disillusionment with love, but the further the story went the harder it was not to factor this in. The parts dealing with homosexuality were just a bit too fluffy, and unreal. As if she was trying to prove a point of some sort. Even the parent/child relationships felt surreal for me.
More than anything, I think reading about four smart, beautiful, strong women, just stuck in "life" may be what has me torn, and a little spent. At my age I really need to see the glass as half-full but Getting to Happy kept it teetering just below the half-empty mark. Maybe Terry can turn this into a trilogy and we can finally see these ladies where we, the readers, need them to be in life, so we can rest assured that happiness is something we all can achieve at some point. Then again, maybe we need to just let Bernie, Gloria, Robin, and Savannah, go out to pasture and live the remaining years of their lives wherever our imaginations take them.
Much Love,
Tracy
Tracy L. Darity is a writer and author of two novels, He Loves Me He Loves Me Not!, and Love…Like Snow In Florida On A Hot Summer Day. For more information, visit:
I started reading Getting to Happy like it was a destination Ms. McMillan needed the characters to reach; however, as it went on, I found myself wanting to scream, “Are we there yet!� But the reality is, happy isn’t a place we should be trying to get to, it is merely an emotion we experience when the stars line-up in our favor.
Unfortunately, not much lined up for the four women we grew to love in Waiting to Exhale. Where we find them today is pretty much where they were fifteen or so years ago, over in some cases, worse off. Ms. McMillan painted a portrait that clearly shows that if there is no internal growth, if we aren’t willing to change the things that burden us down; we can’t evolve and grasp that little bit of happiness that may be out there for us.
It was a little disheartening for me to see these women go through so much and some of it, I felt was a little bit extreme. I am not naïve enough to believe the situations in the book aren’t real and don’t happen everyday, I just didn’t need them all happening in the lives of each character in the same book. As I read the story I wanted to be objective and say that she was not writing from a place of pain and disillusionment with love, but the further the story went the harder it was not to factor this in. The parts dealing with homosexuality were just a bit too fluffy, and unreal. As if she was trying to prove a point of some sort. Even the parent/child relationships felt surreal for me.
More than anything, I think reading about four smart, beautiful, strong women, just stuck in "life" may be what has me torn, and a little spent. At my age I really need to see the glass as half-full but Getting to Happy kept it teetering just below the half-empty mark. Maybe Terry can turn this into a trilogy and we can finally see these ladies where we, the readers, need them to be in life, so we can rest assured that happiness is something we all can achieve at some point. Then again, maybe we need to just let Bernie, Gloria, Robin, and Savannah, go out to pasture and live the remaining years of their lives wherever our imaginations take them.
Much Love,
Tracy
Tracy L. Darity is a writer and author of two novels, He Loves Me He Loves Me Not!, and Love…Like Snow In Florida On A Hot Summer Day. For more information, visit:
October 8, 2010
Overall, I enjoyed the follow-up stories of the women from Waiting to Exhale.
There were a few things that kept this from being a 5 star rating for me though:
1. I listened to the audio version and did not enjoy listening to the author read the character of Savannah. I've been an avid audiobook listener and have found that I prefer audiobooks where the author does not read their own material (with the exception of autobiographies or memoirs).
2. The timeframes didn't seem to add up...this could be due to the fact that I haven't read the first book in years so the stories could have been in different places, but there were odd gaps between events that just didn't make sense to me.
3. These women don't seem to have changed much. I was hoping that they'd be wiser and more settled into their lives...but they seem just as chaotic and dramatic as ever.
In the end, I still enjoyed it finding out what they were up to.
There were a few things that kept this from being a 5 star rating for me though:
1. I listened to the audio version and did not enjoy listening to the author read the character of Savannah. I've been an avid audiobook listener and have found that I prefer audiobooks where the author does not read their own material (with the exception of autobiographies or memoirs).
2. The timeframes didn't seem to add up...this could be due to the fact that I haven't read the first book in years so the stories could have been in different places, but there were odd gaps between events that just didn't make sense to me.
