Book review: Queen Bee sees Ciara Geraghty explore the stigma around menopause

Successful author Ciara Geraghty’s latest novel is about a successful author suffering from writer’s block due to the menopause. Picture: Nick Bradshaw

• Queen Bee
• Ciara Geraghty
• HarperCollins, €12.99

Agatha is a very successful writer, with 15 published novels. She’s meant to be writing her next, but is suffering from writer’s block, which she believes is because she is going through the menopause.

At her age she would expect to be living in an ‘empty nest’ but both sons have returned home, her father has temporarily moved in as his house is being redecorated, and she has even taken in her father’s lady friend’s dog to look after, while the latter is in hospital.

Agatha was named after crime writer Agatha Christie, as her mother was a fan. When the novel opens her mother has been dead for less than a year, and Agatha continues to hear her voice, sometimes giving advice, at other times criticising her decisions.

She narrates her story in journal form, noting menopause symptoms; examples include insomnia, night sweats, brain fog.

She’s invited to speak at Flights of Fancy, a literary festival, and the description of her experience wearing uncomfortable shoes will be recognised by many women.

When an audience member suggests that the publishing industry is biased against white, heterosexual men, she lets rip.

She argues that female writers earn less than males, reviewers often disparage their work, and that other minorities are hardly published at all.

But what’s most relevant is her impassioned description of how the menopause affects women.

Afterwards a clip of her appearance on TikTok, immediately titled, Menopause the Movie, goes viral and spreads across social media, and newspapers and broadcasters approach her for interviews and to write features.

She quickly becomes a poster girl for females going through the menopause, with many contacting her to share experiences.

The novel raises lots of questions — principle among them is why is there a stigma about the menopause? All women experience it, with varying effects, yet it is rarely discussed. It was the same about menstruation until very recently.

It’s very funny and Agatha is a really likeable character. So is her husband Luke, who runs a restaurant called The Full Shilling, a business he inherited from his father. His clientele is mostly older people, who enjoy his traditional dishes like bacon and cabbage. He comes across as a generous, kind man.

Their two sons Aidan and Colm are different from each other. Aidan has returned from a Dutch collective farm and starts growing vegetables and keeping bees in their back garden. Colm is nursing a broken heart and at first spends most of his time in bed.

Agatha’s father is an interesting and convincing character. Since his wife’s death he has dramatically changed, taking up dancing with Leonora, planning to travel with her, transforming his house.

When he tries to discuss these changes with his daughter, her reactions are both believable and hilarious. Leonora’s dog, LuLaBelle, is as much of a character as the humans.

As well as experiencing a variety of physical symptoms of menopause, Agatha also starts to look anew at her attitude to friendships and most importantly to reassess how she feels about herself.

It’s a really enjoyable read, and not only for females. Males would benefit too.