If one were to draw parallels between The Devil Wears Prada and Caroline Palmerâs Workhorse, it would be that both follow a fashion-world outsider trying to break into (and survive) the tightly guarded clique of insiders. But thatâs where the similarities end. Where sweet, earnest Andy Sachs was running across NYC traffic trying to procure a Harry Potter manuscript for The Twins and getting Mirandaâs extremely specific lunch order, Clodagh âCloâ Harmon is lying on her rĂ©sumĂ©, pilfering petty cash for cigarettes, stealing art from a rich Hamptons house for sport, and sabotaging colleagues for better bylinesâall to finally make it in the scary, intimidating world of the Vogue-esque but unnamed fashion magazine she works at. Where TDWP is the glossy, mainstream Hollywood version of that struggle, Workhorse is the unhinged A24 take.
Palmer reveals that the book was optioned the week it was sold. No ETA on a show or a movie yet, though. âThese things happen a lot and you kind of donât know [what the timelines are],â she says. âTo me, itâs very cinematic. I would love to see something happen with it.â The Talented Mr Ripley set in the fashion magazine world? As an old work horse from the industry, this one I would queue up to see. Ahead, excerpts from Ridhima Sapreâs conversation with the author of The Nod Book Clubâs pick of the month. For more on all things books, follow our Instagram channel here.
