Into this she brings her own working knowledge of books and their publication and marketing (she is books editor at Glamour magazine).
Alice Pearse, a woman functioning as a mother, daughter, wife and part-time editor, moves into a full-time position in a company that promises an exciting future for book buyers, when her husband leaves a tenured position and sets out in business for himself.
There is an economic imperative and the possibility of an intellectually rewarding job.
The move through this is captured in an energetic style, using conversations with friends and colleagues, Alice's reflective musings, texts to and from her father and emails from managers.
The characters are alive and credible and provide a foil for Alice's development through initial excitement, increasing disenchantment and near despair at the way her life is unfolding.
Egan gives us a polished picture of a life that will resonate with many and provide impetus for self-reflection.
- Willie Campbell is a Dunedin educator.
