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Blind Submission
Angel Robinson hadn’t been working for the well-known literary agent Lucy Fiamma for very long when the first pages of a mysterious manuscript by an anonymous author arrived at the office. Although juggling Lucy’s colossal ego and seemingly neverending list of demands kept her busy, Angel was pulled in by the plot.
Set in a New York literary agency, the novel, titled Blind Submission, centers on the ambitious assistant to a successful literary agent. As the story unfolds–with chapters e-mailed one by one–it becomes clear that the mystery author is writing the story of Angel’s own life, turning her initial curiosity to panic. Someone is watching her, even plotting against her. Could it be her backstabbing coworker, her jealous boyfriend, or her seductive new client? When the novel’s plot turns to murder, Angel knows that if she doesn’t discover the author’s identity before the final chapter is written, more than just her career will be cut short.
Set in a New York literary agency, the novel, titled Blind Submission, centers on the ambitious assistant to a successful literary agent. As the story unfolds–with chapters e-mailed one by one–it becomes clear that the mystery author is writing the story of Angel’s own life, turning her initial curiosity to panic. Someone is watching her, even plotting against her. Could it be her backstabbing coworker, her jealous boyfriend, or her seductive new client? When the novel’s plot turns to murder, Angel knows that if she doesn’t discover the author’s identity before the final chapter is written, more than just her career will be cut short.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
44 people are currently reading
602 people want to read
About the author
Debra Ginsberg
16 books80 followersDebra M. Ginsberg is a London born, American author. She is the author of three memoirs as well as two novels. Her first memoir Waiting: The True Confessions of a Waitress was published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2000, followed by Raising Blaze: A Mother and Son's Long, Strange Journey Into Autism, which chronicled her longtime struggle to get her son the education he was entitled to.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
August 16, 2009
There will be spoilers in this commentary, but that's okay, because you won't want to read it after this anyway.
Yes, I actually took notes on this book whilst reading it. My not-long-awaited commentary is as follows:
pg 11: Oh, now I know the narrator's name. Took her long enough. Angel. Okay. What?
pg 47: I've just realised what is bothering me about this--the characters seem very unnaturally-put together. Their traits clash a lot, and not in a good way. For example, this is what I've got so far of Lucy Fiamma:
a) wears designer clothes that match badly.
b) exudes a sense of power
c) interrupts people
d) represents famously famous authors
e) uses a ton of exclamation marks
f) is professional
g) jumps all over the place in her thought processes
h) is randomly seductive,even especially toward her female employees
i) renames her workers to make them sound better
It's not that the characters are rounded--more that they're simply thrown together in a slapdash fashion. It's as though Debra tried to make them interesting but ended up just adding random clashing (not contrasting) traits.
pg 50: Kel-I-mean-Nora (notice that Lucy doesn't try to rename Angel) is described as being hostile, yet she's amazingly communicative and helpful when Angel's in a jam.
pg 60: Look, I've already read The Devil Wears Prada and I'm not particularly anxious to read it again. Where's the metafiction?
pg 84: Ooh, plot!
pg 85: Nope, plot's gone. This book is extraodinarily slow.
pg 86: Okay, that didn't need to be there. Ew.
pg 89: Wait, I thought this lady liked exclamation marks in places where no exclamation mark was ever intended to be. Where are they in her memo? On the bright side, Ginsberg does provide some actual scenes of Lucy Fiamma making a hard sell, instead of just telling us. Still, it feels like Debra's trying to hard to draw attention to that fact. Oh, look, I can write a smooth-talking hard seller!
pg 90: Oh. Now she's researching her boss's sleep habits. Plot makes small reappearance.
pg 91: How on earth does one do yoga in a skirt?
pg 104: Still a slow-moving book. I have to say, I don't always like the main character. She can be petty and annoying, though generally sympathetic. Just realistic flaws, I guess. Ginsberg's done a remarkably great job of characterising Angel, I'll give her that. In fact, she's done a good job on Damiano-or-whatever-his-name-is, too. Shame that the book is so boring that I skipped ahead at about page 70. I now know whodunnit. Should I spoil it for you? No, not yet.
pg 116: Right. Wasn't expecting employer nudity there. And yet, it happened. Needlessly. Chalk up yet another point against Lucy Fiamma being a well-rounded character. With emphasis on the well.
pg 142: It's strange. It feels like the book is moving very fast, and yet it's going nowhere at all. You can actually use the Dan Brown technique here and still know what's going on. (Okay, okay, I coined the term 'Dan Brown technique' myself, but let me explain it anyway. The Dan Brown technique is when you read every third page or paragraph of a novel and it still makes sense.)
pg 164: Okay, I got my metafiction. So far, I'm enjoying the novel-within-the-novel more than the book. Something is wrong, here.
pg 174: Wow, freaky emotionally manipulative boss.
pg 192: Plus, Malcolm's fully just turned from sweetheart boyfriend to Anger Boy. Yeah, that makes sense. (Spoiler: he also randomly sleeps with both Angel's boss and her co-worker. Dare I say it, but the transformation seems just a little forced.)
pg 198: Yeah, this girl spends way more time than she should angsting about how to deal with female co-workers who have not actually asked her out yet. And probably never will. She's been doing it throughout the whole book, but I haven't mentioned it until now. Geez, Angel, get a grip!
pg 320: So, apparently Lucy's little towel-dropping thing was (forced) foreshadowing. Yeah. And also, dare I say it, stupid.
further down page 320: Okay. Obligatory sex scene. Excuse me whilst I read with my eyes shut. I'll get back to you later.
pg 395: You know, I'm still not sure how she figured out that Lucy did it, just from that little encounter...
OTHER NOTES: Malcolm just seemed to flick the switch from 'nice' to 'awful' very suddenly. And Angel does the same from aggressively competitive and petty to overly nice. Maybe they're both bipolar. (No offence to those with bipolar syndrome.) Dami's romantic tricks were a little corny and over-done. I mean, come on. He gave her angel-hair pasta, some Angelica wine or something, an angel fish (isn't the rule that you never give a person you like something that they have to feed or water?), an angel necklace, and--yes, you guessed it. He's a pastry chef, so he baked her angel-food cake.
