Still Needs Work: A Novel

by Ellen Barker

Marianne gets the call while attending a conference in San laid off, department dissolved. Two days later, she’s back home in the dicey Kansas City neighborhood she moved to after a reversal of fortune two years ago. After all this time rebuilding her life, it’s all collapsed.

The daily grind is just that—a grind. Until it isn’t, until it’s gone and taken health insurance, retirement contributions, and the currency to buy food and shelter, never mind the free coffee at the office, along with it. In the aftermath of her layoff, Marianne tries all the usual routes to re-employment, but a middle-aged woman, regardless of experience, has little job cred in the tech world, especially with an address in the heartland. A contract job at a Chicago startup morphs through two acquisitions in eight weeks. And then she’s mugged in her own neighborhood, which frightens her enough to consider a permanent move away.

An irreverent look at the alien denizens of the tech world, the fraught business of mergers and acquisitions, and the parallel universe of job openings, Still Needs Work is a contemporary story of the working world wrapped around a very human story of one person, her dog, and her community.

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2024

Reviews

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨B O O K • T O U R✨

Still Needs Work // Releases June 11, 2024

#ad I received a gifted copy of this book - many thanks to @ireadbooktours #partner

Marianne gets a phone call that changes her life. She’s being laid off. Now without a job she doesn’t know how she will survive, so she goes looking for a new job. She quickly learns that being middle-aged in the tech world, it’s gonna be harder to find a new job.

This is a reflective story on womanhood and life in general and is a breath of fresh air. Expertly written, the story pulls you in from the start. I loved Marianne’s character and was rooting for her.

When she had to take her dog Boris in for an evaluation because he was protecting Marianne I could so relate to that. A few years ago my daughters were walking our dog when this boy came by saying rude things to my kids and our dog. Our dog started barking at the boy and jumped on him. Our dog never bit the kid - the cop told me herself but we still had to get our dog evaluated. Diamond, our dog, was rubbing all over the cop (so mean) and the whole thing was ridiculous. The kid wasn’t hurt and that’s the first time our dog ever did anything like that (we took her on walks all the time for 10 years without incident) - I think she was protecting my kids. So I secretly high-fived her. RIP

This was a great read - I recommend reading it! You can preorder it now or buy it in 3 days!


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[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely sequel to Barker’s first novel, East of Troost. I think reading Troost first is necessary, to give you a grounding in her character’s story and a feel for the entire neighborhood and history. Then continuing with her story in this book just feels like meeting up with an old friend.

[Harsh Tyagi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book cover is the sole reason for me picking up this book and going into it blindly, and i considered it to be a self-help book based on the title, however it turned out to be contemporary fiction, a story of the working world wrapped around a very human story of one person, her dog, and her community. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable experience, a refreshing and interesting tale.

Marianne is on a business trip in San Francisco where she receives a call, informing her that her department is being dissolved and she's being laid off by her workplace. She's back in the Kansas city neighborhood and looking for a job that covers her insurance as well, she realises that her life still needs work. Marianne tries all the usual routes to re-employment, but a middle-aged woman has little job credibility in the tech world, no matter how skilled she is. Deprived of food and shelter, getting mugged in her own neighborhood, a contract job in Chicago, the book follows her struggles and the events occurring in her life, discussing the fear of every corporate employee, being laid off abruptly.

The writing is smooth, relatable, and I loved Marianne's attitude and confidence. I loved the book and devoured it in a single night, absolutely enjoying the storyline. It is an intimate and personal take on the tech world, the business of mergers and acquisitions, lay-offs and a no-nonsense story with real characters, the protagonist's skill, struggle, resilience and womanhood. The book is very relevant and authentic.

Note - How ironic is it that as I finished writing this review, I got a notification from an app on my phone, with the news that a startup has laid-off 80% of its staff!

