All Fours by Miranda July: Review of Midlife Chaos and Freedom

Miranda July, an American artist born in 1974, is a creative force known for her quirky, heartfelt work in films, stories, and novels. Her first book, The First Bad Man (2015), mixed odd humor with deep emotions, winning fans for its bold take on love and identity. A Guggenheim Fellow and named one of TIME's 2025 "100 Most Influential People," July has shared her short stories in The New Yorker and made films like Me and You and Everyone We Know. Her 2024 novel, All Fours, published by Riverhead Books, is a New York Times bestseller, called "wildly funny" by The Atlantic (2024) and "a bold leap" by Vogue (2024). It dives into a woman’s midlife crisis with humor and honesty.

The book’s main idea is that midlife, with its messy mix of desire, doubt, and change, can lead to freedom if you face it head-on with truth and courage. It is a wake-up call to the ground reality that life’s expectations can cage you, making it a must-read for its raw, funny look at breaking free. For Indian youngsters, it is like a friend over chai, talking about shaking off society’s rules to find your true self. This novel invites everyone to embrace life’s chaos, a fresh take for a world playing catch-up with personal growth.

All Fours follows a 45-year-old artist, wife, and mother in Los Angeles who plans a solo road trip to New York but stops just 30 minutes from home, renting a motel room for a month to rethink her life. The story argues that midlife’s struggles—perimenopause, fading passion, and family pressures—can spark a bold new start through honest, sometimes absurd choices. “I was a kaleidoscope, each piece of me shifting with every turn” (July, 2024, p. 1). It begins with her decision: “I told them I was driving to New York, but I barely made it out of town” (p. 5).

She feels distant from her husband Harris and child Sam: “My art got more of me than my family ever did” (p. 15). At the motel, she transforms the space: “That room became my world, a place to paint my chaos” (p. 25). A young man, Davey, enters her life: “He was a spark I couldn’t explain” (p. 40). Their affair is secretive: “I went from alone to tangled in someone else’s breath” (p. 55). “We met in his car, stealing moments like thieves” (p. 70).

Perimenopause hits hard: “My body was turning against me, hot flashes like sudden flames” (p. 85). She reflects on desire: “Simone de Beauvoir said you can’t have it all, but you can want it all” (p. 100). Hormone therapy feels risky: “The patch promised youth, but I didn’t believe it” (p. 115). Harris visits, confused: “He looked at me and saw a stranger” (p. 130). “Falling apart took time, but rebuilding was different” (p. 145).

She dives into fantasies: “My mind spun wild stories of freedom” (p. 160). “Being the wife felt like a cage compared to other women’s freedom” (p. 175). She and Harris try an open marriage: “We made a deal to be honest, no matter what” (p. 190). A therapy group helps: “Sharing our fears made us feel alive” (p. 205). The story ends with clarity: “The prize wasn’t out there; it was already mine” (p. 220). “I thought I was chasing something, but I’d had it all along” (p. 235). “Even the boring days taught me to stay awake to life” (p. 250). “My chaos became my compass” (p. 265). July uses humor, autofiction, and raw moments to show midlife as a chance to rewrite your story.

All Fours shines for its bold, funny take on midlife’s messiness, blending raw honesty with sharp wit. July’s prose grabs you: “I was a kaleidoscope, each piece of me shifting with every turn” (p. 1) sets a vivid tone. The book’s strength is its fresh look at perimenopause: “My body was turning against me, hot flashes like sudden flames” (p. 85) tackles a taboo topic with candor, as Vogue (2024) calls it "revolutionary." The motel as a metaphor, “That room became my world, a place to paint my chaos” (p. 25), is clever, showing a space for reinvention.

The affair with Davey adds depth: “I went from alone to tangled in someone else’s breath” (p. 55) captures desire’s thrill. The open marriage, “We made a deal to be honest, no matter what” (p. 190), is handled with care, avoiding clichés. The warmth in reflections, “Sharing our fears made us feel alive” (p. 205), feels like a friend’s honest chat. The book’s universal appeal lies in its take on change, resonating across cultures.

On the downside, the plot wanders: “Falling apart took time, but rebuilding was different” (p. 145) can feel loose, as The New York Times (2024) notes its "unfocused energy." Intersectional analysis is thin; gender and class are explored, “Being the wife felt like a cage compared to other women’s freedom” (p. 175), but race or caste, vital in India, get little mention. The autofiction style, “Simone de Beauvoir said you can’t have it all, but you can want it all” (p. 100), risks feeling too personal, blurring fiction and reality. Compared to Normal People by Sally Rooney, it is more experimental but less grounded.

Still, All Fours is a vibrant, daring read, perfect for those who love bold stories. It is less for plot-driven readers but excels in voice and heart, as The Atlantic (2024) praises its "wild honesty."

Why Indian Youth Readers Must Read This Book

For Indian youngsters caught in the chaos of board exams, JEE prep, and family pressures, All Fours is like a friend over chai, saying it is okay to question the life you are supposed to live. The grind for top marks feels like the narrator’s stuck journey: “I told them I was driving to New York, but I barely made it out of town” (p. 5). Rote learning, where you are judged by scores, is like her disconnect: “My art got more of me than my family ever did” (p. 15). This book’s a wake-up call to pause and find what sets your soul on fire.

The job market, with lakhs fighting for spots, mirrors her reinvention: “That room became my world, a place to paint my chaos” (p. 25). For kids from smaller towns or lower castes, “I went from alone to tangled in someone else’s breath” (p. 55) speaks to craving connection despite being sidelined. The book’s push for honesty, “We made a deal to be honest, no matter what” (p. 190), inspires real talks with parents about dreams, like picking art over engineering.

For girls, facing marriage or career pressures, “Being the wife felt like a cage compared to other women’s freedom” (p. 175) captures the struggle against “log kya kahenge.” The ground reality is rote systems value grades over self, leaving youth playing catch-up with who they are. “My chaos became my compass” (p. 265) says embrace the mess. “The prize wasn’t out there; it was already mine” (p. 235) reminds you to value what’s inside.

The book’s freedom, “Sharing our fears made us feel alive” (p. 205), connects to youth sharing stories online, like posts about mental health or defying norms. “My mind spun wild stories of freedom” (p. 160) cheers chasing passions despite family rules. “Even the boring days taught me to stay awake to life” (p. 250) is a nudge to find joy in small wins. All Fours tells Indian youth it is okay to rewrite their story, a guide for thriving in a world of expectations.

All Fours is a funny, fearless dive into midlife’s chaos, offering wisdom on finding freedom. For Indian youth, it is a mirror to societal pressures, urging them to chase their truth. This book’s a warm call to live boldly, perfect for anyone ready to shake things up.