CONCLUSION: Go read something else. Really.
Yes, I actually took notes on this book whilst reading it. My not-long-awaited commentary is as follows:
pg 11: Oh, now I know the narrator's name. Took her long enough. Angel. Okay. What?
pg 47: I've just realised what is bothering me about this--the characters seem very unnaturally-put together. Their traits clash a lot, and not in a good way. For example, this is what I've got so far of Lucy Fiamma:
a) wears designer clothes that match badly.
b) exudes a sense of power
c) interrupts people
d) represents famously famous authors
e) uses a ton of exclamation marks
f) is professional
g) jumps all over the place in her thought processes
h) is randomly seductive,
i) renames her workers to make them sound better
It's not that the characters are rounded--more that they're simply thrown together in a slapdash fashion. It's as though Debra tried to make them interesting but ended up just adding random clashing (not contrasting) traits.
pg 50: Kel-I-mean-Nora (notice that Lucy doesn't try to rename Angel) is described as being hostile, yet she's amazingly communicative and helpful when Angel's in a jam.
pg 60: Look, I've already read The Devil Wears Prada and I'm not particularly anxious to read it again. Where's the metafiction?
pg 84: Ooh, plot!
pg 85: Nope, plot's gone. This book is extraodinarily slow.
pg 86: Okay, that didn't need to be there. Ew.
pg 89: Wait, I thought this lady liked exclamation marks in places where no exclamation mark was ever intended to be. Where are they in her memo? On the bright side, Ginsberg does provide some actual scenes of Lucy Fiamma making a hard sell, instead of just telling us. Still, it feels like Debra's trying to hard to draw attention to that fact. Oh, look, I can write a smooth-talking hard seller!
pg 90: Oh. Now she's researching her boss's sleep habits. Plot makes small reappearance.
pg 91: How on earth does one do yoga in a skirt?
pg 104: Still a slow-moving book. I have to say, I don't always like the main character. She can be petty and annoying, though generally sympathetic. Just realistic flaws, I guess. Ginsberg's done a remarkably great job of characterising Angel, I'll give her that. In fact, she's done a good job on Damiano-or-whatever-his-name-is, too. Shame that the book is so boring that I skipped ahead at about page 70. I now know whodunnit. Should I spoil it for you? No, not yet.
pg 116: Right. Wasn't expecting employer nudity there. And yet, it happened. Needlessly. Chalk up yet another point against Lucy Fiamma being a well-rounded character. With emphasis on the well.
pg 142: It's strange. It feels like the book is moving very fast, and yet it's going nowhere at all. You can actually use the Dan Brown technique here and still know what's going on. (Okay, okay, I coined the term 'Dan Brown technique' myself, but let me explain it anyway. The Dan Brown technique is when you read every third page or paragraph of a novel and it still makes sense.)
pg 164: Okay, I got my metafiction. So far, I'm enjoying the novel-within-the-novel more than the book. Something is wrong, here.
pg 174: Wow, freaky emotionally manipulative boss.
pg 192: Plus, Malcolm's fully just turned from sweetheart boyfriend to Anger Boy. Yeah, that makes sense. (Spoiler: he also randomly sleeps with both Angel's boss and her co-worker. Dare I say it, but the transformation seems just a little forced.)
pg 198: Yeah, this girl spends way more time than she should angsting about how to deal with female co-workers who have not actually asked her out yet. And probably never will. She's been doing it throughout the whole book, but I haven't mentioned it until now. Geez, Angel, get a grip!
pg 320: So, apparently Lucy's little towel-dropping thing was (forced) foreshadowing. Yeah. And also, dare I say it, stupid.
further down page 320: Okay. Obligatory sex scene. Excuse me whilst I read with my eyes shut. I'll get back to you later.
pg 395: You know, I'm still not sure how she figured out that Lucy did it, just from that little encounter...
OTHER NOTES: Malcolm just seemed to flick the switch from 'nice' to 'awful' very suddenly. And Angel does the same from aggressively competitive and petty to overly nice. Maybe they're both bipolar. (No offence to those with bipolar syndrome.) Dami's romantic tricks were a little corny and over-done. I mean, come on. He gave her angel-hair pasta, some Angelica wine or something, an angel fish (isn't the rule that you never give a person you like something that they have to feed or water?), an angel necklace, and--yes, you guessed it. He's a pastry chef, so he baked her angel-food cake.
CONCLUSION: Go read something else. Really.
October 14, 2007
Not to go on a feminist rant, but does every chick lit novel have to have a young woman go to humiliating lengths to please her unbelievably demanding female boss? Why do all women in power have to be bitchy, unsympathetic and slightly insane? I bought this book because I thought it would be fun to see someone poke a little fun at the industry I work in, but besides the goofy query letters, there wasn't too much resembling a real "insider's look" at publishing. I also found it somewhat ironic that the heroine is supposed to be this whiz-kid book doctor, yet the book itself leaves some major character arcs completely dangling (what the heck is going on with Craig?!).
I started out giving this book 3 stars because I did like the suspense angle and it did engross me enough to keep reading to findout what was going to happen. But the more I wrote, I realized I really didn't think this one was that great.
I started out giving this book 3 stars because I did like the suspense angle and it did engross me enough to keep reading to findout what was going to happen. But the more I wrote, I realized I really didn't think this one was that great.
April 3, 2019
I picked up this book pretty much because I liked the premise. The story centers on a women working as assistant to a literary agent. I love anything having to do with books and reading, and this novel just piqued my interest.
The heroine, Angel Robinson, lands a job with an agent upon learning that her beloved Blue Moon Books is closing. Naturally, her aspiring writer boyfriend Malcolm would love to use her newfound connections to launch himself. And then there are Angel's nightmare boss, wacky co-workers, and the hot new author she "discovers" in the slush pile. To add to it all, we get a mystery in the form of an anonymous author submitting a supposedly breathtaking manuscript in installments.
