Bond Girl: A Novel
After a childhood introduction to the fast-paced world of Wall Street, sweetly naive Alex has landed a position at one of the finance industry&#x2019;s most prestigious firms. Instead of being guided through the finer points of bond trading, however, Alex is initially given tasks mostly centered on taking lunch orders and keeping everyone&#x2019;s nicknames straight. As she is accorded more responsibility, the realities of the financial industry and the mostly male egos around her conspire to make her job a little more difficult than she anticipated. Like The Devil Wears Prada (2003) set on Wall Street, Duffy&#x2019;s first novel is a sharp, witty look at the intricacies of the trading floor and the people who populate it. The writing is clever and articulate, and Alex&#x2019;s story of personal growth makes her a sympathetic, likable heroine. Filled with too-good-to-be-true anecdotes and enough of a biting, cynical bent to offset the chick-lit romance angle, Bond Girl is a fun read-alike to the canons of Weisberger, Kinsella, and Green. Duffy&#x2019;s acknowledgment of the recent financial collapse and ensuing recession makes Bond Girl an entertaining and timely read. --Stephanie Turza