3. These women don't seem to have changed much. I was hoping that they'd be wiser and more settled into their lives...but they seem just as chaotic and dramatic as ever.
In the end, I still enjoyed it finding out what they were up to.
November 28, 2010
thank god for kindles and the fact that i can read a sample before i purchase - can yikes and gadzooks be considered a review? its really and truly the only phrase i can think of to describe what i've read so far. savannah *smh* really? i mean really, come on?! she's supposed to be in her 50's yet she is acting like some teenager. and robin...how you let your kid talk like that to you? like you're one of the gals instead of her mother. i just don't understand it. what also make this book terrible, to me, is the way its written, each character chapter is soooo long boring. mcmillan shoulda left these women right where she left them.
Read
May 23, 2016I started this six years ago, but stopped. continuing now.
December 26, 2010
I read Getting to Happy because it's our Book Club selection for January. I suppose we chose it because we wanted to see if it would be another "watershed moment" for women to talk about. Ms. McMillan starts in her Author's Note with a reminder that the movie Waiting to Exhale was not the same as the book. My initial feeling was that maybe I should go back and reread that book. I still have it on my shelf...pocketbook edition with really small font. My Kindle has me spoiled with my choice of font size, so that book went back on the shelf.
I don't remember the details of Waiting to Exhale, book or movie. I read the book, and I saw the movie with two girlfriends, and I remember the occasion, we shrugged and went out for pizza afterward. I bought the soundtrack, and still play it from time to time. Good music by a variety of great artists. I remember the scenes from the movie where the songs were played...Mary J Blige singing, "I should have left your ass a long time ago," and Patti LaBelle singing "My Love, Sweet Love." The music made a bigger impression on me than the screenplay.
All that to say that I'm not a great fan of Terry McMillan. This "sequel" to Waiting to Exhale was equally ho-hum. I got the feeling she just threw it together since her personal life has been keeping her in the tabloid news.
The four parallel stories of the same four women from "Exhale" would have been an easy read if not for the whiplash effect of changing tense and person. Most chapters are first person, present tense. "I'm driving my car to the casino." And sometimes she doesn't identify who is talking for several paragraphs, and only by way context with characters. OK, Sparrow is here, so it's Robin speaking. Then some chapters are third person past tense. "Gloria was in the backyard pulling weeds." There may be a reason for doing this, but it was lost on me.
I was glad when it was over. The ending fell flat for me. The four women drifted through three-quarters of the book until they decided to pull it together..."Let's meditate."
I don't remember the details of Waiting to Exhale, book or movie. I read the book, and I saw the movie with two girlfriends, and I remember the occasion, we shrugged and went out for pizza afterward. I bought the soundtrack, and still play it from time to time. Good music by a variety of great artists. I remember the scenes from the movie where the songs were played...Mary J Blige singing, "I should have left your ass a long time ago," and Patti LaBelle singing "My Love, Sweet Love." The music made a bigger impression on me than the screenplay.
All that to say that I'm not a great fan of Terry McMillan. This "sequel" to Waiting to Exhale was equally ho-hum. I got the feeling she just threw it together since her personal life has been keeping her in the tabloid news.
The four parallel stories of the same four women from "Exhale" would have been an easy read if not for the whiplash effect of changing tense and person. Most chapters are first person, present tense. "I'm driving my car to the casino." And sometimes she doesn't identify who is talking for several paragraphs, and only by way context with characters. OK, Sparrow is here, so it's Robin speaking. Then some chapters are third person past tense. "Gloria was in the backyard pulling weeds." There may be a reason for doing this, but it was lost on me.
I was glad when it was over. The ending fell flat for me. The four women drifted through three-quarters of the book until they decided to pull it together..."Let's meditate."
March 20, 2011
Disappointing follow up to Waiting to Exhale. The writing was very disjointed and the techniques used (multiple viewpoints, using present tense in some chapters) did not effectively convey the story. And in particular, many times where dialogue went on for pages and pages and was so mundane it felt like filler (just trying to meet a minimum page target instead of adding to the story).