It all sounded promising, but the writing is soooo clunky and the story just meandered along without much development for the first 2/3 or so of the book. Nothing in this novel entirely came alive. I found the plot just intriguing enough to actually finish the book but that may say more for my endurance than for the greatness of the story itself. I did find the mystery surrounding the unknown author mildly interesting, but the excerpts of the manuscript being submitted didn't really jump off the page as being all that brilliant so I couldn't understand why Angel and her boss were so riveted.
The character sketches in this story were fun and I did enjoy the glimpse behind the curtain into the world of agents and publishers. However, none of these were satisfying enough to make me recommend this novel.
The heroine, Angel Robinson, lands a job with an agent upon learning that her beloved Blue Moon Books is closing. Naturally, her aspiring writer boyfriend Malcolm would love to use her newfound connections to launch himself. And then there are Angel's nightmare boss, wacky co-workers, and the hot new author she "discovers" in the slush pile. To add to it all, we get a mystery in the form of an anonymous author submitting a supposedly breathtaking manuscript in installments.
It all sounded promising, but the writing is soooo clunky and the story just meandered along without much development for the first 2/3 or so of the book. Nothing in this novel entirely came alive. I found the plot just intriguing enough to actually finish the book but that may say more for my endurance than for the greatness of the story itself. I did find the mystery surrounding the unknown author mildly interesting, but the excerpts of the manuscript being submitted didn't really jump off the page as being all that brilliant so I couldn't understand why Angel and her boss were so riveted.
The character sketches in this story were fun and I did enjoy the glimpse behind the curtain into the world of agents and publishers. However, none of these were satisfying enough to make me recommend this novel.
January 25, 2016
For obvious reasons, I'm always a sucker for novels set in the book trade, so this was a natural for me.
Angel Robinson, at the urging of her would-be-writer boyfriend Malcolm, gets a job as dogsbody at the prestigious Lucy Fiamma Literary Agency, ruled in tyrannical fashion by Lucy Fiamma herself. Very soon Angel shows herself to have a good eye for marketable manuscripts, and Lucy starts taking her views seriously and giving her extra responsibility (and pay) -- a mixed blessing, because Angel has already been working as near to 24/7 as any human could.
Just to add to Angel's problems, an unpublished author who insists on anonymity has started submitting piecemeal a novel: Blind Submission. In the ordinary way (and in real life), this'd present no difficulties, because Angel would simply reject it; unfortunately, she senses it has the makings of a bestseller. What's frightening, though, is that it's set in a busy literary agency not unlike Lucy's, and the central character seems to be based on Angel herself, complete with details that only those closest to her should know . . .
The last novel I read was Joyce Carol Oates's Jack of Shadows, likewise set in the book trade, although the focus is on an author rather than a literary agency. The premises of the two books are different but they (i.e., the premises) have the same feel. The books themselves don't -- in fact, their feels could hardly be more disparate. Ginsberg has chosen to so overstate the busyness of the agency and the illogical ruthlessness of its principal that the effect is almost like one of those old Hollywood screwball comedies . . . which would be fine except that I'm one of those people who find those old Hollywood screwball comedies wearying rather than hilarious: if the characters would only stop their high-velocity, high-decibel yakking for a second and actually listen for a change, most of the mishaps and misunderstandings wouldn't happen.
It's the same, for me, with Blind Submission. The plot pulled me along, I enjoyed the extracts from the various "literary works," Angel herself was a character whose company I much enjoyed (there's just enough self-interest hiding beneath her external likability to make her a real, appealing person), but I grew frequently tired of bloody Lucy being unreasonable the whole time, Devil Wears Prada-style, and irritated by the obvious fallacy of people getting through great slabs of work while never being given long enough without distraction to actually do any of it.
There are lots of good things in this book, and perhaps I'm being unfair in stressing the aspects that irked me; I'm quite prepared to believe others will love it.
Angel Robinson, at the urging of her would-be-writer boyfriend Malcolm, gets a job as dogsbody at the prestigious Lucy Fiamma Literary Agency, ruled in tyrannical fashion by Lucy Fiamma herself. Very soon Angel shows herself to have a good eye for marketable manuscripts, and Lucy starts taking her views seriously and giving her extra responsibility (and pay) -- a mixed blessing, because Angel has already been working as near to 24/7 as any human could.
Just to add to Angel's problems, an unpublished author who insists on anonymity has started submitting piecemeal a novel: Blind Submission. In the ordinary way (and in real life), this'd present no difficulties, because Angel would simply reject it; unfortunately, she senses it has the makings of a bestseller. What's frightening, though, is that it's set in a busy literary agency not unlike Lucy's, and the central character seems to be based on Angel herself, complete with details that only those closest to her should know . . .
The last novel I read was Joyce Carol Oates's Jack of Shadows, likewise set in the book trade, although the focus is on an author rather than a literary agency. The premises of the two books are different but they (i.e., the premises) have the same feel. The books themselves don't -- in fact, their feels could hardly be more disparate. Ginsberg has chosen to so overstate the busyness of the agency and the illogical ruthlessness of its principal that the effect is almost like one of those old Hollywood screwball comedies . . . which would be fine except that I'm one of those people who find those old Hollywood screwball comedies wearying rather than hilarious: if the characters would only stop their high-velocity, high-decibel yakking for a second and actually listen for a change, most of the mishaps and misunderstandings wouldn't happen.
It's the same, for me, with Blind Submission. The plot pulled me along, I enjoyed the extracts from the various "literary works," Angel herself was a character whose company I much enjoyed (there's just enough self-interest hiding beneath her external likability to make her a real, appealing person), but I grew frequently tired of bloody Lucy being unreasonable the whole time, Devil Wears Prada-style, and irritated by the obvious fallacy of people getting through great slabs of work while never being given long enough without distraction to actually do any of it.
There are lots of good things in this book, and perhaps I'm being unfair in stressing the aspects that irked me; I'm quite prepared to believe others will love it.
