“Why do you think women are designed to outlive men? Why do we keep going for thirty years after our bodies can no longer reproduce? Do you think nature meant for those years to be useless? No, of course not. Our lives our designed to have three parts. The first is education. The second, creation. And in part three, we put our experience to use to protect those who are weaker. This third stage, which you have entered, can be one of incredible power.”

The Change is a wildly entertaining modern feminist revenge thriller with a supernatural edge from Kirsten Miller.

In the Long Island oceanfront community of Mattauk, three women embrace their destiny to avenge a murdered teenage girl discarded in a garbage bag amongst the dunes. It’s the recently widowed nurse Nessa who hears her ghostly cries, a talent inherited from her grandmother; gym owner Jo, who identifies the targets for their rage, while Harriet, whose stunning transformation from successful advertising executive to ‘wild’ woman, leads and inspires them.

As a woman very close to turning 50, suffering from the chaotic symptoms of peri menopause, uncomfortably close to becoming an empty nester, and angered by renewed attempts to subjugate women, I found something to relate to in all three of these characters. I enjoyed the fantasy of gaining power that defies western society’s general expectations for ageing women, particularly admiring Harriet’s metamorphosis and her new affinity for nature.

I was engaged by the mystery and its twists. With the Mattauk law enforcement seemingly dismissive of the victim found near the beach, the three women unite to determine the identity of her killer, eventually learning of more victims, and a shocking conspiracy perpetrated by the towns’ richest residents. I was fairly cheering as Nessa, Jo and Harriet wreaked their vengeance on the guilty.

With plenty of action and suspense, I thought the pacing was very good, and despite its length (480 pages) read the book almost in one sitting. I enjoyed the writer’s use of dark humour, and insightful, often blunt, commentary.

Compelling, witty and provocative, I found The Change to be a captivating, and even cathartic read, and recommend it without reservation.

I highly anticipated this book for a number of reasons and not only did it meet my expectations but it exceeded them! What a book! Part social commentary, part feminine empowerment, part murder mystery, part magical realism - it has it all and does it all. I loved this book from start to finish with a gripping story that will make you laugh, make you angry but in the end affirm women’s rights, knowledge and power.

“I’m nowhere near as attractive as I used to be”
“By attractive you mean young and thin? … attractive means you draw people to you … do you know how beautiful it is to be alive? Do you have any idea how few people really are?”

Initially I was attracted to this book because of the age of the lead characters, those going through ‘The Change’ in more ways than one. The further I got into the book the more I realised how cleverly Kirsten had used the concept of change in multiple ways. I was thrilled to learn that women of this age bracket were not only highlighted but also given power - representative of embracing this stage of life in redefining who they wish to be. This book should be read by all women and who would then look forward to this stage of life as they finally bloom into their true selves. This is well encapsulated by three incredible female leads who, though seemingly so very different, come together to prove a powerful force to reckon with.

‘For decades, they'd been dutifully following the map the world laid out for them. School led to work. Dating led to marriage and then to motherhood. But now those milestones were behind them, and they'd entered uncharted territory. Somewhere in the distance lay the final destination, but that was decades away, and a featureless wasteland seemed to stretch in between. These women, who'd done everything that had ever been asked of them now felt forsaken. Just when they were reaching the height of their powers, they felt like life had led them astray.’

What happily surprised me with this book was how multifaceted the plot line was. A serial killer story interwoven with strong feminist themes and the power of wisdom through the ages. There are also strong views on the patriarchal society we live in and breaking the glass ceiling. Kirsten is to be commended on successfully and succinctly bringing together a cast of characters and themes that just gel together so very well. The Change will have you laughing one minute and then horrified the next with the much darker themes that rear their ugly head. To achieve such balance is really quite extraordinary with the cherry on top being a story that was so very ready to be told. Kirsten confronts sexual harassment in the workplace, trafficking of young girls, gender discrimination and the constraints of a society that often fails to recognise half of its population.

‘I wish it hadn't taken so long for me to realize it was there. I feel like I spent the first twenty years of my life trying to figure shit out. The second twenty, I wasted on the wrong people … Then I reached this stage of my life, and all of that fell away. For the first time in my life, I was alone. And for the first time in my life, I knew what
the hell I was doing.’

I would highly recommend everyone to read this book. However, it is surely not to be missed by those who feel life has forgotten them once they reach a certain age. Dark yet inspirational, confrontational yet challenging, funny yet horrific - this book surely has it all! The Change deserves to be embraced and shouted out from the rooftops - it is original, exciting and a wonder. A must read for 2022!

"Her left hand clutched a bottle of champagne.
"Are we celebrating? " Nessa asked.
"Every day is a celebration," Harriett responded. "Grab a glass and get comfortable. I've got a story to tell you."






This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I honestly don't know what to say about this book. Being about the same age as the 3 main characters, there is so much truth in this story about how society (and men in particular) treat women of that age. But to see these women use that and fight back is awe inspiring! There are some disturbing parts to this book but, overall, it's an imaginative and, I think, enjoyable read!