Much More to Come, by Eleanor Mills

“Much More to Come” is the story of the midlife awakening (slash nervous breakdown) the author experienced when after being let go from her high-profile job at the Sunday Times, where she had worked for 25 years.

As you do in those circumstances, she used the following months for soul-searching. She grounded herself in nature by swimming every day in the Hampstead women’s pond, which she describes in detail, adding a meditative and slightly funny thread to the book (there are wobbly bits, friendships made and a lot of bird watching).

The book is deeply feminist, as it dives into the way “women of a certain age” are perceived by society, and how we see ourselves (spoiler alert: not in a good light). But it’s a manifesto that reads lightly, and mostly celebrates the freedom that comes with knowing what we want and being confident enough to no longer follow the rules.

Mills’ writing is witty and compassionate. She takes you under her wing like a big sister, as she opens up about her own difficulties. She introduces all the amazing women she has met during her research and various exotic hiking retreats she seems to have been on.
Slightly annoyingly (I found) she calls middle-aged women “Queenagers”, because their life is in transition, and because all women are Queens. The word felt a bit forced, but I still liked the idea.

Not all the topics were relevant to me personally (no empty nester syndrome as I don’t have children for example) yet Mills’ voice feels inclusive and there was plenty that resonated.
She looks at all aspects of a woman’s life – work, love, friendship, family, health, our bodies – and offers helpful advice on how to approach them at a point where we might feel our old ways no longer serve us and need evolving.

But what I really took away from it is the sense of sisterhood and the feeling that we are stronger together. I am glad voices like Mills’ are around. As we get older I may feel a bit more “invisible”, but it’s good to know we are far from alone. It’s both reassuring and empowering.

Much More to Come, Lessons on the Mayhem and Magnificence of Midlife, by Eleanor Mills – See on Amazon