October 30, 2016
this was the perfect sunday read! :-) i had a lot of fun reading it - nice story, great characters, easy to read and i couldn't put it down because i wanted to know how it ends! and what can be better than a book about books?
May 9, 2008
Another addition to the Chick Lit genre which takes place in the publishing industry, Blind Submission is The Devil Wears Prada, set in a literary agency. Also similar to Prada, rumor has it that this book is a roman e clef. Just as Miranda Priestly is rumoured to be born in the image of Anna Wintour in Prada, the publishing doyenne recently fired from Harper Collins, Judith Regan, is purported to be the inspiration for boss-from-hell, Lucy Fiamma, in Blind Submission.
Blind Submission has all the ingredients which make Chick Lit fun. The main character is likeable and humorous. She enters an employment situation which seems to be a shining opportunity and embodies the perfect job to match her personal interests…except for the fact that the job is located squarely in hell.
The only problem I have with the book is that I can’t think about it without comparing it to The Devil Wears Prada. However, where Miranda Priestly’s untenable disposition is almost forgivable, residing, as it does, in her career-obsession, the boss in Blind Submission is calculating and childish. She gets her jollies by reducing her staff to tears and enjoys pitting them against each other and manipulating them to dissolve their working relationships. Where Priestly demands perfection and simply doesn’t have time or patience to suffer anything less, Blind Submission’s devil seems to accomplish little on her own and rides expectantly on the shoulders of her subordinates.
Except for it being a remake of another widely popular book, Blind Submission is an entertaining read. I’d recommend it to people who enjoyed Prada to the extent that they finished it wanting more. I will look for Debra Ginsberg on reading lists in the future. I have a feeling she’s just warming up.
Blind Submission has all the ingredients which make Chick Lit fun. The main character is likeable and humorous. She enters an employment situation which seems to be a shining opportunity and embodies the perfect job to match her personal interests…except for the fact that the job is located squarely in hell.
The only problem I have with the book is that I can’t think about it without comparing it to The Devil Wears Prada. However, where Miranda Priestly’s untenable disposition is almost forgivable, residing, as it does, in her career-obsession, the boss in Blind Submission is calculating and childish. She gets her jollies by reducing her staff to tears and enjoys pitting them against each other and manipulating them to dissolve their working relationships. Where Priestly demands perfection and simply doesn’t have time or patience to suffer anything less, Blind Submission’s devil seems to accomplish little on her own and rides expectantly on the shoulders of her subordinates.
Except for it being a remake of another widely popular book, Blind Submission is an entertaining read. I’d recommend it to people who enjoyed Prada to the extent that they finished it wanting more. I will look for Debra Ginsberg on reading lists in the future. I have a feeling she’s just warming up.
January 30, 2009
This first novel from Debra Ginsberg has an intriguing premise. Angel Robinson joins a literary agency as assistant to the legendary Lucy Fiamma, a soul sister to The Devil Wears Prada's Miranda Priestley. As she learns to deal with Lucy's outrageous demands and her own crumbling personal life, Angel discovers she has a flair for spotting and refining talent. And then an anonymous manuscript appears and everything changes.
I liked it at first. The characters are distinctive enough, the plot moves along and the milieu is fascinating. I was just going to read the first chapter, and some time later realized that I was half way through the book. Oh well. Guess I'll have to finish it.
Only I didn't. Soon after that, I tripped over an Obligatory Sex Scene, which bores me to death, so I lost interest, and took a peek at the end to see whodunnit. Resolution achieved.
But this chick lit subgenre is getting old for me. The Nanny Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada, two or three Hollywood versions, clone each other too much. Energetic young thing takes a demanding job from an over-the-top boss, loses or nearly loses everything, then pulls it together and triumphs in the end, or gets fired, parting ways from Devil Boss Lady (usually), who continues wreaking her satanic will on hapless subordinates, but at least not on Our Heroine. Meh.
I'm done with this genre.
I liked it at first. The characters are distinctive enough, the plot moves along and the milieu is fascinating. I was just going to read the first chapter, and some time later realized that I was half way through the book. Oh well. Guess I'll have to finish it.
Only I didn't. Soon after that, I tripped over an Obligatory Sex Scene, which bores me to death, so I lost interest, and took a peek at the end to see whodunnit. Resolution achieved.
But this chick lit subgenre is getting old for me. The Nanny Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada, two or three Hollywood versions, clone each other too much. Energetic young thing takes a demanding job from an over-the-top boss, loses or nearly loses everything, then pulls it together and triumphs in the end, or gets fired, parting ways from Devil Boss Lady (usually), who continues wreaking her satanic will on hapless subordinates, but at least not on Our Heroine. Meh.
I'm done with this genre.
September 23, 2017
A blind submission is when a person submits there manuscript without using an agent and without contacting the publisher at all,in other words just dropping it in the mail out of the blue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel Robinsons boyfriend,Malcolm,talks her into taking a job as personal assistant to San Francisco literary agent,Lucy Fiamma,she is a vicious slave-driver,she has no love of books or writers.
Angel seems to have a gift for finding the best manuscripts and getting them into shape to become a bestseller.when she receives a ' blind Submission ' all hell breaks loose as each chapter she reads seems to be a story about herself.
I enjoyed reading this story until about 2/3 of the way in when each chapter seemed to be repeating the previous chapter.
The plot was okay,the characters were interesting up to the point when I began to loose interest.
I'm not recommending this book to anyone!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel Robinsons boyfriend,Malcolm,talks her into taking a job as personal assistant to San Francisco literary agent,Lucy Fiamma,she is a vicious slave-driver,she has no love of books or writers.
Angel seems to have a gift for finding the best manuscripts and getting them into shape to become a bestseller.when she receives a ' blind Submission ' all hell breaks loose as each chapter she reads seems to be a story about herself.
I enjoyed reading this story until about 2/3 of the way in when each chapter seemed to be repeating the previous chapter.
The plot was okay,the characters were interesting up to the point when I began to loose interest.
I'm not recommending this book to anyone!
