Former Vogue staffer Caroline Palmer has crafted a compelling debut novel that plunges readers into the glamorous yet cutthroat world of women's magazine publishing during its final golden age. Workhorse presents a Devil Wears Prada-style narrative of ambition, following a young woman's relentless pursuit of success in an industry where appearances are everything and moral compromises come easily.
A Nostalgic Yet Cutting Look at Magazine Culture
The novel transports readers to the first decade of the new millennium, when women's glossies still operated with boozy lunches, free couture, and expansive expense accounts. This setting provides the perfect backdrop for Palmer's exploration of class, envy, and the desperate measures people take to climb social and professional ladders. The author's own experience at Vogue lends authenticity to her portrayal of this rarefied world.
An Unlikable Heroine in a Familiar Literary Tradition
Protagonist Clodagh (Clo) represents a suburban twentysomething "workhorse" determined to succeed among the rich, beautiful "show horses" who dominate the magazine industry. She joins a long literary tradition of young women coming of age in New York City, from Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar to more contemporary works like The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing. Palmer also incorporates elements of the grifter narrative, drawing comparisons to classics like The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Great Gatsby.
Clo emerges as a deeply flawed character - a liar, thief, and alcoholic brimming with class envy and internalized misogyny. Her descriptions of other women range from vile to hilarious, perfectly capturing the toxic environment she inhabits. Despite her unpleasantness, readers find themselves initially rooting for her ascent from underling to Upper East Side editor, a testament to Palmer's skill at creating compelling, if problematic, characters.
Razor-Sharp Observations and Supporting Characters
Palmer demonstrates considerable talent for wit and social observation throughout the novel. Clo's commentary on fashion industry foibles proves particularly sharp, while her dark obsession with beautiful, well-bred colleague Davis Lawrence adds psychological depth. The character of Harry serves as the story's real Holly Golightly, providing charismatic contrast to Clo's seething desperation.
Structural Challenges and Narrative Excess
Despite its many strengths, Workhorse suffers from significant structural issues. At over 500 pages, the novel demands considerable time inside Clo's increasingly unpleasant consciousness. The first-person perspective, while intimate, becomes exhausting over such length. A tighter edit - perhaps by a full third - would have allowed Palmer's brilliant writing moments, such as her gorgeous description of a New York power cut, to shine more brightly.
Beyond Fashion Industry Satire
What elevates Workhorse beyond simple industry satire is its profound exploration of the emotional burden carried by perpetual outsiders. Palmer examines the weight and waste of envy and ambition, capturing that moment when one realizes they've "burned through an entire decade in a single night." This theme resonates beyond the specific magazine setting, speaking to universal experiences of aspiration and disillusionment.
The novel also touches on deeper questions about life's trajectory, as one character observes: "you grow up with all these questions you really want answered ... and then when you start to get the answers, it feels sad?" This emotional complexity adds layers to what might otherwise be straightforward satire.
Relevance in a Post-Wintour Era
With The Devil Wears Prada published 22 years ago and the industry now in a post-Wintour era, readers might question the relevance of another nostalgic swansong for magazine publishing's heyday. Yet Palmer's novel offers more than mere nostalgia - it provides insight into the psychological costs of ambition and the universal human desire for reinvention, particularly in America where "a new country without an aristocracy" makes such transformation seem perpetually possible.
For those who remember or romanticize the golden age of glossies, Workhorse offers a bittersweet glimpse at glamour that's "tinged with the feeling that you got into the game just as the party was ending." For others, it serves as a compelling character study of ambition gone awry, with writing sharp enough to justify the considerable time spent in its unpleasant but fascinating protagonist's company.
