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Cannonball Read IV: Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

By hellokatieo | Posted Under Book Reviews | Comments (7)

Wall Street Sign

This book made me sad, not because it was depressing, but because I’ve officially out grown another book genre. Reading this book reminded of the day I realized that my reading level had left Cam Jansen and her quirky crime solving photographic memory in the dust.

Bond Girl by Erin Duffy falls firmly into the professional fantasy genre of chick lit. These are the books for girls who fantasize about a glamorous job, a corner office, and making enough money to support a comfortable lifestyle in the most expensive city in the world (aren’t these books always, always set in New York)? It’s like The Devil Wears Prada crossed with Wall Street.

I’m getting tired of reading books where the main character is constantly trying to prove herself in a male-dominated workplace. This book constantly discussed the hardships of working in a mostly male profession. I get it, it’s hard. But at the same time, it would be refreshing to see a character who works hard at her job because she loves her job and wants to succeed. In this book, like many others, Alex, the main character, just works hard because she wants to prove to her male colleagues she can do it.

This book focuses a lot on Alex’s life long desire to be in finance. And yet it completely glossed over the hard work it takes to get there. I know girls who work in finance. I saw how hard they worked in college, the months of preparation for their interviews, the crazy hours they worked proving themselves during their internships. This book magically grants Alex the job. I want to read a book about the dedication it takes to land a position like this in the first place.

The book makes only a lackluster attempt at tackling the recession. Alex works on Wall Street during the initial crash, and her seemingly complete ignorance of the financial maneuvering that crashed the markets seemed impossible. I know it’s a lot to ask from a light-hearted read, but I would’ve liked to see a more in depth treatment of how young analysts like Alex were in the dark about the impending financial disasters.

Anyways, if you like chick lit, this book is worth reading. It’s definitely a high quality chick lit book. Smart, sassy, engaging. But I’m over the professional fantasy chick lit. Now that I’ve spent some time working, and I’m in grad school, I think my understanding of the reality of working eliminates my need to fantasize about it.

For more of hellokatieo’s reviews, check out her blog, Book It.

This review is part of Cannonball Read IV. Read all about it.









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Comments

Hmm, that sounds...horrible.

Posted by: the new transported man at January 31, 2012 9:39 AM

I know exactly what you mean, I too am over this type of book. I find myself reading more and more biographies. I'm looking for people's real insights and not dreamy fluff.

Unless I'm looking for dreamy fluff, but that's a whole other story.

Great review!

Posted by: faintingviolet at January 31, 2012 10:54 AM

Of course she just falls into the job. Her name is Alex, so somebody up the corporate ladder thought he was hiring a man.

If her name were Suzie-Q or Bertha Butt, she'd be unemployed.

Also, unemployable.

Posted by: , at January 31, 2012 11:08 AM

I'll have you know that I'm gainfully employed at the present time.

Posted by: Bertha Butt at January 31, 2012 11:10 AM

Good review. I've heard of this book and I think I'll try it. Seriously, where are all the books about women who work in grocery stores or small insurance companies or waiting tables?

Posted by: twop_fan at January 31, 2012 12:08 PM

I've never read any professional fantasy chick lit. I didn't even know that was a genre! But thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Also: Bertha Buttz, HA!!

Posted by: Jelinas at January 31, 2012 10:59 PM

Erin Duffy has put together an outstanding book - and the positive elements of this review are quite right - it is sassy and engaging. In all honesty, I think the sassiness of the book could have been lost getting into the nitty gritty of how well she performed at school etc... I think such information may squash the dreams of those that don't progress through an Ivy League education and are motivated want to make it in the city.

I think that the themes you have constructively appraised, such as a women trying to prove herself in a male dominated world, lack of reality of the recession and lack of detail on the interview process, would actually detract from the engaging drama that Erin is trying to create around Alex. This is of course my opinion, but it made the book absolutely spot on.

I couldn't put it down. This was awesome.

Well done Erin!

Posted by: Mike at March 27, 2012 6:06 AM