October 16, 2013
La lettura era solo una parte del piacere che ricavavo dai libri. Provavo una piacevole ebbrezza sentendo tra le mani il peso e la consistenza di un nuovo libro, e un godimento sensuale alla fragranza e al fruscio delle pagine. Adoravo i colori brillanti delle copertine lucide. Una piramide di libri non ancora letti era la struttura architettonica più sexi che potessi immaginare, perchè di un libro mi attiravano soprattutto le promesse nascoste, i tesori inesplorati che immaginavo racchiusi fra le due copertine.
May 12, 2009
Great book! A story about a girl who works for a literary agency, suddenly finds herself as a character in one of the manuscripts she's editing! Definitely a must-read!
July 15, 2017
An unexpected page turner
June 20, 2024
Fun but definitely got a little predictable/tiresome by the end
August 13, 2008
Debra Ginsberg's Blind Submission is another book I found through the book blogging world, and it qualifies for the Irresistible Review Challenge. I read the review of this book at Book Escape. While this book was deemed a mystery, I found it less mysterious than I originally expected. Whether that is because I am overly analytical, I don't know. I did figure out the ending among the first mentions of the mystery manuscript, Blind Submission, but I was eager to see how the mystery unfolded.
***Spoiler Alert***
Angel Robinson is introduced as a book store manager of Blue Moon Books, but her book store is going out of business. Her boyfriend and writer, Malcolm, pushes her to apply to the famed Lucy Fiamma Literary Agency, one of the only literary agencies on the West Coast. Angel half-heartedly applies and goes to the interview, which she aces. Angel is beside herself that she interviewed successfully, but when she gets to the office, she feels a bit nervous about her ability to perform the tasks before. Angel quickly comes to realize that her boss is hard-nosed and a bit bipolar. She tells her to complete tasks one way and then complains when they are not completed the other way.
Eventually, Angel gets a handle on her job and grows a bit more confident in her position at the firm. She rustles the feathers of her co-workers. One of whom is named Kelly, but Lucy refuses to call her Kelly--Lucy calls her Nora and expects everyone to do the same. Nora-Kelly is an anorexic beauty, with little brains, while the other co-worker, Anna, is lazy and eager to please. Angel seems to be the only one excelling at her job. Meanwhile, the money man, Craig, takes the reins of the office in his hands to ensure the agency runs smoothly and the workers stay in line.
Meanwhile, Angel sells a major book, which Lucy takes credit for....eventually things spiral out of control at the agency and in Angel's life. She breaks up with her boyfriend, becomes paranoid, and spends many sleepless nights reading over a manuscript that eerily mirrors her life.
However, in the process she finds love and direction to her life. The mystery of the Blind Submission manuscript unravels quickly toward the end of the book.
***End Spoiler Alert***
I'm glad I found this book at Book Escape. It was a worthwhile read, and I hope to see more from this author. I recommend that other pick it up and try it out.
***Spoiler Alert***
Angel Robinson is introduced as a book store manager of Blue Moon Books, but her book store is going out of business. Her boyfriend and writer, Malcolm, pushes her to apply to the famed Lucy Fiamma Literary Agency, one of the only literary agencies on the West Coast. Angel half-heartedly applies and goes to the interview, which she aces. Angel is beside herself that she interviewed successfully, but when she gets to the office, she feels a bit nervous about her ability to perform the tasks before. Angel quickly comes to realize that her boss is hard-nosed and a bit bipolar. She tells her to complete tasks one way and then complains when they are not completed the other way.
Eventually, Angel gets a handle on her job and grows a bit more confident in her position at the firm. She rustles the feathers of her co-workers. One of whom is named Kelly, but Lucy refuses to call her Kelly--Lucy calls her Nora and expects everyone to do the same. Nora-Kelly is an anorexic beauty, with little brains, while the other co-worker, Anna, is lazy and eager to please. Angel seems to be the only one excelling at her job. Meanwhile, the money man, Craig, takes the reins of the office in his hands to ensure the agency runs smoothly and the workers stay in line.
Meanwhile, Angel sells a major book, which Lucy takes credit for....eventually things spiral out of control at the agency and in Angel's life. She breaks up with her boyfriend, becomes paranoid, and spends many sleepless nights reading over a manuscript that eerily mirrors her life.
However, in the process she finds love and direction to her life. The mystery of the Blind Submission manuscript unravels quickly toward the end of the book.
***End Spoiler Alert***
I'm glad I found this book at Book Escape. It was a worthwhile read, and I hope to see more from this author. I recommend that other pick it up and try it out.
July 1, 2007
The Devil is a Literary Agent
This is a page-turner and I am the perfect audience for a book like this. Read further to see if you may be as well.
Reason #1: It's very well written. Debra Ginsberg has an easy way with words, moves the plot forward with each page, and develops her characters, such as they are, beautifully.
Reason #2: Like the protagonist, Angel Robinson--a bookstore employee-turned assistant to a high-powered literary agent--I'm a voracious reader, I appreciate books and am sympathetic to authors.
Reason #3: I have experienced the submission process established by a multitude of literary agents (and their assistants), and this story offers an in-the-bowels look at how the business of book selling/publishing works. It may be extreme in terms of characterization and plot, but that's what makes "Blind Submission" a page-turner. And what voracious reader doesn't enjoy a book that she can read in one-to-two sit-down sessions?
All that said, this story bothered me. The agent, Lucy Fiamma, (the literary world equivalent to the fashion industry's Miranda Priestly in the novel known as "The Devil Wears Prada") didn't have one likeable or redeeming quality. Everything about Lucy Fiamma is loathsome. It made me wonder why the sweet and innocent, and obviously intelligent Angel Robinson put up with her outrageous demands, her rude demeanor, and her entirely inappropriate behavior. Having experienced a boss from hell myself when I was in my late 20s and trying to get ahead, I remember putting up with a degree of humiliation, but in this story, it's so over the top that it makes Angel seem too wimpy to be a heroine I could champion. Of course it's easy to guess that she "wins" in the end, and I'm afraid, it was obvious to me who was the anonymous author submitting poorly written (almost painful to read) excerpts of a novel called Blind Submission," which Lucy was hot to have published. I feel I ultimately kept reading because I wanted to see exactly how Angel would break free from Lucy AND I wanted to see how the "love story" would be resolved. Ginsberg does leave her reader with a satisfying ending, with all loose ends wrapped up neatly.
I'm a fan of Debra Ginsberg's writing. Her memoir, About My Sisters had me completely riveted. I look forward to following her career, as I feel great things are to come.
This is a page-turner and I am the perfect audience for a book like this. Read further to see if you may be as well.
Reason #1: It's very well written. Debra Ginsberg has an easy way with words, moves the plot forward with each page, and develops her characters, such as they are, beautifully.
Reason #2: Like the protagonist, Angel Robinson--a bookstore employee-turned assistant to a high-powered literary agent--I'm a voracious reader, I appreciate books and am sympathetic to authors.
Reason #3: I have experienced the submission process established by a multitude of literary agents (and their assistants), and this story offers an in-the-bowels look at how the business of book selling/publishing works. It may be extreme in terms of characterization and plot, but that's what makes "Blind Submission" a page-turner. And what voracious reader doesn't enjoy a book that she can read in one-to-two sit-down sessions?
All that said, this story bothered me. The agent, Lucy Fiamma, (the literary world equivalent to the fashion industry's Miranda Priestly in the novel known as "The Devil Wears Prada") didn't have one likeable or redeeming quality. Everything about Lucy Fiamma is loathsome. It made me wonder why the sweet and innocent, and obviously intelligent Angel Robinson put up with her outrageous demands, her rude demeanor, and her entirely inappropriate behavior. Having experienced a boss from hell myself when I was in my late 20s and trying to get ahead, I remember putting up with a degree of humiliation, but in this story, it's so over the top that it makes Angel seem too wimpy to be a heroine I could champion. Of course it's easy to guess that she "wins" in the end, and I'm afraid, it was obvious to me who was the anonymous author submitting poorly written (almost painful to read) excerpts of a novel called Blind Submission," which Lucy was hot to have published. I feel I ultimately kept reading because I wanted to see exactly how Angel would break free from Lucy AND I wanted to see how the "love story" would be resolved. Ginsberg does leave her reader with a satisfying ending, with all loose ends wrapped up neatly.
I'm a fan of Debra Ginsberg's writing. Her memoir, About My Sisters had me completely riveted. I look forward to following her career, as I feel great things are to come.
March 2, 2016
Cherche auteur désespérement est le livre que j'ai eu la chance de recevoir lors de la 3ème opération Babélio-Masse Critique.
Séduite par le résumé, j'ai coché la case correspondante à ce titre. C'est sur la plage que je l'ai dévoré! Le cadre de l'histoire s'intègre dans le monde des livres, de l'édition et des agents littéraires. En gros l'appât idéal pour une amoureuse des livres.
4ème de couverture : Angel Robinson a l'impression de vivre un rêve. Elle qui ne jure que par les livres vient de décrocher un poste d'assistante dans la plus célèbre agence littéraire des Etats-Unis. Mais elle découvre rapidement qu'il faut composer avec une patronne hystérique, des collègues lunatiques et des auteurs capricieux. Elle réussit pourtant, grâce à son sens littéraire hors pair, à se rendre indispensable et repère plusieurs projets intéressants. Un en particulier : le roman d'un auteur anonyme, livré chapitre par chapitre. Angel tombe sous le charme au gré des envois du mystérieux écrivain. Jusqu'au jour où elle comprend que le texte s'inspire de sa propre vie... Un éloge pétillant des plaisirs de la lecture, un roman jubilatoire qui séduira tous les amoureux des livres.
J'ai trouvé l'appât aussi savoureux que ce qu'il en avait l'air. Vivre l'intérieur du monde des livres, avec une intrigue prenante qui donne envie d'aller toujours plus loin, voici ce que propose l'auteur. Le fond de l'histoire n'est peut-être pas d'une originalité surprenante. Malgré le fait que je n'en ai entendu que des échos, les personnages font penser à ceux du Diable s'habille en Prada. Le style est très agréable, fluide sans s'apesantir sur des détails ou des digressions inutiles. L'action avance à grand pas en laissant une bonne place au suspense. Les personnages sont attachants ou détestables (selon le rôle qu'ils ont).
Ce livre est un très bon divertissement plutôt bien écrit.
Ce fût donc une expérience positive.
Cherche auteur désespérément, Debra GINSBERG, Presse de la cité, 2008, 3,5 étoiles.
Séduite par le résumé, j'ai coché la case correspondante à ce titre. C'est sur la plage que je l'ai dévoré! Le cadre de l'histoire s'intègre dans le monde des livres, de l'édition et des agents littéraires. En gros l'appât idéal pour une amoureuse des livres.
4ème de couverture : Angel Robinson a l'impression de vivre un rêve. Elle qui ne jure que par les livres vient de décrocher un poste d'assistante dans la plus célèbre agence littéraire des Etats-Unis. Mais elle découvre rapidement qu'il faut composer avec une patronne hystérique, des collègues lunatiques et des auteurs capricieux. Elle réussit pourtant, grâce à son sens littéraire hors pair, à se rendre indispensable et repère plusieurs projets intéressants. Un en particulier : le roman d'un auteur anonyme, livré chapitre par chapitre. Angel tombe sous le charme au gré des envois du mystérieux écrivain. Jusqu'au jour où elle comprend que le texte s'inspire de sa propre vie... Un éloge pétillant des plaisirs de la lecture, un roman jubilatoire qui séduira tous les amoureux des livres.
J'ai trouvé l'appât aussi savoureux que ce qu'il en avait l'air. Vivre l'intérieur du monde des livres, avec une intrigue prenante qui donne envie d'aller toujours plus loin, voici ce que propose l'auteur. Le fond de l'histoire n'est peut-être pas d'une originalité surprenante. Malgré le fait que je n'en ai entendu que des échos, les personnages font penser à ceux du Diable s'habille en Prada. Le style est très agréable, fluide sans s'apesantir sur des détails ou des digressions inutiles. L'action avance à grand pas en laissant une bonne place au suspense. Les personnages sont attachants ou détestables (selon le rôle qu'ils ont).