[Meredith Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Still Needs Work, Marianne is laid off from her corporate job at the peak of her career and forced to discover where in the world she belongs (a more complicated question that it seems at first). This was an intimate and patient character portrait that drew me in to its myriad twists and turns, not because they were so outlandish, but because they were so relatable. I loved the realistic detail and fundamental likeability of the struggling and imperfect characters, including a neighborhood dealing with neglect, crime, and the lingering impacts of racism and white flight. Barker skillfully explores a question so many of us have faced: In the competitive world of work, how can we make what we do more related to who we are? An enjoyable, worthwhile book.

[Book_withquotes · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Still Needs Work” offers a gripping and contemporary tale of resilience and reinvention. Marianne’s world collapses when she receives a call during a conference: she’s laid off, and her department is dissolved. Returning to her dicey Kansas City neighborhood, she faces the daily grind without the safety net of health insurance, retirement contributions, or even free office coffee. Despite her experience, the tech world offers little opportunity for a middle-aged woman from the heartland. A brief stint at a Chicago startup and a frightening mugging push her to reconsider everything. This irreverent look at the tech industry and its impact on personal lives is a compelling, human story of survival, community, and one woman’s journey to rebuild her life.

This is a novel and thought-provoking tale about femininity and life in general. The plot is captivating from the first and is written with skill. This was a meticulous and personal character study that captivated me with all of its flips and turns—not because the characters were so unbelievable, but rather because they were so real.

Readers are unable to help but draw parallels between Marianne’s troubles with her new identity, neighborhood, and employment with these broader demands of capitalism and work. Her present life’s ups and downs let me relate to her and comprehend what she was going through. There was still space for laughter despite the severity of some of the concerns. Everyone who has been laid off or disheartened by the shifting job market and who has to make peace with the differences between their identity, occupation, and place of residence will find resonance in this well-written, topical, and contemporary narrative.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellen Barker’s upcoming novel Still Needs Work begins with a layoff. Marianne wasn’t particularly invested in or passionate about her tech job, but it’s still a blow to be abruptly laid off in yet another tech company restructure, and find herself back in her struggling her Kansas City neighborhood.

The overall atmosphere of Still Needs Work is of straightforward resilience in the face of setbacks. The writing is straightforward too, with a direct style and everyday detail. We hear a lot about what Marianne had for dinner, which household chores she did first, or who she called next, which was an unusual writing style, but worked well for Marianne’s character. She tries to consider her passions in life, like one is supposed to do after a layoff, but she’s much more about just getting on with things.

Still Needs Work blends Marianne’s own story with wider social themes. Marianne personally loses her job and works through shady, twisty acquisitions, but that’s also the reality for many people in the tech world. The scenes of nameless suits who aren’t entirely sure what the company does yet, but are about to decide if Marianne will keep her job, gave me tech-job PTSD. And Marianne — like so many of us — finds that the house she can afford is in a sketchy neighborhood, far from her high-paying tech job opportunities. As Marianne struggles with her career, her neighborhood, and her new identity, readers can’t help connecting to these wider pressures of work and capitalism.

[Prachi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine being at your career peak, feeling secure and confident, and then—bam!—a call shatters your world. That's exactly what happens to Marianne in Ellen Barker’s novel Still Needs Work. If you’ve ever faced job insecurity or felt the sting of ageism, this story will hit close to home.

Marianne, a middle-aged woman in tech, is laid off while at a conference. Returning to her struggling Kansas City neighborhood, she battles for survival without health insurance or a steady income. Barker's writing captures the absurdity of the tech world and the raw reality of job loss, all with a touch of humor.

Marianne’s resilience is inspiring. Her journey to re-employment is fraught with obstacles, especially ageism in the tech industry. Yet, her bond with her dog Boris and her supportive community add warmth and depth to the story.

Barker’s prose is engaging and her characters are incredibly real. She explores themes like economic instability and identity with insight and nuance. The novel’s critique of the tech industry’s impact on personal lives is particularly resonant.

