Book Review: What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day by Pearl Cleage
Published: January 1, 1997
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Quick Thoughts: Raw, reflective, and deeply emotional. Pearl Cleage captures the messiness of life with honesty and grace. This novel tells a story of illness, resilience, and finding purpose when everything seems lost.
I purchased this book myself. There was no obligation to post/give this book a certain rating. All views are my own. I remain entirely impartial.
READER INFORMATION:
Recommended for readers who enjoy stories centered around healing, sisterhood, and personal transformation. Particularly meaningful for those interested in stories about Black women, health awareness, and the power of community.
ABOUT THIS BOOK:
Ava Johnson is living a fast-paced life in Atlanta, running a successful hair salon, when she finds out she is HIV-positive. Hoping to do the right thing, she writes letters to former partners to let them know, but her honesty has consequences. After being publicly shamed in her own shop, she sells her business and returns to her small hometown of Idlewild, Michigan, to stay with her sister Joyce. She plans to regroup and move on, but life in Idlewild gives her a reason to slow down and reflect on what she’s truly been missing.
FIRST THOUGHTS
What Feels Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day is the first novel I’ve read by Pearl Cleage, and it blew me away. From the first page, I was drawn in by Ava’s voice and her emotional honesty. The pacing is perfect, and the first-person narration brings so much depth to Ava’s experiences. It felt deeply personal and incredibly human.
MY BOOK REVIEW
This was my first time reading a novel by Pearl Cleage and I really enjoyed it. The story flows easily and Ava’s voice felt very real. I appreciated how Cleage balanced so many emotions. This book was funny, romantic, emotional, and sometimes heartbreaking, all without ever feeling forced. I loved the first-person narration because it allowed Ava’s thoughts and experiences to come through clearly and with honesty.
I also appreciated how this story gave space to explore HIV in the lives of African American women without turning the novel into a lecture. Ava’s story showed that a diagnosis does not mean your life is over. It showed how women can reclaim joy and power even when life doesn’t go as planned.
Before reading, I saw some criticism that the novel reinforced certain ideas about how HIV is contracted. I can understand that perspective. However, this book was published in the 1990s, a time when there was still so much misinformation and stigma. Given the time it was written, I think Cleage handled the topic with care and intention.
What Feels Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day was honest, hopeful, and heartfelt. It brought attention to important topics while still telling a story that felt personal and grounded. I look forward to reading the second book in the Idlewild series, I Wish I Had a Red Dress. If you enjoy stories about second chances, growth, and healing, this is a book worth picking up.