Ce livre est un très bon divertissement plutôt bien écrit.
Ce fût donc une expérience positive.
Cherche auteur désespérément, Debra GINSBERG, Presse de la cité, 2008, 3,5 étoiles.
June 4, 2010
I really loved The Grift, so I thought I'd give Blind Submission, Ginsberg's first novel a try. It's not nearly as good as The Grift.
Rather than the protagonist, Angel, the character Lucy Fiamma seems to be the most well-defined in the book. Actually, I got a better picture of nearly all the characters than I did of Angel herself. Lucy is so overbearing that I actually was uncomfortable reading about the things she did sometimes - which is a triumph of characterization. On the other hand, I could barely remember that Angel is a redhead. That and the tattoo are the only two distinctive things I recall about her. (And to be fair, her work ethic stands out, too!)
Another strike against the book is that most of the action takes place in Lucy's office, which gets to be monotonous after a while. The entire book is mostly about Angel frantically running around with pieces of paper or typing away at her computer.
On a positive note, the excerpts of the manuscripts mentioned in the book are quite inventive and interesting, and Angel's and Lucy's interactions with the respective authors is entertaining.
Rather than the protagonist, Angel, the character Lucy Fiamma seems to be the most well-defined in the book. Actually, I got a better picture of nearly all the characters than I did of Angel herself. Lucy is so overbearing that I actually was uncomfortable reading about the things she did sometimes - which is a triumph of characterization. On the other hand, I could barely remember that Angel is a redhead. That and the tattoo are the only two distinctive things I recall about her. (And to be fair, her work ethic stands out, too!)
Another strike against the book is that most of the action takes place in Lucy's office, which gets to be monotonous after a while. The entire book is mostly about Angel frantically running around with pieces of paper or typing away at her computer.
On a positive note, the excerpts of the manuscripts mentioned in the book are quite inventive and interesting, and Angel's and Lucy's interactions with the respective authors is entertaining.
November 13, 2008
Angel Robinson (yes that is her real name) is a reader, she loves books and is contentedly working at a book store. She lives frugally and loves Malcolm, a writer and waiter, she thinks is too handsome for her. When her friend, boss, and bookstore owner decides to close the store, Malcolm posts an add to work as an assitant to a legendary and flamboyant literary agent. Angel applies and gets the job and embarks on an aborbing and exhausting job with eccentric co-workers and a contradictory, ego-centric, idiosyncratic, manipulative boss.
As she reads and recommends submissions, Angel becomes stronger and finds she loves the work and working with writers. As you might guess Malcolm pressures her to submit his manuscript. That along with other submitted manuscripts create events both hilarious and frustrating. Angel "arrives" as she finds love, learns what friendship means and boosts her own career despite some pretty mean manipulation and stupid betrayal. The happy endings, of which there are many, are cleverly relayed in a series of Book Notes press releases.
A good story, well-told. Perhaps the ending was never in doubt and it was fun getting there.
As she reads and recommends submissions, Angel becomes stronger and finds she loves the work and working with writers. As you might guess Malcolm pressures her to submit his manuscript. That along with other submitted manuscripts create events both hilarious and frustrating. Angel "arrives" as she finds love, learns what friendship means and boosts her own career despite some pretty mean manipulation and stupid betrayal. The happy endings, of which there are many, are cleverly relayed in a series of Book Notes press releases.
A good story, well-told. Perhaps the ending was never in doubt and it was fun getting there.
December 13, 2008
Satire about publishing set in a small literary agency in California. Every night, the narrator, Angel, works for a famous agent who is inconsistent and nutty; Angel's co-workers are scary; and every night Angel lugs home her weight in manuscripts. All of this gives me nightmares and makes me glad I left the biz all those years ago. So far, the writing is smart, funny, and very good--much better than I expected. Given the current state of publishing, what else can you do but laugh?
I stayed up late one night last week to finish this. It had a good balance of drama and humor, but the ending was a bit rushed and altogether too happy for me. I wanted bad things to happen to the bad guy, but it would be in keeping with the tone of the book. Plus, the idea of an indie bookstore thriving in these times was too much of a fiction for me to guy. Angel is a really likeable first person narrator, and this was a fun read. Would it be as much fun for someone who doesn't know publishing? I don't know. But the person who recommended it is a friend who has never worked in publishing, but reads the newspaper. In other words, she's well-informed about the world in general.
I stayed up late one night last week to finish this. It had a good balance of drama and humor, but the ending was a bit rushed and altogether too happy for me. I wanted bad things to happen to the bad guy, but it would be in keeping with the tone of the book. Plus, the idea of an indie bookstore thriving in these times was too much of a fiction for me to guy. Angel is a really likeable first person narrator, and this was a fun read. Would it be as much fun for someone who doesn't know publishing? I don't know. But the person who recommended it is a friend who has never worked in publishing, but reads the newspaper. In other words, she's well-informed about the world in general.
July 7, 2024
Truly a horrible book. So predictable, scattered, and the dialogue was basically filler. I never want to lay eyes on it again.
May 29, 2009
Chick Lit, which goes like this: Chick on the periphery of an industry (in this book--the world of literary agents) tells about industry while struggling to "make it" in the world, and finds true love with another peripheral player. Lots of fashion and/or food descriptions as well as insight into the industry. I happen to like the genre (I skim the fashion and food parts and double read the sex scenes. I'm a guy, after all.) Being a writer who disdains the whole concept of middlemen (sales agents) and the authority (Editors, publishers, & their whores) I found a lot I liked in this story. The author wrote an entertaining story with a fun mystery and lots of unlikable characters; and, I think, was laughing at herself while writing it. She also foreshadowed her second novel, "The Gift," which I will definitely read. Ginsberg's dedication says all you need to know about the story: "For all the writers who have yet to be published and for the book lovers who will one day read their work." Not great writing but good enough, clever.
