Title : Bond Girl
Author : Erin Duffy
Publication date : 5th July 2012
Publisher : Harper
Source : Sent by publisher, thank you!
Whilst some bankers take 15 minutes to agree on a font size for a
presentation, Alex Garrett discovers that it takes her only one minute
to lose her new bank $93,000 on her first trade. Welcome to the world of
finance.
Being at the bottom of the corporate ladder in one of Wall street's biggest powerhouses is like having landed in a giant adult playground for new-girl-on-the-block Alex. As a child she witnessed the 'glamour' of the money-making machine via her banker dad. Now, she has survived the 'do-you-squeeze-the-toothpaste-from-the-bottom-or-the-top?' question in the interview and is heading for The City.
Her 'Watch Out Wall Street, Here I Come' attitude is soon punctured by her status as the one with the folding chair instead of a desk.
She has a lot to learn, for example:
• A $65 limo ride is a completely acceptable way to travel ten blocks…
• … or five blocks if it’s raining.
• Knowing maths is important – but nowhere near as important as you’d think!
• A bet is a bet is a bet. If you lose as credit card roulette, you will pay the bill. No one cares that it’s your first job and the bill is $10,000.
And with things looking a little sticky on the World’s markets, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Being at the bottom of the corporate ladder in one of Wall street's biggest powerhouses is like having landed in a giant adult playground for new-girl-on-the-block Alex. As a child she witnessed the 'glamour' of the money-making machine via her banker dad. Now, she has survived the 'do-you-squeeze-the-toothpaste-from-the-bottom-or-the-top?' question in the interview and is heading for The City.
Her 'Watch Out Wall Street, Here I Come' attitude is soon punctured by her status as the one with the folding chair instead of a desk.
She has a lot to learn, for example:
• A $65 limo ride is a completely acceptable way to travel ten blocks…
• … or five blocks if it’s raining.
• Knowing maths is important – but nowhere near as important as you’d think!
• A bet is a bet is a bet. If you lose as credit card roulette, you will pay the bill. No one cares that it’s your first job and the bill is $10,000.
And with things looking a little sticky on the World’s markets, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
First of all, I would like to thank Amy Winchester from Harper who kindly agreed to send me a copy, with that, I love you. I was really eager to read Bond Girl since Erin announced it on Facebook back in December, a very long time ago. So thank GOD, Amy sent me a copy and I never regretted reading this highly addictive novel. Beware, you've been warned.
I wouldn't want to be rude or anything, but sometimes I compare books I've read to those I'm reading, and I am rather embarrassed to say, that yes. I did compare Bond Girl to one of the books which crafted chick lit - The Devil Wears Prada. Though the story might be a bit similar, both set in Manhattan and focuses on a bright, young and naive woman, stepping into the "real" world. Yes, they have controlling, crazy tyrants as bosses, but I have to give it to Chick, Alex's boss, who makes Miranda Priestly look like a poor manicurist.
What can I say besides "I LOVED IT"? I mean, don't get me wrong, there were many parts of the book I found immensely entertaining, but every chapter had a really exciting "incident" and it made me flip through the pages at lightning speed (total exaggeration but you get the sentiment). For me, Alex Garrett carried the book very well, observing the giant playground for men, that is Wall Street. I had a blast reading about how difficult and awkward it was to fit in with the "big boys" at Cromwell Pierce. She was smart, clever and I loved how she has the air of quirkiness in her. I thought she was a great heroine in a world of men, where sexism is as common as sand on the beach.
As usual, what can you expect from a fast paced book? Every chapter had a, let's say bomb, in it and I was really thrilled with the elements of the book. There were parts in the book which made me guffaw while some made me quivering in fear, for Alex's sake (again with the exaggeration, bear with me, please!). The writing style was biting, funny and really easy to read, not entirely complexed where financial terms were thrown into conversations and sometimes, Alex seemed as clueless as I was. Well, thankfully Alex's feisty remarks and clever insights balanced it out very nicely.
Sadly, there weren't much romance in the book, much to my disappointment. But the characters in the book, mainly Alex's colleagues-cum-friends were really rambunctious gang and I really enjoyed the fun moments they had at the office.The one person I couldn't stand was Katz or whatever her name is, but she's called Cruella by Alex and her friends and she's just a spawn of the dead and Erin did a fantastic job crafting a spiteful cow in the book.
Bond Girl was a really entertaining book for me as I really enjoyed it. I even stayed up till 3am to finish it, not that I'm bragging or anything but it was amazing, funny and utterly captivating. It absorbed me to the fast lane of Wall Street and the flashy job titles and of course, the money. I can't recommend it highly enough to those who enjoyed and loved The Devil Wears Prada. If you need a tip about this book, then: it's The Devil Wears Prada minus the fashion and add in the gorgeous men in suits and a hell lot of money and get this - the real world of finance.
Rating : 5/5
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