Book Review of Shopgirls
Book Review: Shopgirls by Jennifer Blau
When I first heard about Shopgirls by Jennifer Blau, my excitement was palpable. Set against the vibrant backdrop of 1980s San Francisco—particularly the iconic I.Magnin department store—it felt like a nostalgic nod to my own youth. As someone who grew up traipsing through the very streets and shops that Blau describes, I couldn’t wait to embark on this journey with Zippy, the shopgirl hawking everything from Donna Karan to Jessica McClintock. However, what began as a thrilling foray into nostalgia soon turned into a disappointing misfire.
From the outset, I was hopeful. The promise of a setting filled with the energy of Union Square during an era rich with cultural reference points was a siren song for someone like me, who distinctly remembers the lavish sixth-story bathroom and the thrill of visiting the newly built Nordstrom. But as I dove into the narrative, I found myself grappling with a storyline that felt generic and uninspired. Zippy’s character, named in a way that felt almost whimsical yet frustratingly flat, seemed to wander through a 30-minute chapter focused on selling orange dresses to a cult that was so mundane it could have taken place anywhere and at any time.
Blau’s writing style is straightforward, yet it lacks the vibrance expected from a book centered on such a colorful time and setting. While I appreciated her attempt to weave in cultural references—from Vanna White’s dresses to must-see Thursday night TV—these elements felt like they were simply sprinkled in for effect rather than organically integrated into the narrative. Rather than enriching the story, they felt like afterthoughts, which left me longing for a deeper dive into the significance of those references.
One of the more poignant themes, the impact of AIDS during this period in the city, was handled with a surface-level approach that felt disappointing. This was a time when the community was grappling with loss and fear, and such a vital aspect deserved a more thorough exploration. Instead, it felt glossed over amidst mentions of Zippy’s forgettable coworkers, whose identities never fully materialized on the page—I found myself struggling to remember even their names.
In the end, I found myself skimming through to uncover a semblance of a satisfying conclusion, and let’s just say, I tossed my Kindle (gently!) onto the couch, feeling a sense of loss akin to a missed opportunity for what could have been a rich and engrossing exploration of a beloved time.
While Shopgirls may resonate with readers who enjoy the broader strokes of coming-of-age stories set in well-loved locales, I fear it might not fulfill the expectations of those looking for a heartfelt homage to a vibrant past. For me, it left an emptiness, a watering down of the kaleidoscope of experiences from my youth. If you’re seeking deep dives into character or setting, this might not be the book for you. But perhaps if you appreciate nostalgia packaged in a quick read, this could still pique your interest. Just know that the echoes of Union Square may not ring quite as brightly on these pages.
