The List: A Novel by Karin Tanabe

by Karin Tanabe

Meet Adrienne Brown, a twenty-eight-year-old Wellesley College grad who recently left her glamorous job at Town & Country for a spot at the Capitolist. Known simply as the List to Beltway insiders, it’s the only media outlet in D.C. that’s actually on the rise. Taking the job means accepting a painful pay cut, giving up perks like free Louboutins, and moving back in with her parents, but Adrienne is certain that her new position will be the making of her career. And it is—but not at all in the way that she expects. The Capitolist runs at an insane Adrienne’s up before five in the morning, writing ten stories a day (sometimes on her BlackBerry, often during her commute), and answering every email within three minutes. Just when it seems like the frenetic workload is going to break her, she stumbles upon a juicy political affair, involving a very public senator—and her most competitive colleague. Discovering that there’s much more to the relationship than meets the eye, Adrienne realizes she’s got the scoop of a lifetime. But should she go public with the story?Inspired by Washington insider Karin Tanabe’s experiences at Politico, The List is a riveting debut novel bursting with behind-the-scenes details about what happens when media and politics collide.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Book Club, Contemporary, Politics, Romance, Humor

Paperback

First published February 5, 2013

About the author

KARIN TANABE is the author of six novels, including A Hundred Suns and The Gilded Years (soon to be a major motion picture starring Zendaya, who will produce alongside Reese Witherspoon/Hello Sunshine). A former Politico reporter, she has also written for The Washington Post, the Miami Herald, the Chicago Tribune, and Newsday. She has appeared as a celebrity and politics expert on Entertainment Tonight, CNN, and CBS Early Show. A graduate of Vassar College, Karin lives in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Read In Colour · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in the same vein as Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada or Erin Duffy's Bond Girl, The List tries hard to be as entertaining as either book, but falls short. Though I was interested in it enough to read it all the way through, it wasn't the attention grabbing, page turner I'd hoped it would be. Still, I can imagine that it will appeal to a lot of readers.

Adrienne Brown has dreamed of working as a serious journalist for years. When the opportunity to leave the fluff pieces of Town & Country arises, she trades in her Louboutins and her glamorous life in New York for long days and hour long commutes between DC and her parent's home in small town Virginia. Though she works at The Capitolist, the it publication of the moment, she's stuck in the style section pumping out a dozen stories a day about the latest fashions on Capitol Hill.

By chance, Adrienne stumbles upon a story that could catapult her career to the next level, but it involves a co-worker she loves to hate. Should be simple to just tell the story, squash the co-worker and get a promotion, right? Not quite so simple. And this is where the story takes a dive.

I was entertained by Adrienne's time on red carpets and private parties, gossiping with her fellow style mavens and her blossoming romance with a Republican strategist. What I was not entertained by was the long, drawn out decision about whether or not to go forth with her plan to blow the whistle. I would say that her hand wringing and whining took up at least 60% of the book. Much more interesting were her fact finding missions and her interactions with her sister.

I can tell what Karin Tanabe was trying to do with this story line. Unfortunately, she missed the mark. She may want to skip fiction and return to her days of dealing with the facts at Politico.

[shestrying · Rating 1 out of 5]

This had to be one of the most materialistic, immature narrators I've ever read. Ugh, I disliked this book so much!

[Lisa B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

My Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The first two-thirds was the set up - entertaining and frequently laugh out loud funny. The final third had a totally different tone. While still sometimes funny, this part was much more serious and suspenseful. Adrienne must decide what to do with the story she has uncovered and how to deal with the impact of her decision.

I thought the author did an excellent job of keeping the story moving. I loved the humor. I thought the ethical aspect Adrienne’s dilemma rang true for the media crazy world we live in. Bravo on this debut, Ms. Tanabe. I am looking forward to reading future books from you.

My thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.

Publish date: February 5. 2013.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ironically, the novel's protagonist constantly clamors for the guiding hand of a real editor. I was clamoring for the head of the editor of this book by the end of chapter two. Easily a third of the repetitive hand-wringing could have been removed, tightening up the pacing. The ending was weak, characters were caricatures, and the plot tortuously made its way to the inevitable conclusion.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't recommend this book at all. The author takes about 200 pages to go anywhere with the story then the big reveal is disappointing. I found myself constantly skipping pages and not missing any of the storyline. The romance with Sandro is poorly developed and to be honest, rather annoying. I get tired of stories where the girl becomes obsessed after meeting someone once. I find it hard to stomach when a character starts planning her wedding after meeting a guy for 5 minutes. I will say that the style of writing is enjoyable and I loved Payton's character. I just wish the author had written a better story.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Adrienne Brown leaves her prestigious job in New York for a job at the Capitolist, in Washington D.C., she has to adjust to the quick pace at the office. Everything changes when she stumbles upon a colleague having a scandalous affair with a senator. She takes the time to thoroughly investigate the every aspect of this affair, but should she go public with it?

The List was a fun read and hard to put down, and each page left you wanting more!

I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Caralyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really surprised so many people recommend this one. I ditched this after chapter 2. The author made so many attempts at humor that were predictable & completely fell flat. Too many great books out there to give up more hours to this one.

[Lyddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the reasonably captivating "mystery" element of The List, I could not stand the characters, including Adrienne Brown, the narrator. They were all rich, spoiled brats. Everyone was awful! Awful, awful, awful. Hell, even Adrienne's parents were obnoxious. Her sister, her colleagues, her horribly narcissistic workplace... awful. Even the woman Adrienne was exposing, Olivia, for whom I'm assuming we were meant to have some sympathy, was AWFUL. An experiment in unlikable characters gone terribly awry. OMG. Adrienne's obsession with Sandro, even until the last five pages, was demented. Utterly demented.

[Cara Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I don't know about the rest of the reviews, but I could not get enough of the wit and mystery present in the pages of The List. Plus, it was set in Washington (fascinating), and all about journalism (just as fascinating). Perfect summer read!

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. Entertaining story, moved quickly and really funny.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The List: Where Political Scandal Meets Personal Growth (And No One Wears Prada)

I fell for the bait. "Political newcomer uncovers explosive scandal" - how could I resist? I dove into The List expecting the usual DC thriller ingredients: sweaty press conferences, career-ending revelations, and CNN anchors having collective meltdowns. What I got instead was... different. And honestly? Better.

Think of it as 1984's quirky cousin who traded in the dystopian nightmare for a heavy dose of reality TV drama. Every single character in this book is dialed up to eleven - we're talking pure, unfiltered chaos in human form. In most books, this would be a recipe for disaster. Here? It works like magic. Because when you're writing about the absurdity of Washington politics, subtlety is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

The whole thing reads like what would happen if The Devil Wears Prada stumbled into a Congressional hearing and decided to stay awhile. Except instead of Miranda Priestly terrorizing everyone with her fashion demands, we get politicians who treat the law like it's a suggestion box at a restaurant.

But beneath all the political circus and larger-than-life personalities, there's something surprisingly real here. It's a story about that moment when you look in the mirror and realize you need to decide: who are you going to be? Not just in your career but as a human being. It's about that terrifying, exhilarating space between who you are and who you want to become.

Three years after reading this book, I'm still thinking about it - especially now, watching real politicians perform mental gymnastics that would make Simone Biles jealous.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Copy Provided by the Publisher

Having lived and worked in DC for nearly three years now as a member of the Federal Gov’t, I was immediately drawn to the description provided. I mean, most of us have probably caught glimpses of those government/celebrity scandals on different TV stations and wondered how they came to list – which is what Ms. Tanabe did in her debut novel, The List.

I have to admit, however, that as the book progressed, I became more and more conflicted about the outcome and what route Adrienne would take. While so much of the book was a play on the hypocrisy of people in situations like that (and I have been in them to), I kept hoping that she would take the high road. But in the end, I have to say that I was a bit disappointed in the outcome. I had grown to like Adrienne as a character, as well as the various secondary cast, but her actions, ultimately pissed me off. Yet, this highlighting of the hypocrisy of peoples actions in order to make their mark and get ahead was intriguing. Much of my career in the military has been similar – and there is a reason that one of the unofficial mottos in my career field is stab, stab, look, stab stab…because there is a belief that in order to get ahead, you need to be able/willing to sacrifice others. What kind of society have we turned into where that is acceptable is scary unto itself…

While I have to say that I disliked the ending, overall, I remained intrigued through-out most of the book and will be interested in seeing what this author comes up with in the future. I would give it 3.5 stars overall, but rounding up to 4. - review to follow

[Donna Brown]

Adrienne Brown has had enough of glitz, glamour and Town and Country magazine. She wants to work for a more serious publication. Thrilled to get a job at the Capitolist (“The List”), she initially overlooks the frighteningly long hours, low pay, extreme workload and lack of respect she has to endure – with a smile – until she can make her mark.

Laced with snarky humour and a (just about!) healthy dose of bitchiness, the novel sees Adrienne uncover the scoop that will make her but only if she’s willing to ruin others’ lives. Is she willing to go the distance?

