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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This book was not good. Parts were interesting but fairly ridiculous even though I didn't have high expectations.
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars for this one. It's just FUN. The story is about a fashion magazine editor who comes back from medical leave to find that her magazine is being turned into an app, and headed by her former assistant. The characters are completely caricatures, with the main character being a bit too good, and the bad girl being a bit too bad to really be believable. The book also has one of my pet peeves: there are paragraphs where the narrator switches to being in other characters' heads, for no apparent reason. BUT, despite those obvious flaws, I had so much fun reading this and buzzed through it quickly. Good chick lit, especially for those of us who grew up reading fashion magazines.
Imogen Tate is editor-in-chief of Glossy, a high-end fashion magazine. When she returns to work after a few months off for cancer treatment, she finds her former assistant Eve (now a Harvard Business grad) is turning her beloved magazine into an app. Imogen is forced to catch up with technology--and make her best attempt to survive a workplace that is quickly being usurped by a shallow technophile who seems to represent the worst of her attention-obsessed, meme-generating generation.
I had a tough time buying Imogen's lack of social media knowledge--she's only two years older that I am!--but this book is so enjoyable that I was willing to forgive that. The authors skewer stereotypical millennials in a very entertaining manner while showing that anyone can have a second act to their life. The Knockoff is witty and charming, and I had a tough time putting it down. It's a great summer read if you're looking for a light, feel-good book.
I had a tough time buying Imogen's lack of social media knowledge--she's only two years older that I am!--but this book is so enjoyable that I was willing to forgive that. The authors skewer stereotypical millennials in a very entertaining manner while showing that anyone can have a second act to their life. The Knockoff is witty and charming, and I had a tough time putting it down. It's a great summer read if you're looking for a light, feel-good book.
3.5 stars for the plot + 1.5 stars for the absolutely fabulous narrator
This was an absolutely delicious audio book and if you decide to read The Knockoff, I recommend checking it out in the audio format. Katherine Kellgren somehow manages British accents, valley-girl accents, and start-up tech nerd without once making it feel forced or awkward. Delightful.
I adored the first half of this book. I enjoyed the second half. Unfortunately, the sheer drama of the second half detracts from what I enjoyed about the first half.
At the beginning we meet Imogen: a 42-year-old editor and chief of a fashion magazine. She returns from sick-leave to discover her beloved magazine has been turned into an app. Further, her former assistant, Eve, is running things. Imogen knows nothing about tech. Eve believes the world runs on tweets and selfies.
The story thus starts off as a wonderful clash between a Gen Xer trying to get her bearing in a suddenly Millennial workforce and an energetic Millennial trying to become the next Steve Jobs. And I loved it. Sure, the concept could be critiqued. At 42, Imogen seems an unlikely candidate to completely lack tech-awareness. And it seems a well-established fashion magazine suddenly tuning consumer app in only a few months would raise a few eyebrows.
But it is fun. It is fun to see Imogen grasp social media and totally rock it. It is fun to see how Millennials are portrayed (for the most part) with graciousness. I mean, the usual critiques get thrown in there. Millenials constantly need adoration. They don't value independence. They don't know how to respect their elders. etc. etc. But they're young. They're hungry. They focus on different things than Imogen and her 'generation.' So while the story pulls out all the usual complaints, it also tends to use it as character growth to look at them as unique, different human beings.
Further, it is fun to read chick-flick with a narrator like Imogen: mature, established, curious. She is not the usual air-headed innocent taking on the city for the first time.
I loved her supportive family life and strong female friendships. I love the mentoring relationships she develops with some of the girls around her.
Basically, as long as the book remained somewhat of a social critique of different generations in the workforce, I enjoyed it.
But then it cranks the drama up to ten.
Eve goes from 'boss who doesn't get it' to 'super evil Millennial witch.'
Like, diabolically, I-as-a-reader-do-not-understand-where-this-is-coming-from evil.
On the one hand, this builds the suspense for the climax and leaves you firmly rooting for Imogen. It is good guy against bad guy.
On the other, it means any sense of subtlety or nuance in the story gets completely thrown out the window.
In the end, I would say I enjoyed this one and the narrator made it a delight to listen to. I did not want to put it down. But the flip into Hollywood style drama means I will likely not remember this story long.