This felt like a novel that was released as an indulgence to the author, as though someone along the line (editor, friend, someone) didn't want to give honest feedback that this novel was not at the level it should have been. While the writing was my biggest issue with the novel, I didn't much care for the development of the characters - although I can tolerate that in books if the writing is effective. The lessons that these characters seemed to learn in the first book apparently were forgotten, and since this book picks up 15 years after the first one, there is no explanation provided for why they continue to make the same or similar mistakes in their relationships and in life.
This felt like a novel that was released as an indulgence to the author, as though someone along the line (editor, friend, someone) didn't want to give honest feedback that this novel was not at the level it should have been. While the writing was my biggest issue with the novel, I didn't much care for the development of the characters - although I can tolerate that in books if the writing is effective. The lessons that these characters seemed to learn in the first book apparently were forgotten, and since this book picks up 15 years after the first one, there is no explanation provided for why they continue to make the same or similar mistakes in their relationships and in life.
September 29, 2010
This book is a prime example of why there should be a law against sequels. I am so disappointed that Terry McMillan brought these beloved characters back without any real story to tell. Every one of their crises felt obvious and were too easily 'solved' by the book's end. I couldn't finish this fast enough so I can move on to my next book. The writing almost didn't even feel like signature Terry McMillan, which I remember as effortless and poetic. This was stilted and dialogue seemed forced and unreal. What a disappointment. I have to re-read 'Waiting to Exhale' to get the taste out of my mouth from this one.
July 7, 2019
It was great catching up with Bernadine, Savannah, Robin, and Gloria again. this book had me pulled in and trapped from the first page. The various issues, drama, sadness, and motivators are all things we, as women, face each and every day. There was enough heartache to go around but there was also beauty and love and undying loyalty and happiness. In the end, there was happiness. I finished knowing that no matter what happens in life, getting to happy us all in what you do with the life that is given to you.
July 20, 2014
It was a good read
August 19, 2024
2.5 stars. Savannah, Bernadine, Gloria, and Robin are back. This book picks up 15 years after waiting to exhale. And nobody can catch a break, just hit after hit.
Nope! I will not acknowledge any of this as what happened after waiting to exhale. I will keep my happily ever after, thank you.
Nope! I will not acknowledge any of this as what happened after waiting to exhale. I will keep my happily ever after, thank you.
July 31, 2012
Has it really only been 18 years since Terry McMillan wowed the publishing world with her book, Waiting to Exhale? It seems like forever!
How I missed those four friends, Bernadine, Gloria, Robin, and Savannah (missed them in that order, by the way) and wanted to know how they were doing.
Did Bernadine and her new man, James, have a happily forever after? My bet was they did. Bernadine deserved it after the way her ex-hubby did her. Hmph!
And Gloria. Oh, my precious Gloria. The woman with the weight problem � like me � who managed to hit pay dirt with a good man like Marvin. There was no doubt in my mind that she was still in heaven. And I wanted to share the good life right along with her.
Robin � oh that cute little promiscuous, shopaholic, scamp! She was pregnant and still single when I last checked in on her. I didn’t know if she had the fortitude to be a single-mom, but I just knew she’d get by because of the strength of her friends.
Savannah? Well, to be honest, I never did really cotton to Savannah.
But still, I did wonder if Miss Perfectionist had finally met a man who could live up to her expectations. I sincerely wished the best for her.
So when I heard that Terry McMillan was writing a sequel to her 1992 blockbuster I went wild! Couldn’t wait to see how my girls were doing!
Well! You could have blown me away!
Bernadine’s second husband was ten times the jerk her first ever was. And so now she’s twice divorced, and hooked on prescription pills.
Gloria’s happily ever after comes to a screeching halt in the first of her chapters in this new book, due to a sudden tragedy.
Robin is still addicted to shopping, and still a lonely woman, desperately looking for men in all the wrong places.
