How Stella Got Her Groove Back
by Terry McMillan
On This Page
Description
How Stella Got Her Groove Back is full of Terry McMillan's signature humor, heart, and insight. More than a love story, it is ultimately a novel about how a woman saves her own life—and what she must risk to do it.Stella Payne is forty-two, divorced, a high-powered investment analyst, mother of eleven-year-old Quincy- and she does it all. In fact, if she doesn't do it, it doesn't get done, from Little League carpool duty to analyzing portfolios to folding the laundry and bringing home the show more bacon. She does it all well, too, if her chic house, personal trainer, BMW, and her loving son are any indication. So what if there's been no one to share her bed with lately, let alone rock her world? Stella doesn't mind it too much; she probably wouldn't have the energy for love—and all of love's nasty fallout—anyway.
But when Stella takes a spur-of-the-moment vacation to Jamaica, her world gets rocked to the core—not just by the relaxing effects of the sun and sea and an island full of attractive men, but by one man in particular. He's tall, lean, soft-spoken, Jamaican, smells of citrus and the ocean—and is half her age. The tropics have cast their spell and Stella soon realizes she has come to a cataclysmic juncture: not only must she confront her hopes and fears about love, she must question all of her expectations, passions, and ideas about life and the way she has lived it. show less
Tags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
Member Reviews
What a disappointment! I must have missed something in all the hype about it when it came out. I knew what the premise of the book was. The disappointment is that there is nothing beyond the premise that I can see.
McMillan writes in a very conversational, run-on sentence way. At first this annoyed me, but as I continued to read, I began to appreciate it. It drew me in and created the familiarity I needed to finish the book
McMillan creates good characters. By the end of the book you feel like you know these people, and generally like them. That's a good thing. My favorite character was Stella's son Quincy. There was no one to hate in this novel.
The books fulfills the requirement that a character must change. Stella has changed quite a show more bit by the end of the book. The whole book is about her obsessing about whether or not she should be falling for Winston, who's half her age. If you like romances and very light reading, I guess it works. I found it boring.
I take it back. There is a little more to it. McMillan also briefly talks about women taking charge of their lives, giving up the 'role' they've made for themselves for practical reasons. Had she developed this more, it could have been more interesting. But McMillan doesn't really develop this aspect. Stella was an investment analyst and learned from the job and a mentor, and she was very comfortable financially. She could afford time to figure out where her heart was professionally as well as romantically.
The best part of the book for me was when she first arrives in Jamaica (maybe the second day) and is going through the books she took with her, trying to decide what to read. She comments on all of them -- including Terry McMillan's Waiting to Exhale.
On a five point scale I'd give it a three. It's OK, but I didn't find anything to think about, really. show less
McMillan writes in a very conversational, run-on sentence way. At first this annoyed me, but as I continued to read, I began to appreciate it. It drew me in and created the familiarity I needed to finish the book
McMillan creates good characters. By the end of the book you feel like you know these people, and generally like them. That's a good thing. My favorite character was Stella's son Quincy. There was no one to hate in this novel.
The books fulfills the requirement that a character must change. Stella has changed quite a show more bit by the end of the book. The whole book is about her obsessing about whether or not she should be falling for Winston, who's half her age. If you like romances and very light reading, I guess it works. I found it boring.
I take it back. There is a little more to it. McMillan also briefly talks about women taking charge of their lives, giving up the 'role' they've made for themselves for practical reasons. Had she developed this more, it could have been more interesting. But McMillan doesn't really develop this aspect. Stella was an investment analyst and learned from the job and a mentor, and she was very comfortable financially. She could afford time to figure out where her heart was professionally as well as romantically.
The best part of the book for me was when she first arrives in Jamaica (maybe the second day) and is going through the books she took with her, trying to decide what to read. She comments on all of them -- including Terry McMillan's Waiting to Exhale.
On a five point scale I'd give it a three. It's OK, but I didn't find anything to think about, really. show less
I Really like this book. I enjoyed the Stream of consciousness style of writing that was used, as it really make you feel like you are Stella. You are a beautiful, smart and successful single mother who exudes confidence but rambles insecurities mixed with humor and hype behind your skull.
The relationships between Stella, her son, her sisters and her friends stand out as some of the most realistic relationships I've read. Terry McMillan has a way of making everyone seem so real. As I reflect back on this book I try to think what is it about Winston that makes her fall in love... but I keep hitting the "We talked all night" wall. I can see now that this book was never a romance novel. I mean yes, they meet, have sex, and fall in love show more like a romance novel; but YOU, the reader, never fall in love with Winston. You, fall in love with Stella. This book is all about Stella. Its about self-love, its about how we self sabotage, its about taking risks and finding your Groove in life. show less
The relationships between Stella, her son, her sisters and her friends stand out as some of the most realistic relationships I've read. Terry McMillan has a way of making everyone seem so real. As I reflect back on this book I try to think what is it about Winston that makes her fall in love... but I keep hitting the "We talked all night" wall. I can see now that this book was never a romance novel. I mean yes, they meet, have sex, and fall in love show more like a romance novel; but YOU, the reader, never fall in love with Winston. You, fall in love with Stella. This book is all about Stella. Its about self-love, its about how we self sabotage, its about taking risks and finding your Groove in life. show less
A great romance novel. I prefer this book over the movie that was actually created from this novel. It has drama, romance, and a few parts that were funny. I found myself finding it pretty difficult to put this book down. A great read for a romance fix whether you are single or situated.