Though some parts might feel slow, the detailed exploration of Marianne’s struggles makes her story compelling and relatable. Still Needs Work is a powerful and timely read about resilience and reinvention. Highly recommend! 🌟📖

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the sequel to East of Troost, centered in Kansas City where Troost is the 'unofficial yet recognized' dividing line where the east side is the run down side with all that means in a city. Marianne, in the previous book, had moved back into her small, also rundown, childhood home after being widowed and losing her savings due to her husband's illness and her underinsured house in California burning down. In this story, she loses her job and faces the challenges of job hunting as a middle aged woman who wants to work remotely. I thought the title of this book odd although I did not read far to understand how well the title fits for Marianne's job search, her continuing projects to repair/improve her house, and even on herself. She's really on a shoestring budget and yet this is charming read. Perhaps at the end of the day it's the small things that matter most. This book makes an effective case for that especially with some 'corporate' scenes that I found the least interesting part of this book but perhaps readers who haven't been in on that would find it insightful. I wasn't in tech but did work that really seems that abstract and hard to get results. That's where the larger paychecks are. My rating is 4 stars.

[Susan W. Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellen Barker's novel, Still Needs Work, is a story of resilience, fortitude, and industriousness, told from a no-nonsense, can-do perspective, engaging the reader with its unlikely list of everyday heroes, starting with the protagonist Marianne herself, and joined by a group of supportive neighbors dealing with their own hard-knock lives, while looking out for one another, sharing job tips, dog sitting, childcare, ice-cream, and an occasional meal .

Still Needs Work offers an engaging bird's-eye view into the struggles and accomplishments of a professional, middle-age, recently widowed woman, who has just lost her niche job in the fast-paced California tech industry, marked by ongoing acquisitions, mergers, and lay-offs. Left with no job and little savings following her late husband's draining medical bills, Marianne moves back full-time to her midwestern, urban childhood home, whose now red-lined street, leaves the value of her home and safety of the neighborhood precarious to say the least. It really captured my attention.

[Gail McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her second novel, Still Needs Work, author Ellen Barker expertly captures the tenor of a post-recession upheaval in the world of work and the plight of urban communities and small businesses struggling to survive. With skillful, understated style, she brilliantly synthesizes the human impact of the now ubiquitous turmoil in the corporate world through the compelling portrait of her protagonist, Marianne, a down-to-earth woman I could relate to, admire, and trust. When climbing the corporate ladder no longer provides stability or reflects her values for meaning and community, Marianne faces unsettling mid-career limitations and choices. Barker explores, clarifies, and contrasts the complex options Marianne considers and the experiences that point her toward a resolution. This well-written, timely, and relevant story will resonate with all who have been displaced or demoralized by the changing landscape of employment, and who must reconcile the gaps between who they are, what they do, and where they live.

[Marina DelVecchio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Needs Work is a novel that shows the resilience of one woman representing many. In this novel, Barker brings attention to corporate work's cold and unstable foundations wrapped around the accomplished and professional Marianne. Forced out of a job that made life precarious with its cutthroat tactics and the expendable nature of its workers -- especially women -- Marianne fell into another job at a hardware store that allowed her to work with her hands, use her corporate skills for good, and make friends who cared for her and encouraged her without using her to climb higher and faster. This story is about second chances and using those second chances to make changes in our lives that truly make us happy -- not just financially secure. Between Boris, the loyal dog, Marianne, the corporate professional who renovates her home with very skilled hands, to the warm and compassionate cast of characters who come into her life to deepen it -- this is a heartwarming story of renewal told with an engaging and humorous voice. Great book club read!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barker’s Still Needs Work inspires empathy for the main character, Marianne and her dilemma. The story provides insights into job drama, including sexism, layoffs, transfers, overwork, and relocating that will ring true both from management and employee perspectives. Marianne’s journey engages the reader after she loses her well-paying tech job with a large corporation, and she attempts to resolve financial and personal issues from her part-time job as a creative cashier in the local hardware store. She discovers anchors in the troubled East of Troost neighborhood where she’d returned to her childhood home and with her protector and best friend, Boris, a German shepherd. The crisis that started Marianne’s introspective struggle pushes her to understand herself and appreciate what she needs to find peace. A well-written, satisfying story that will resonate with many readers.

