Read: Citizen Girl

Citizen Girl by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Was enticed to buy this because of its $4 price tag on Borders' Bargain Bookshelf. One of the blurbs was intriguing -- "satire ... highlights key issues (do you have to look hot to get ahead?) for women in today's workplace" -- but is entirely misleading. This is "sophomoric" in that it's the authors' second book (they also wrote "Nanny Diaries") and that it's just so dumb.

The main character's "name" is Girl, and other characters are called by descriptive words instead of traditional names. It took me a few chapters to realize that was her name and it wasn't just someone being awful and referring to her as "Girl" to be dismissive.

The workplace scenes were unrealistic, which I guess is expected because it's "satire" and trying to push things farther than reality to make a point? But the point wasn't taken and the plot, such that it was, fell flat for me. I also didn't care for the inappropriate transportation around Manhattan. When she was an underling she took cabs everywhere, but at least once when she's a VP she was getting on the 4/5 subway! As if. Maybe part of my dislike stems from missing New York. Perhaps.

Otherwise, a fast read with some parts that made me uncomfortable, mostly because it was just so unbelievable and awful work situations. There's also a little bit of high horse feminism that didn't make a lot of sense, even though it's kind of underlying to the message they seemed to be trying to make. Everything just seemed disjointed. Don't really recommend and I'm not sure what to do with this copy. Hrm.

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