In How Stella Got Her Groove Back, McMillan sets herself the task of sustaining reader interest in a woman who already has it all, and who confronts scant conflict during the novel. McMillan does this through a first-person, presenttense, stream-of-consciousness narration.

It is marked by colloquialisms and occasional expletives, but also poetic imagery.

Winston makes Stella feel "like a breeze coming through an open window"; "my heart is ticking and he is helping me with the beats." The frequent sentences or paragraphs that flow freely without punctuation reinforce Stella's exuberant, independent personality and the pace of her life. The narration is warm, chatty, and authentic in its presentation of AfricanAmerican and girlfriend-to-girlfriend talk.

Scenes of dialogue are frequent and snappy. The "now" flavor of the narrative is supported by frequent references to brand- name products and to famous names in popular culture. McMillan is known for her humor...