Friday, July 17, 2015

The Knockoff

The Knockoff
By Lucy Sykes
Doubleday, 2015. 338 pgs. Fiction.

When 40-something Imogen Tate, editor-in-chief, of the fashion magazine, Glossy, returns to work after 6 months away on medical leave, she finds her beautiful print magazine has been hijacked by her former assistant and techie millennial, Eve Morton. The plan is to cease print publication and turn Glossy into an interactive shopping app. Imogen quickly reads the writing on the wall and knows she must adapt or be fired. Though, Imogen is out of her depth, it’s Eve’s constant undermining that truly makes Imogen miserable. Eve does everything from make fun of her for not knowing what a GIF is to taking the credit for any good idea Imogen has.

This is a good, old-fashioned rivalry story (a la All About Eve) merged with the theme of the ubiquity of technology and its potential pitfalls. However, ultimately, the story reveals that whether your age is closer to millennial or baby boomer doesn’t matter. What matters is treating people with respect and knowing that we all have something to contribute to the workplace.

AJ

No comments: