Like the 1980s never ended (Career Girls - Louise Bagshawe)

Member Name: edie

Product:	Career Girls - Louise Bagshawe
Date:	23/01/01 (89 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Enjoyable trash

Disadvantages: if you want realism look elsewhere

Louise Bagshawe’s hugely enjoyable first novel charts the decade long feud between former best friends turned bitter enemies, fiery American Topaz Rossi and poor little rich girl Rowena Gorden. The 2 career girls fight their way from students at Oxford University to the top of their respective careers in the magazine and record business, trying to destroy each other while accumulating fabulous riches, boyfriends and dresses, dresses, dresses along the way.

Though it’s slightly more realistic Career Girls has more than a hint of the Jackie Collins bonk-buster. At one point a character remarks "its like the eighties never ended" in regard to Ms Rossi. And large parts of the novel are devoted to describing the girls’ 80s style apartments, designer clothes and amazing sex they have on their expensive sheets. These aspirational lifestyle touches get more than slightly annoying (especially when I realise one of Rowena’s outfits would cost a year of my wages) and distract from the plot as Bagshawe is clearly capable of telling a good story and creates a couple of compelling red-blooded heroines.

Topaz was by far my favourite character having overcome real betrayals and oppositions, without losing her humanity. I didn’t care much for Rowena, for all her attempts at independence, her definition of feminism seemed to involve getting the men in her life to cover for her while she took all the credit. And I cheered silently every time Topaz beat her, even though I’d knew she’s eventually get her own back .

Career Girls is the kind of inspirational fantasy that makes you feel like you could conquer the world, even as you realise that its essentially a fairytale of New York media life. I can’t imagine any office junior making managing editor in six months no matter how talented (or good looking) she was. Its the definitely the best of Bagshawe’s books which cover more or less the s
ame ground but to less effect, like a couple of pale photocopies. Sure, Career Girls is trash but it’s wonderful trash and perfect for light or holiday reading. Take this book to the beach and you won’t regret it.

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