The New Girl

DEBUT Margot Jones, fashion editor at Haute magazine (think Vogue), is taking maternity leave. But before she goes, she must find her replacement. Enter Maggie, young, cute, and just naive enough of the industry to steal the spotlight. Maggie is starstruck as she takes on the glitzy role of a fashion editor, while Margot enters motherhood unceremoniously. Margot gives birth to a healthy daughter, while at the same time her best friend Winnie loses her baby. Walker’s debut is told in alternating parts between the main characters, as well as alternating chapters within each part, which creates pacing that is a little off, with some sections dragging while others move at a quicker clip. However, each character has a distinct voice and strong emotions, and Walker nimbly digs into the inner workings of female friendships as they go from good to bad. Furthermore, she aces the spiral of paranoia that can come along when bad memories collide with present day.