The problem for me is that 75% of the book is her head-noise about whether it’s a good idea to be with Winston or not. My philosophy is do or do not. Test the waters a bit, then go for it or do not. But navel gazing? Hate it. I hate living in my own head. And Stella Payne has some serious ADD thoughts bouncing around her skull. That’s the whole novel.
And that’s not really my thing.
(Full review at my blog)
And that’s not really my thing.
(Full review at my blog)
Well those terms are a bit strong. She’s not high-powered, at least not enough to keep her job. While she’s in Jamaica her job is eliminated. But she’s pretty well set-up so she doesn’t have to work, at least not right away. So, she goes back to see Winston in Jamaica. With her kid and her niece. Then she decides she’s in love and so does he and she sends him a round trip ticket and he comes up and after a few weeks they supposedly live happily ever after.
It was a bit intensely distraught in between. Stella agonized to no end. I don’t know that I blame her. He was ½ her age. They clicked and they then had to explain everything to everyone and justify everything. I was wondering though, if she’s prepared to handle the show more stress of having to hold onto him through the coming years. I mean, when she’s 60, he’ll be 40 and will be eminently attractive to women ½ his age. Where will she be then? Maybe I’m too cynical. show less
It was a bit intensely distraught in between. Stella agonized to no end. I don’t know that I blame her. He was ½ her age. They clicked and they then had to explain everything to everyone and justify everything. I was wondering though, if she’s prepared to handle the show more stress of having to hold onto him through the coming years. I mean, when she’s 60, he’ll be 40 and will be eminently attractive to women ½ his age. Where will she be then? Maybe I’m too cynical. show less
Stella, goes on vacation and falls in love. Problem is he is younger than Stella and she just can't get over the fact that she is in love with a younger man. What is interesting is that while men do this all the time, Stella fights her feeling over what is going on.
OK, another so-so read by McMillan, but I found it enjoyable. Because it features African-American characters it seemed to appeal to me more than if it had Caucasian characters. I know that sounds funny but it brings not only a story but thoughts and feelings that many black people can relate to, and I am not black so it gives me a different perspective. I'm not saying I am walking a mile in someone's shoes, just perhaps finding touchstones that show how alike we all are. Despite the color of the characters wouldn't we all like to vacation and fall in love with a beautiful person both inside and out? It's an escapist book full of friendship joy and laughter. Great movie available for those who like the book.
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
Black Authors
381 works; 32 members
NPRs audience picks: 100 best beach reads
105 works; 12 members
Gen X Library
245 works; 4 members
Author Information
15+ Works 8,169 Members
Terry McMillan was born in Port Huron, Michigan on October 18, 1951. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley in 1986, studied film at Columbia University, and enrolled in the Harlem Writer's Guild. Her books include Disappearing Acts, Mama, A Day Late and a Dollar Short, The Interruption of show more Everything, Getting to Happy, and Who Asked You? Her books Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back were adapted as major motion pictures. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Work Relationships
Has the adaptation
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Männer sind die halbe Miete
- Original title
- How Stella got her groove back
- Original publication date
- 1996
- People/Characters
- Stella Payne; Winston Shakespeare
- Important places
- Jamaica; California, USA; Caribbean Region
- Related movies
- How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998 | IMDb)
- First words
- I hadn't planned on going anywhere.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)I turn away to look at the swimming pool for no particular reason except to maybe catch my breath and then I look up at the black sky that has absolutely no stars which is like totally perfect because they are not necessary and so I ponder this thought this notion this gesture this whole idea for a few more seconds and then I smile at Winston and press my lips softly into his and I do love this man I do I do but I look at him one more time to make sure he's like for real and when I see that he is I take a deep breath to make sure I am real and Stella girl accept the fact that you finally got something you wanted, that it's okay to enjoy him this moment go on and make this move feel this groove fool go ahead jump dive in deep fly swirl girl you have earned this you deserve this you can take this to the bank, so when I like hear all this advice and stuff being given to me by this mature in-the-middle-of-her-life woman who knows what day it is what time it is and whose name happens to be the same as mine I am like totally sold swayed convinced so I just go ahead and drape my arms around this beautiful man named Winston Shakespeare and I say, "Okay!"
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 1,485
- Popularity
- 15,537
- Reviews
- 15
- Rating
- (3.24)
- Languages
- 11 — Catalan, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian (Bokmål), Spanish, Swedish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 38
- ASINs
- 17