Raising great questions about the balance of ambition versus respect for others, the value we place on success over decency and how difficult it is to hide secrets (both past and present), The List is as thought-provoking as it is enjoyable. Featuring an incredibly likeable heroine, you initially cheer for her and the success she could achieve but it is impossible not to feel a gnawing doubt as the novel progresses. If the right thing for you is the wrong thing for so many others, is it worth it?

I don’t normally read reviews from others about a book until I’ve written my own. Not that I’m easily led but it can be hard to sort your own opinions when you’re sorting through those of others. However, when adding The List to my Goodreads shelf, I noticed another had commented to say they expected something darker. I felt much the same, expecting something much more tense. That isn’t to say I was disappointed in the least. The List is edgy, funny and highly entertaining and makes for an excellent read.

If you enjoy edgy women’s fiction or some political intrigue and scandal, be sure to check this one out!

[Rachel Kramer Bussel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adrienne Brown thinks working at The Capitolist is her dream job, enough to leave a cushy gig at Town & Country. Even when she finds out she has to start at 5 a.m. and file stories every hour, she perseveres, in awe of the cool girls like Olivia Campo and, mainly, the men who seem to have the most power and prestige. She's dealing with living back home in Middleburg, Virginia, where her mom's claim to fame as a former famous gossip columnist is often contrasted with her lowly job. When she stumbles upon a scandal, she pursues it with zeal and more than a hint of schadenfreude. Tanabe peppers the book with hip references to artists like Ai Weiwei and Penn Quarter's Oyamel restaurant, and offers a look at what happens when a young woman becomes her job. The characters are often over the top (my personal favorite: Adrienne's spoiled yet underneath it all loving sister Peyton) and the plot is zany and often madcap, especially when it touches on some darker topics, but is a page-turner that will make you very, very glad your job is not as hectic as Adrienne's. Adrienne is the heroine, but is not always likeable, and I wasn't sure what I ultimately wanted her to choose: using her journalistic chops for good, evil, or somewhere in between.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this one. But what it boils down to is poor character development. I couldn't figure out the main character and what made her tick. I'm okay with characters evolving/changing/growing over the course of a book, but I never could figure out Adrienne's motivations at the beginning, middle or end. In fact, at the end, it was a very good question that the villan posed to Adrienne--what is her motivation?

I expected more from this book--I expected it to be a smarter, saavier read about the ins and outs of politics and media and less about what it was. I was just disappointed. It was hard to get on board with the culture of the paper, with the culture and relationships within Adrienne's family and with the relationships that existed between other characters. Every last relationship in this book seemed despicable to me. There was no one to root for. I was waiting for some redemption at the end, but didn't get it. I wanted to see how everything turned out, but am now glad that it is over. No redeeming characters gets a one star from me.

[RoseMary Achey · Rating 1 out of 5]

The List opens with reporter Adrienne Brown’s first few days at Washington, DC news publication The Capitolist. Adrienne is a twenty something, highly educated, wealthy woman who recently gave up a comfortable position with Town and Country magazine to work for the only media publication that is actually on the rise-The Capitolist, List for short.

Author Tanabe des a good job of educating the reader on the incredible pace of digital media. In a world where reporters were expected write or tweet an average of 8-9 stories a day, the young reporter’s speed is feverish and the quality suspect.

Adrienne does stumble across a potentially career altering story which is the backbone of this novel. This book could be very appropriately called a “Beach Read” or placed in the category of “Chick-Lit.” I do not enjoy books that over use clichés and toss around brand names like a marketing text, but hey, that is just me.

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book when i started. I thought it would be like the devil wears prada(although that book wasnt that good) but this was just awful. From the lack of character development to the boring scandal that was just predictable, i expected more from a book taking place in my hometown where scandal and gossip sits on every corner

[Shandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried to get through it, but stopped before chapter 2 could end. Will try to re-read at a later date.

[Robin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a disappointing read. Definitely not a "political thriller" like the cover says. It was repetitive and not very interesting.

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought the book tried too hard to be funny. I wondered if it had been written by formula, as it did not ring true. Characters were carichatures.

