NSFW A Novel

For fans of Sweetbitter and Severance, a compulsively readable debut novel about a young woman trying to succeed in Hollywood without selling her soul From the outside, the highly driven narrator in Isabel Kaplan's debut novel appears the vision of empowerment. She has just graduated from a prestigious college and landed an entry-level position at XBC, a leading TV network. The daughter of a prominent feminist attorney, she grew up outside the industry, more well-versed in implicit bias and gender dynamics than box office hits. At first, the nonstop, high adrenaline work environment at XBC motivates her to try harder. She takes on extra script coverage, masters administrative drudgeries, and devotes her early mornings to cult-like fitness classes that fellow assistants swear by. But as she climbs the ranks, she confronts the harsh realities of creating change from the inside. Her points only get attention when echoed by a male colleague. Employees gossip about who XBC's female president must have slept with. She hears whispers of abusive bosses and even sexual misconduct. Her personal and professional lives collide as she turns to her mother for support, uncovering industry secrets that will permanently alter both XBC and her future. With blisteringly sharp prose and a darkly humorous voice, NSFW is an unflinching exploration of the grey area between empowerment and complicity, and a searing, unforgettable portrait of what success costs in a patriarchal world.