Molly Ringwald

Who knew? Actress Molly Ringwald, who was a ubiquitous feature of my 1980s adolescence, is a damn good writer! When It Happens To You, aptly called "a novel in stories," is well-written, well-paced, insightful, and, at-times, heart-wrenching. Revolving around the story of one couple's marriage, it branches out into several distinct, well-told stories of people whose lives intersect, even if very briefly, with theirs. A quick look at Molly Ringwald's website reveals that she is also a jazz show more singer, and has a CD coming out soon. If her music is as good as her writing, I'm officially jealous of her surfeit of talent! show less

A couple stories into When it Happens to You, it is easy to dismiss Molly Ringwald as nothing more than a celebrity author. Yes, she's a good writer—surprisingly good in fact—but she's not doing anything original. Those first couple stories reminded me all too much of the suppressed-woman-coming-of-age-midlife story that has blanketed literary magazines and been the focus of so many creative writing workshops since the 70s. It's been done, Ms. Ringwald, and while you're good at it, show more sorry, but you're not as good as the many greats that have preceded you. Two stories down and so many more to go—if they'd continued like this I probably wouldn't have made it.

Then Ringwald surprised me. Out of nowhere she presents one of the most original, heartrending stories I've read in years. Gorgeous. Amazing. Well played in so many regards. “My Olivia” found that special place between my heart and mind that only two other short stories had previously occupied—those having been written by Rabindranath Tagore and Zora Neale Hurston. Very good company to keep, in my opinion. Hello, Ms. Ringwald, and welcome to my world.

After “My Olivia” I knew Ringwald wouldn't be able to top herself. She couldn't. And I was right. But now every thread of my attention was gathering together, receptive to what else she could do. And she certainly pulled some punches. Perhaps the first two stories of this collection were of the same caliber and I just hadn't been expecting it. Perhaps I missed something. I think, however, that Ringwald was setting the stage in those initial stories for everything else she had planned. Aside from “My Olivia,” my favorite piece was “When it Happens to You,” a short, but poignant piece that aptly gives the entire collection its backbone.

Molly Ringwald didn't exceed my expectations as much as she shattered them. A perfect collection? Not at all, but certainly a great writer with a possible future (in writing). Here's to you, Ms. Ringwald: May those who read you because of your name find the beauty in your work and may the literati discover your talents despite your name. show less

"It seemed to Greta that Theresa was one of those girls who spent all of her time being an imposition while obviously trying not to be an imposition. Almost everything Theresa said or did broadcast the message 'I won't take it for myself. You'll have to give it to me.'"

Molly Ringwald's debut novel is described as a novel in stories and is really a short story collection in which the characters recur from one story to another - it reminded me of Jennifer Egan's A Visit From The Goon Squad, show more which I disliked for its self-important and experimental nature. I much prefer Ringwald's model, in which the characters are recurring although only tenuously, but time marches forwards rather than jumping about all over the place the way it did in Goon Squad.

Without the writing ever being spectacular or showy, Ringwald repeatedly pinpoints moments of life with heartrending accuracy - Greta's desire to wear something a bit more flattering in case there are photos, Betty's grief still being so deep that she pours an extra cup of tea even though her husband hasn't been there to drink it in seven years. She writes with elegance about ageing and aimlessness, about a search for purpose and what happens when someone with extraordinary drive channels it in an unsuitable direction.

The heavy focus on relationships and adultery is perhaps to be expected in a novel about betrayal, although it does get pretty depressing. The chapters vary in strength, but that might be because a given reader will empathise with certain characters but not others. This is very much a women's book - the men are generally negatively characterised (philandering, confused or dead).

Worth a read; I found it engrossing and elegant, if somewhat disheartening.

Side note: Molly Ringwald, author, is also Molly Ringwald, teenage star of films such as The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. Which I'm glad I didn't know before I read the book, because I think I would have judged the writing more harshly. show less

"Dang. This girl can write. Honestly, I was expecting a book whose writing was ho hum but got picked up by a big publisher because of the name on the front cover. Wrong. Sammy Davis Baker Junior (Yet another 16 Candles reference, can't help myself!) can WRITE! Let's start by discussing the format of the novel. It is a novel in short stories and each story is connected to the others by an overall story line of marital infidelity and it's consequences, who it affects and how. I especially show more enjoyed reading the first half, because a story would start out and you didn't know who the characters were, or how they fit into the story. It was an exciting little treasure hunt with every story to find that connective link. The format allowed me to stay engaged in a storyline that otherwise may not have held my interest..."

For the full review, head on over to The Book Buff: Good Golly Miss Molly! Review: When It Happens to You by Molly Ringwald show less