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing

Book did not live up to my expectations. The story was predictable and boring. The main character was immature bordering on childlike.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 star because local interest, otherwise 3.25

[Barry Martin Vass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Politico is a print/online newspaper based in Washington, D.C., that was founded in 2007. The idea was to compete in a dynamic, faster-paced atmosphere with the older, established newspapers already covering politics, policy, lobbying, and the federal government. And the format has been very successful over the years. Author Karin Tanabe worked at Politico during the formative years, and gives a detailed description of the climate: getting up before five a.m. on a daily basis, churning out stories on an hourly basis, often while driving, storming into hearings and meetings just to see what's going on, existing in a caffeinated haze for days at a time, finally crashing late at night only to wake up and do it all over again the next day. In The List (short for the Capitalist) Adrienne Brown is a twenty-eight-year-old reporter working for Town & Country in New York when she suddenly decides she wants to do something more meaningful with her life. She wants to matter. So she quits her job, snags a job as a Style reporter at the Capitalist, takes a huge pay cut and moves into a small apartment on her parents' estate in Virginia. The first third of this novel is an absolute hoot to read as Tanabe describes the inner workings of Politico, but slowly morphs into a broader story dealing with a senator and his mistress. Here's an example of the writing: "The work soon launched us through town like note-taking, party-going Adderall addicts. We curled our hair, waxed our everythings, wore cocktail dress after cocktail dress, made excited small talk with everyone who had vocal chords, chased celebrities, begged for quotes without looking like we were begging, kissed up to bouncers, had PR girls kiss up to us, and recorded all of it before passing out for a few hours of sleep. "A few" as in "three." ... By the time Saturday rolled around, I felt like I had fought in the front lines of the Crimean War and lost. I had covered so many parties that I no longer could discern famous people from unfamous people. At the Quinn Gillespie party I asked a guy refilling an ice bucket for a quote. He looked at me like I was on acid and said, "Brr."" If you're into politics, The List is impossible to put down!

[Karen Glickstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I loved The Gilded Age and hoped that this book would be written on the same level. Maybe it was the subject matter or maybe it was that this book was written earlier in the author's career--but it was really a struggle to finish this one (I picked it up a couple of times in the middle of the night when I could not sleep--that helped one night and the second i just stayed up to finish it because of the time invested). I spent a summer in college writing for a small, specialized publication and covered the Hill some (this was MANY years ago), so was especially interested in the subject matter even though i chose not to pursue a journalism career. I could not relate to any of the characters in this book however. I did not care about any of them. They all were entitled and/or obnoxious in different ways and many had no redeeming qualities (maybe that was part of the point?). Disappointing read.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is tough. I enjoyed The Price of Inheritance, so I thought I would give this a try. Hmmm. Not as good.

Certainly well-written, but Adrienne Brown - and her sister - are the most shallow, immature people imaginable. With the entire story written in this extended version of a superficial high-schooler, it is really hard to garner sympathy for the over-worked, self-absorbed, shallow girl, who achieves "success" at the fictionalized news outlet Capitolist.

I can certainly believe that this is what Politico is really like, but I don't really care, I could not empathize with the protagonist; and, perhaps worse, while I realize that this was written during the Obama years, reading this in 2021 seems just a an anachronistic waste.

Not sure I would sign on for one of her later books, although I had thought about it in the past.

[Hester Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a read a couple of the authors other books and loved them but was less enthralled with this. I believe it was her debut . It had all the right ingredients for a great read, but somehow just slightly missed the mark . The setting and plot were great and the character development reasonable but the story just kept missing the mark ... I wasn’t sure if it was a political satire , a comedy, a mystery, a romance or all four. I am not sure I really bonded with the protagonist who I think is tad spoilt and sheltered, but her sister is a scream . I always enjoy books set in the DC area but this one left me feeling the mehs. That said, lKarin Tanabe has written so many more books that are incredible, so I will definitely be searching for more of her work for the TBR pile ...

[sendann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not holding up very well, historically speaking, but you can't hold the author to blame for that because honestly, no one could've predicted the total meltdown of the nation and politics generally. So the escapism inherent in this book's structure is a little bit hard to harness with the orange menace cavorting in the background of your mind. Maybe in a few years if things calm down, it will be a little bit easier to hang out in the world this book lives in, when fun sex scandals about senators and wisecracking young political writers woes were subjects worth some attention. Sigh. I managed to tune out the world long enough to enjoy this one. But it was bittersweet. i'm going to read everything else this author has written now.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly entertaining story of life in the fast paced news and political Mecca of Washington DC. Adrienne Brown is the “Bridgett Jones” of the style page at The Capitalist- known as The List- she has taken a cut in pay, an increase in hours and decrease in sleep from demands of the lighting paced paper and Web site, when she stumbles upon the story of a lifetime. She initially does know what to do with the information but sticks with it until the end.

[Karen Gioconda · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I probably put this on my Want to Read list closer to 2013... And had I read it then, perhaps I wouldn't have been as offended by a reference to weight and appearance (too fat, too thin, too pale, too nerdy) every few pages. Or the ageism. Maybe I would have known some of the cited celebrities. Maybe I would have sympathized with the pathetic main character. But hopefully not. I will be happily returning the only copy back to the DC Public Library, hoping no one else will bother.