Savannah is, well, Savannah is still Savannah. While she was still single in Waiting to Exhale, Getting to Happy opens with her being married and deciding to divorce her new husband after finding a rather dirty (but not earth shattering) secret about him.
As much as I wanted them to be happy, nobody was!
But then again, the title of the book should have tipped me off.
Getting to Happy implies they haven’t made it yet.
Still? Oh no!
Though Waiting to Exhale was Terry’s third book � after Mama, and Disappearing Acts � it was the one which brought her worldwide fame, and her first million dollars. Not only did it make the New York Times bestseller’s list, but it was turned into a movie starring Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Loretta DeVine, and Lela Richon. The scene in the book � and the movie � where Bernadine angrily threw all of her husband’s belongings into his brand new BMW and then lit the car on fire was burned into everyone’s minds. Wow! Talk about revenge!
This was just one of the drama-filled scenes in Waiting to Exhale, but sadly, there are no such scenes in McMillan’s new book.
Getting to Happy takes us on an exploration of the lives of the four friends, but unlike Waiting to Exhale, the friendship itself doesn’t become a fifth character of the book. Instead, it seems that the women are all on their own and only check in on each other every once in awhile. Even after Gloria’s tragedy, we didn’t see the women rally around her the way we saw in Waiting to Exhale.
Which made me realize that I loved the relationship between the four friends even more than I loved the women themselves.
One of the things I’ve always loved about Terry McMillan books is that her storylines are realistic, and turn out the way things really do turn out the way do in real life; no fairytale endings just to make readers happy. And, to be truthful, what happened to each of the women is pretty much how it could have actually played out in real life.
And maybe the biggest problem I had with the book was that I thought if there was hope for Bernadine, Gloria, Robin and Savannah, there might be hope for me!
I, too, was a single, not so young, black woman who would have been happy to have a man in my life when I first read Waiting to Exhale. I remember hearing about some study that said, statistically, a woman was more likely to get hit by lightening than marry after the age of 40; but these, women . . . man, these women gave me hope!
I applaud McMillan for “keeping it real,� as the young folks say, in Getting to Happy. But, dang, Terry, don’t you realize how much I needed everyone to really have gotten to happy by now? Come on girl, help a sista out!
How I missed those four friends, Bernadine, Gloria, Robin, and Savannah (missed them in that order, by the way) and wanted to know how they were doing.
Did Bernadine and her new man, James, have a happily forever after? My bet was they did. Bernadine deserved it after the way her ex-hubby did her. Hmph!
And Gloria. Oh, my precious Gloria. The woman with the weight problem � like me � who managed to hit pay dirt with a good man like Marvin. There was no doubt in my mind that she was still in heaven. And I wanted to share the good life right along with her.
Robin � oh that cute little promiscuous, shopaholic, scamp! She was pregnant and still single when I last checked in on her. I didn’t know if she had the fortitude to be a single-mom, but I just knew she’d get by because of the strength of her friends.
Savannah? Well, to be honest, I never did really cotton to Savannah.
But still, I did wonder if Miss Perfectionist had finally met a man who could live up to her expectations. I sincerely wished the best for her.
So when I heard that Terry McMillan was writing a sequel to her 1992 blockbuster I went wild! Couldn’t wait to see how my girls were doing!
Well! You could have blown me away!
Bernadine’s second husband was ten times the jerk her first ever was. And so now she’s twice divorced, and hooked on prescription pills.
Gloria’s happily ever after comes to a screeching halt in the first of her chapters in this new book, due to a sudden tragedy.
Robin is still addicted to shopping, and still a lonely woman, desperately looking for men in all the wrong places.
Savannah is, well, Savannah is still Savannah. While she was still single in Waiting to Exhale, Getting to Happy opens with her being married and deciding to divorce her new husband after finding a rather dirty (but not earth shattering) secret about him.
As much as I wanted them to be happy, nobody was!
But then again, the title of the book should have tipped me off.
Getting to Happy implies they haven’t made it yet.
Still? Oh no!
