Really Good, Actually: A Novel

Maggie serves as both the protagonist and the first-person narrator of the novel, describing a transformative personal journey that spans roughly 13 months. As a Ph.D. student delving into the intricacies of the "lived history of objects" (15) in early modern theater, Maggie juggles her academic pursuits with a role as a research assistant for her Master's thesis supervisor, Merris. With her distinctive curly red hair and "average-sized" physique, Maggie struggles with persistent body-image issues stemming from cultural expectations and a past eating disorder. In moments of heightened stress, she resorts to obsessive dieting as a means of asserting control over chaotic circumstances.

Despite her inherent kindness, Maggie's preoccupation with self-image often complicates her interpersonal connections. Addicted to her phone and to social media platforms, she curates a façade of excitement and glamour around her experiences and traumas, craving external validation from friends, family, and even strangers online. Rejection, whether perceived or real, plunges her into bouts of depression that are further exacerbated by her tumultuous divorce from Jon, and she views the failure of her marriage as a personal affront.

Maggie's post-separation behavior is characterized by relentless attempts to seek validation. This behavior manifests in her daily futile attempts to contact Jon despite his refusal to respond, and she also engages in a string of dates and risky sexual encounters to distract herself from her current troubles.