[Lola Allin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Needs Work, Ellen Barker's second novel, details the minutiae of daily events in the life of Marianne, a middle-aged woman searching for direction after a devastating sequence of events: illness of spouse requiring expensive medical treatments, death of spouse, and job loss due to mergers and acquisitions. This financial hardship forces an unwelcome return to her hometown in the heartland of America, but this is where Marianne rediscovers personal happiness and professional fulfillment. She embraces new friends and discovers new purpose from her part-time job at the local hardware store, a central fixture of small-town life.
Marianne's resilience and determination shows us that life is a rewarding journey along meandering pathways, not a destination immediately arrived at after graduation or marriage.

[Ag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why was this book so relatable? Why did it feel so, so fundamentally familiar, all the struggles, all the ups and downs? This was one of the most wholesome reads I have read in a long time. I’m still not entirely sure why exactly the book resonated with me on so many levels. Might be because in this weird world we are living in now, right now, all things work-related are extra special, at least for me. Long gone is the era when you worked just to make ends meet, just to have any source of income – it feels like more and more people want to do something that makes sense, that is more than just a means to an end, just something to make the existence possible. Also, with the world we live in today – the absurdity of all capitalism everywhere – this book was speaking to my (very feminist) soul.

[Francine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen Barker’s novel is a fun read. Any woman who’s been laid off will fully relate to both the angst and opportunity of being out of a job… and of course, any job has its drawbacks, despite the provision of income. Marianne has her share of other problems; being unemployed is just added to the top of the pile of things she needs to address, including whether to maintain her home in an inexpensive neighborhood in Kansas City among people she’s beginning to become fond of, or accept a new position in a bustling metropolis. Anyone who loves hardware stores as much as I do will also enjoy Barker’s detailed foray into the wonders contained there and the myriad possibilities of home improvement. You’ll know Marianne’s every thought and consideration as she carefully budgets her way through this transition, both in monetary and emotional terms. Lots of insight and humor.

[Christi M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, while not billed as a sequel, picks up where East of Troost left off. I was pleasantly surprised to discover this as I loved East of Troost, being a resident of the KC metro area. It's such a lovely little thrill to see places you're so intimately familiar with pop up in a book you're reading! (Shout out to Lee's Summit where I lived for the better part of 30 years!)

The one aspect of East of Troost that I didn't like, Marianne being so concerned with others' opinions of her, was definitely not at the forefront in this book. THANK YOU! It made her so much more likeable and, thus, the book more enjoyable!

I can't wait to read the next book slated for release next year!!

[Nancy Chadwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Marianne! Barker has developed this character well, creating a woman who is clever and strong, and rolls with whatever comes her way, including the loss of her husband, employment in the chaotic world of tech, a mugging, and a move back to a neighborhood that poses its own challenges.
Despite the many losses, big and small, that Marianne endures, Barker tells her story with humor and a steadfast pace of overcoming adversity. This is a story of resilience and finding one’s way in life despite the many curve balls thrown at Marianne, personally and professionally. I cheered Marianne on with every page.

[Shreya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a realist read. Marianne is a complex character who resonates with so many women we see in real life, it's a phenomenon.

Ellen Barker has done a stunning job with this one. I love this book. It talks about layoffs and neighbourhood crimes and other wider social themed without overdoing it. The flow of this book is perfect. Marianne is dealing with a lot of things in her life and I know so many like her. There's this book by Michelle Paris (@michelle.paris.7399 ) New Normal which I was reminded of while reading Still Needs Work. The themes are similar and y'all have to read it!

