An ironic and insightful novel depicting the challenges faced by young women, regardless of the era that live in. Beautifully written.

Unfortunately I am very sorry to DNF this at 15%, but I hope my review reflects a potential reader experience.

The writing is beautiful, it captures the atmosphere of early 2000s NYC perfeclty. In the beginning I appreciated the excruciating detail grounding me in the time period and setting the scene, but eventually it felt like pages were devoted to describing very minuscule things at length. I understand that it adds to the vibe of the story but for me personally I need more action to keep the story going. The main character is meant to be unlikeable, but I found the whining and self depreciation depressing (though it captures well the toxic skinny culture of this time period). I wish that earlier on something engaged me to want to know what happens next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Loved this totally relatable look at a woman in a working world. Clo was very likeable and I found myself laughing and nodding along at so many parts of this book. Every scene was so well described I felt like I was right there working alongside her.. Loved that this takes place in the early 2000s as there was a lot of nostalgia for me. The things women have to do and sacrifice in the name of success is truly something and this book is proof of that!

This type of early-aughts magazine world set novel is catnip to me, and this may be one of the strongest I’ve come across - it is certainly a new favorite! Clo is the perfect mix of cynical and awestruck about her job, and I loved all of the behind the scenes details. I thought it captured this specific milieu so well, and I could have easily read a dozen more vignettes set in this world.

In all honesty, I can't figure out if I liked this book or if I hated it. On the one hand, I thoroughly enjoyed Palmer's voice. There was a witty bluntness to it that I was drawn to. On the other hand, I felt reading this at times was incredibly laborious. I found that I could skim pages at a time and still be in the same scene, and on the same thought. I saw a couple reviews slating the characters, but I was actually on board for all of their rights and wrongs--and there were many wrongs. I was still rooting for Clo, despite how obnoxious she could be. The ending was a little "bleh" but I don't know how else it could have gone. All this to say, this wasn't my favorite book, but I would like to read more from her in the future.

Set in the aftermath of 9/11, small-town Clo follows a dream of making it big at a high-profile, elite fashion magazine. She uses her entry-level position to watch and observe, and is sickened to realize much New York success is due to background and pedigree, not hard work and ability. Struggling to build and maintain an appearance of someone who does have the appropriate background, Clo is befriended and assisted by cubicle mate Davis Lawrence, the beautiful daughter of an aging movie star, and her new boss, Isobel. Clo inserts herself into Davis' life, eventually moving into her home and the seamier side of stardom, wealth, and power are quickly revealed.

I honestly cannot decide if I loved this book or hated it. Based on the publisher description, I thought I was getting a Meg Cabot, Sophie Kinsella, Jennifer Weiner type of book. Although filled with some very humorous parts that would connect those authors to this book, there were so many other parts I found quite disturbing. There were times I wanted the story to be over, and other times I felt I was reaching the end too quickly. I was constantly questioning how far Clo would go to make her dream a reality. Probably the most disturbing is how the reader questions themselves about how far they would be willing to go........

This book will stick with you - for good or bad. Definitely recommend if you are looking for a deep-thinking, soul-searching read.