This was an absolutely delicious audio book and if you decide to read The Knockoff, I recommend checking it out in the audio format. Katherine Kellgren somehow manages British accents, valley-girl accents, and start-up tech nerd without once making it feel forced or awkward. Delightful.
I adored the first half of this book. I enjoyed the second half. Unfortunately, the sheer drama of the second half detracts from what I enjoyed about the first half.
At the beginning we meet Imogen: a 42-year-old editor and chief of a fashion magazine. She returns from sick-leave to discover her beloved magazine has been turned into an app. Further, her former assistant, Eve, is running things. Imogen knows nothing about tech. Eve believes the world runs on tweets and selfies.
The story thus starts off as a wonderful clash between a Gen Xer trying to get her bearing in a suddenly Millennial workforce and an energetic Millennial trying to become the next Steve Jobs. And I loved it. Sure, the concept could be critiqued. At 42, Imogen seems an unlikely candidate to completely lack tech-awareness. And it seems a well-established fashion magazine suddenly tuning consumer app in only a few months would raise a few eyebrows.
But it is fun. It is fun to see Imogen grasp social media and totally rock it. It is fun to see how Millennials are portrayed (for the most part) with graciousness. I mean, the usual critiques get thrown in there. Millenials constantly need adoration. They don't value independence. They don't know how to respect their elders. etc. etc. But they're young. They're hungry. They focus on different things than Imogen and her 'generation.' So while the story pulls out all the usual complaints, it also tends to use it as character growth to look at them as unique, different human beings.
Further, it is fun to read chick-flick with a narrator like Imogen: mature, established, curious. She is not the usual air-headed innocent taking on the city for the first time.
I loved her supportive family life and strong female friendships. I love the mentoring relationships she develops with some of the girls around her.
Basically, as long as the book remained somewhat of a social critique of different generations in the workforce, I enjoyed it.
But then it cranks the drama up to ten.
Eve goes from 'boss who doesn't get it' to 'super evil Millennial witch.'
Like, diabolically, I-as-a-reader-do-not-understand-where-this-is-coming-from evil.
On the one hand, this builds the suspense for the climax and leaves you firmly rooting for Imogen. It is good guy against bad guy.
On the other, it means any sense of subtlety or nuance in the story gets completely thrown out the window.
In the end, I would say I enjoyed this one and the narrator made it a delight to listen to. I did not want to put it down. But the flip into Hollywood style drama means I will likely not remember this story long.
3.5 stars
I received an ARC of Techbitch from Goodreads. I was really happy to receive this book; I love the concept of working for a magazine.
The second half of this book was better than the first. At one stage I was going to give up but really glad I stuck with it; loved the ending!!
Eve was a total cow, really didn't like her character, she made me cringe in places. Imogen was awesome, really liked her family & friends as well.
Overall a little predictable. A good holiday read.
I received an ARC of Techbitch from Goodreads. I was really happy to receive this book; I love the concept of working for a magazine.
The second half of this book was better than the first. At one stage I was going to give up but really glad I stuck with it; loved the ending!!
Eve was a total cow, really didn't like her character, she made me cringe in places. Imogen was awesome, really liked her family & friends as well.
Overall a little predictable. A good holiday read.
Kind of funny. Not as good as the recommendation led me to believe it would be but definitely entertaining. Would make a good beach read.
Fun, lite read. As a 30 something on the boarder of being a millennial hipster and whatever the generation before it was that didn't get cell phones till they drove and knew what it was like to answer a phone without caller ID, this book was enlightening and an easy read. 2 for 1!
I did want to continuously punch Eve in the face though....
I did want to continuously punch Eve in the face though....
Liked the writing but had a hard time getting past the patience of the main character, who was supposed to be a senior exec in the fashion biz, and was way too nice to be believable - she didn't even argue when she returned to work to find her magazine shuttered, just doesn't seem realistic. Any ex I know would have been livid and asked for a meeting with her boss to discuss. Plus, the idea that she was on medical leave for 6 months and never once checked in at work seems odd for this day in age -- maybe had this been in the 80s.....
For once! The reviews for the book matched the book I read! This had me cringe laughing throughout the whole book. It's Mean Girls meets Heathers meets Devil Wears Prada and some tech. LOVED IT!
Thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable, this book is true women's fiction in a way I don't seem to find often enough these days. With a relatable storyline and interesting issues and characters, this book will be a great recommendation for a summer beach read for those who are fans of traditional women's fiction. Advance copy provided by NetGalley.