Though Waiting to Exhale was Terry’s third book � after Mama, and Disappearing Acts � it was the one which brought her worldwide fame, and her first million dollars. Not only did it make the New York Times bestseller’s list, but it was turned into a movie starring Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Loretta DeVine, and Lela Richon. The scene in the book � and the movie � where Bernadine angrily threw all of her husband’s belongings into his brand new BMW and then lit the car on fire was burned into everyone’s minds. Wow! Talk about revenge!
This was just one of the drama-filled scenes in Waiting to Exhale, but sadly, there are no such scenes in McMillan’s new book.
Getting to Happy takes us on an exploration of the lives of the four friends, but unlike Waiting to Exhale, the friendship itself doesn’t become a fifth character of the book. Instead, it seems that the women are all on their own and only check in on each other every once in awhile. Even after Gloria’s tragedy, we didn’t see the women rally around her the way we saw in Waiting to Exhale.
Which made me realize that I loved the relationship between the four friends even more than I loved the women themselves.
One of the things I’ve always loved about Terry McMillan books is that her storylines are realistic, and turn out the way things really do turn out the way do in real life; no fairytale endings just to make readers happy. And, to be truthful, what happened to each of the women is pretty much how it could have actually played out in real life.
And maybe the biggest problem I had with the book was that I thought if there was hope for Bernadine, Gloria, Robin and Savannah, there might be hope for me!
I, too, was a single, not so young, black woman who would have been happy to have a man in my life when I first read Waiting to Exhale. I remember hearing about some study that said, statistically, a woman was more likely to get hit by lightening than marry after the age of 40; but these, women . . . man, these women gave me hope!
I applaud McMillan for “keeping it real,� as the young folks say, in Getting to Happy. But, dang, Terry, don’t you realize how much I needed everyone to really have gotten to happy by now? Come on girl, help a sista out!
December 15, 2014
This book was purchased years ago and has done nothing but collect dust on my bookshelf. I am pleased to say that it has been read and I kinda liked it. But I have to say that I didn't realize it was a sequel to Waiting to Exhale. I am not sure if I was aware of this at the time of purchase but when I picked it up again I saw the title on the cover and was surprised. I know! I am the last person on the planet to realize it but...anyways. I read Waiting to Exhale decades ago (22 years ago to be exact) and I didn't refresh my memory on the first book with a re-read or a quick look at the movie adaptation. I just jumped in and hoped for the best. So this review might sound like I am talking about a stand alone and not book two in a series.
Fifteen years have passed and the sisterhood of Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine and Robin has held through the thick and thin of friendship. The women are older now and have a lot of new issues mixed in with their old ones still haunting them.
Savannah unhappy with marriage and her husband takes on a new life as a single woman. Bernadine has become a pill popper in denial who somehow missed her daughter coming out. Ms. Robin is a mother of a teenager and is shopping non-stop still and still single with a baby daddy in jail. Gloria living the dream suddenly has her world turned upside down. Now they are helping each other in this new phase of all of their lives.
I thought this book was a good read as a stand alone. To me this book seems to be a bit over the top with the number of characters. Each of the four women came with an entourage of characters, husbands, ex-husbands, children and friends. For some reason I thought there would be more involvement between the women. And I think I was looking to have a better resolution with all of the ladies. This was a good light read for the summer but nothing compared to the first book. There was just something missing.
Fifteen years have passed and the sisterhood of Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine and Robin has held through the thick and thin of friendship. The women are older now and have a lot of new issues mixed in with their old ones still haunting them.
Savannah unhappy with marriage and her husband takes on a new life as a single woman. Bernadine has become a pill popper in denial who somehow missed her daughter coming out. Ms. Robin is a mother of a teenager and is shopping non-stop still and still single with a baby daddy in jail. Gloria living the dream suddenly has her world turned upside down. Now they are helping each other in this new phase of all of their lives.
