Em's Awful Good Fortune

A Novel

Fiction - Realistic
240 Pages
Reviewed on 11/23/2021
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Maxfield's voice is fierce, authentic, and personal. She is known for infusing humor and wit into feminist issues that are not typically funny. Em's Awful Good Fortune is her debut novel. Her play Girls Together Always won the Encore! Producer's Award at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Marcie is originally from Detroit, based in Southern California and has lived in Europe and Asia. She attended the University of Michigan, received her BBA in Marketing from Wayne State University, and earned a TEFL degree from Rutgers University in association with WICE in Paris, France. She has worked in entertainment marketing for ABC Radio, Sony Music, HBO/Comic Relief. Married with two children, she has a French Bulldog named Bader (short for Rue Bader Girl). And two cats named Hunky and Dory.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

Em's Awful Good Fortune by Marcie Maxfield is a dark comedy-drama novel depicting the dysfunctional marriage of a 'tagalong' wife. Em is a writer who had to leave her profession to support her husband, Gee, and the kids. They traverse the globe, moving from one financial hub to another as Gee's work takes the family to the likes of Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, and Shanghai. To the outsider, Em is living her dream life. However, this couldn't be farther from the truth as the constant switch of homes takes a heavy toll on their marriage, which is further complicated by Gee's indiscretion in Japan. Additionally, Em falls for a poet introduced by her friend Jerry in Paris. After a health scare in Shanghai, Em must decide whether her marriage is worth sacrificing her career and dreams.

Author Marcie Maxfield incorporates her own experiences of what she describes as a 'tagalong' wife to an ex-pat in this often hilarious yet tragic tale of a dysfunctional marriage. Em's Awful Good Fortune provides a stark reminder to readers that even though it's hard to have it all, how much do you compromise to save your marriage? Maxfield's narrative is filled with wit and sarcasm, casting quite a bit of commentary on workaholic husbands who refuse to acknowledge the sacrifices made by their other half. Em is a complex individual, with layers to her personality that make her utterly riveting to read. The non-linear narrative style enriches the story and keeps you hooked throughout the pages. Recommended to readers who enjoy comedy-dramas.