[Jude Berman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellen Barker’s wry sense of wit and amazing attention to detail draw the reader into the real-life dilemmas faced by her protagonist, Marianne. The tug of war between being oneself—which assumes one can figure out what that looks like—and finding success and financial security in the workplace is the basis of a story that should resonate across stages of life, though perhaps nowhere more so than in so-called middle age. The title, Still Needs Work, carries delightful irony. I was rooting for Marianne all the way!

[Penny Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Needs Work is a great read about the highs and lows of a mid-career woman in corporate America set against the realities of building a new life, weathering losses, and finding where home truly is. I was lucky to be an early reader and I found it very relatable, laugh-out-loud funny, and a cringingly real description of the life of women in what is still a man’s world- fickle, demanding, demeaning, and never secure, we see the things people do to get by, find community, make ends meet, and survive when their world collapses. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marianne is a wonderful protoganist simply because she is relateable and faces issues many of us have dealt with in our lifetime. I enjoyed how it portrayed the corporate world as a money hungry, male dominated and how one day you are irreplaceable and the next you are laid off. It's a brutal world and that is why those who are in it need to realise that there is so much more to life. Marianne learns this in a way that is honest and eye opening. The neighbourhood community and the gorgeous dogs made me feel safe and secure despite the crimes. A brilliant read that will open up your eyes!

[Laura Stewart Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars, if the system would allow me to do that. An utter delight. Boris, the dog; Josie, the neighbor we all wish we had; Felicity, the neighbor's sunbeam of a daughter; the hardware store, and last but not least, our plucky and resourceful main character. Sometimes the prose and description of home improvement jobs bogged down just a bit, but the indictment of corporate nonsense and Marianne's determination to find a better life for herself more than made up for it. I was disappointed when the story ended, but the ending was perfect.

[Dana McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an eye-opener. Marianne loses her job and is forced back into reemployment, she’s middle-aged and looking in the tech world.

Everything in this book was so relatable, with life’s ups and downs. The struggles that Marianne faced are some we all have probably faced at some point in our life. I loved how she and her neighbors all come together to support and help one another. It gave me a true sense of community. If you enjoy women’s fiction, you’ll love this book.

[GJ Brauch · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful story about the strength of women when things are difficult.

The reminiscences brought back lots of memories. It also makes me believe I could do a lot of work that is normally given only to men. The writer has great insight into emotions the protagonist feels. I would recommend this book to everyone.

[Gretchen Staebler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this sweet story of one woman's resilience and reinvention of herself. It made me laugh out loud (always a good thing) and cheer the protagonist's good decisions. A feel-good story with minimal drama was just what I needed. The author's new book, "The Breaks," is next to my chair for my next read; then I will circle back around to her first one, "East of Troost."

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was ok ..just boring .

Kind of reads like a very dull dilbert. And thst strip is dull. robotic..no real emotion .

If ut had been written skillfully in
A humorous way it would of been much better .

[Ann Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this! I am sure there will be readers who dislike the incredible detail of everyday life, which is one of the reasons I loved it so. Great read.

[Karyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up because it mentioned Kansas City and I loved it

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still Needs Work: A Novel is a fabulous introduction to Ellen Barker's writing. I loved getting to know the relatable character, Marianne and her best friends sidekick canine. It seemed as though she was constantly dodging crisis after crisis. I admired her determination in finding herself and at how she handled everything that is thrown at her. No matter what, she continued to be resilient. The twists and turns of her current life made me feel a connection with her and understood what she was going through. Even though there were some seriousness of some the issues, there was still room for humor. I could not help to crack a smile or even feel a giggle bubble up. I thought it was a beautiful, well written, and feel good story. I loved every single page and had no problem reading it in one sitting.

I am giving Still Needs Work: A Novel a very well deserved five plus stars. I believe fans of women's fiction with a side of humor will not want to pass up on this one. I do not think it should be missed. I would love to read more from Ellen Barker in the future to see what other novels she has in store for her readers and fans. She has earned herself a new fan right here.

I received a paperback copy of Ellen Barker's Still Needs Work: A Novel from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.