I thought this book was a good read as a stand alone. To me this book seems to be a bit over the top with the number of characters. Each of the four women came with an entourage of characters, husbands, ex-husbands, children and friends. For some reason I thought there would be more involvement between the women. And I think I was looking to have a better resolution with all of the ladies. This was a good light read for the summer but nothing compared to the first book. There was just something missing.
November 1, 2011
Before there was "Sex and the City," there was "Waiting to Exhale." Although the latter did not achieve the same iconic status as the former, it was still a quality book that earned Terry McMillan a loyal following. I read "Waiting to Exhale" not long after it came out, before it was made into a high-grossing film. I had hoped that, nearly twenty years later, its sequel would be just as good.
I was mistaken and disappointed.
We all know that Terry McMillan was scorned by her husband--the same one about whom she gushed in print, on TV--everywhere, really. She clearly needed to spend some more time on a therapist's couch before writing this book, because it is obvious that there were unresolved issues. Each of the protagonists, even the ones who had somewhat of a happy ending, ended up suffering at the hands of their male partners. 4 women each having such terrible luck? It seemed to me that Ms. McMillan felt that if she couldn't be be happy in her romantic life, then neither could her beloved characters. She fights earlier accusations of homophobia by creating gay characters with little substance.
This could have been much, much better.
I was mistaken and disappointed.
We all know that Terry McMillan was scorned by her husband--the same one about whom she gushed in print, on TV--everywhere, really. She clearly needed to spend some more time on a therapist's couch before writing this book, because it is obvious that there were unresolved issues. Each of the protagonists, even the ones who had somewhat of a happy ending, ended up suffering at the hands of their male partners. 4 women each having such terrible luck? It seemed to me that Ms. McMillan felt that if she couldn't be be happy in her romantic life, then neither could her beloved characters. She fights earlier accusations of homophobia by creating gay characters with little substance.
This could have been much, much better.
February 16, 2011
This is the sequel to Waiting to Exhale that revisits four African American women after fifteen years. Savannnah is struggling to be happy in her marriage so he decides to be single again at fifty one. Bernadline divorce settlement has taken a hold on her, and causes her to turn to pills for confront, while her love life is put on hold. In addition,Robin shopping habits has not changed, and she plans on walking down the aisle soon and lastly Gloria tries to shed pounds, hoping that her new figure would attract a new man. This four woman come together as friends and "exhale" life while taking each day at a time. This is my favorite book by McMillan, it is hysterical, some scenes had me bursting out laughing. It is highly recommended for all the fans of this author.
February 24, 2014
I just finished this book and read a few of the other reviews. I can't believe how differently readers perceive Getting to Happy. I read Waiting to Exhale years ago and enjoyed that thoroughly as well. While I was afraid it might be a bit depressing (and it certainly had its moments) overall I love McMillan's writing style in all her books and found this one
therapeutic. Being close to the character's ages myself gave it more relevance I am sure. If other readers haven't experienced at least a few of the challenges of these four women, and can't relate; they haven't lived.
therapeutic. Being close to the character's ages myself gave it more relevance I am sure. If other readers haven't experienced at least a few of the challenges of these four women, and can't relate; they haven't lived.
January 6, 2015
For now, I'm giving Getting to Happy 3 stars, but this could change. I've been fluctuating between 3 and 4 stars, mainly because it's a good book, but pales next to Waiting to Exhale.
I think what helped me was reading both books back to back, so I could see clearly just how far the women came.
At times it was depressing to read, and everything that could happen to the foursome did: divorce, pill addiction, death. And there were a couple liberties McMillan took with her characters, but she did give them same voices they had in the original book...for better or worse.
I think what helped me was reading both books back to back, so I could see clearly just how far the women came.
At times it was depressing to read, and everything that could happen to the foursome did: divorce, pill addiction, death. And there were a couple liberties McMillan took with her characters, but she did give them same voices they had in the original book...for better or worse.
April 19, 2012
This was the sequel to "Waiting to Exhale" by Terry McMillan. This was a very good read. I loved catching up with "the girls". The only problem with the book was that it ended! I hope there is a third in the works! :)
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