May 19, 2015
I quite enjoyed this booked all in all. I agree with some of the other reviewers in that many of the characters lacked depth or cohesive qualities now were they appealing or relatable in any way. I also find it had to believe that any boss could be as mean as Lucy is written to be and legally get away with it let alone keep a successful business running (she is obviously a very intelligent woman so shouldn't she learn a little something about staff retention) and this annoyed me. I kept saying to myself "that is just not feasible". However the idea of a book within a book, I like it! It is unlike anything i have ever read before. Although all in all the main character Angel was pretty annoying the plot itself kept me second guessing the whole way.
I found the final twist surprising however the overall ending itself was again unrelatable and unrealistic. As a whole the book was interesting and helped me appreciate books as a whole.
If you like lite chick lit I would recommend this one. If you want something deeper, not so much.
I found the final twist surprising however the overall ending itself was again unrelatable and unrealistic. As a whole the book was interesting and helped me appreciate books as a whole.
If you like lite chick lit I would recommend this one. If you want something deeper, not so much.
May 22, 2008
Blind Submission is a well writen novel enveloped in anger and anxiousness. Although a page turner, this novel about a book lover, Angel, and her journery to become a literary agent is predictable. Not being one who gets "who done it" until someone tells me, I figured out who the annonymous author tormenting Angel was half way through the book. The first chapter is a dull bore and I almost put the book down. However, like I stated before, it is a page turner. The negativity that thrives in the writing doesn't quit until the Epilogue which is too sappy to even mention. Even though the character discription was strong, the characters lacked a sense of realism due to their absolutely unbelievable lack of backbone and strength. Of course Lucy, the boss, is completely the opposite, being rude, smug and powerful, and equally as easy to dislike as the weak characters. Some characters who found home in a couple pages seemed tacked on and not well thought out.
May 1, 2011
A quick-and-dirty mystery about the publishing business. Debra Ginsberg writes in a style very similar to one she mocks and she cheats on the ending (rather than write it, she uses a series of news releases to wrap things up too quickly and tidily). The characters are forgettable. The premise of a blind submission interesting. But, this novel doesn't have pretensions. It can be appreciated for what it is: a quick, entertaining riff on writers, agents and publishers.
"Reading was only part of the thrill that a book represented. I got a dizzy pleasure from the weight and feel of a new book in my hands, a sensual delight from the smell and crispness of the pages. I loved the smoothness and bright colors of their jackets. For me, a stacked, unread pyramid of books was one of the sexiest architectural designs there was. Because what I loved most about books was their promise, the anticipation of what lay between the covers, waiting to be found."
"Reading was only part of the thrill that a book represented. I got a dizzy pleasure from the weight and feel of a new book in my hands, a sensual delight from the smell and crispness of the pages. I loved the smoothness and bright colors of their jackets. For me, a stacked, unread pyramid of books was one of the sexiest architectural designs there was. Because what I loved most about books was their promise, the anticipation of what lay between the covers, waiting to be found."
October 28, 2008
If it was beach season, I would recommend this as a beach read. Very much like The Devil Wears Prada. But also reminded me of Stranger than Fiction. The protagonist breaks into the publishing business by being a "slave" to a famous publisher. She is not a writer but her boyfriend is and he would like his book to be published. So begins the intrigue when Angel receives a manuscript (chapter by chapter) anonymously and it is too close to what is happening in her own life. Who is writing it? The loose ends are all tied up neatly at the end. And it is a very modern setting, talking about chatting, e.mailing, texting, etc. But some of the cruelty I found offensive--of course,I am naive about some of the behaviors in the larger world.
October 22, 2018
First, this book is extremely predictable. I liked the mystery element even though I figured out who-dunnit in the early chapters.I was hoping for a bigger, crazier ending - something more sinister to go along with the weird plot and cast of characters - so that was a let down. I had a creepy feeling about the crazy boss from the beginning - she was a little too extreme to be believable. There was also something off with the author's characterization of the crazy cast of characters working in the literary agency and the boyfriend. Again, they were all too extreme and weird and I had a hard time believing that the main character would put up with them or the atmosphere she was working in for as long as she did. This book entertained me, but it wasn't all that great in the end.
September 27, 2010
Oh the pleasure of a book that takes you completely by surprise. You go in with few expectations and come out with much more than you bargained for. Blind Submission is just such a book. I hadn't heard much about it and picked it up because it looked light and fun. It made good on the those counts, but it was also funny and suspenseful, with quirky characters and many plot twists and turns. Plus, it takes place in a literary agency, so there is much juicy goodness about the publishing world. It's been called "The Devil Wears Prada" of the literati. I would agree, but with one exception - it's actually good. And it has a plot. So, a fun, amusing page-turner set in the book world - call me happy.
August 19, 2013
Maybe it's because I was on vacation and this was a "beach" read, but I enjoyed this book a lot. My main criticism is that it leaned a bit too heavily on "The Devil Wears Prada..." - so much so that it was distracting. I read that once, TYVM. That said, I enjoyed the mystery and it was fun to see the inside of a literary agent's office. I often wished the protagonist would rise up just a tiny bit and bite back at her boss... The relationship between her DBF and her boss didn't ring totally true to me. It seemed too abrupt and too much like an artificial plot-mover. All that said, I found it fun to read, and the setting was certainly of interest. If you are a mystery fan/chick-lit fan, check it out.
November 29, 2025
kinda fun! knew the plot twist early though
September 3, 2008
An overworked assistant at a literary agency starts receiving a new MS in parts and the content of the MS mirrors what's going on in her own life and at her own job. Book consists of her struggle to deal with the pressure of her job (very Devil Wears Prada) and her attempt to figure out who is sending the MS. Along the way she becomes a great agent, falls in love, drops her loser boyfriend, etc.etc.etc. At times, it felt a bit too much like what gets called "chick lit" in that it is a fairly stereotypical story of an insecure woman getting a hot guy and then performing well in her career, but the manuscript mystery keeps things interesting enough.
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