The Boys Club by Erica Katz

Book Review

Think the Wolf of Wall Street meets The Devil Wears Prada.

When Harvard graduate Alex Vogel goes to work for one of Manhattan’s most prestigious law firms, Klasko & Fitch, she quickly earns the attention of several of the firm's most important partners and clients. As she strives to prove herself worthy of a placement on the Mergers & Acquisitions team - the most grueling, lucrative and male-dominated group at the firm - her life changes beyond recognition. While neglecting her long-time boyfriend and working around the clock, Alex becomes involved in a scandal that reveals the dark side of wealth, power and recognition.

While this book certainly held my attention and I even finished it in a single day, I really struggled with the toxic masculinity, overt displays of sexual harassment and downright degradation in the name of “closing the deal."

Reading this book brought up many memories of cringey moments in my previous career in commercial real estate. While my experience was nowhere near as extreme as what’s depicted in the book, I could certainly relate to the protagonist’s effort to forge a path for herself in an industry dominated by rich, white men who think they make the world go round. That said, I strongly disagreed with the majority of Alex’s decisions throughout the book and found her largely unlikable. I also couldn’t help but wonder why she (or any woman) would actively choose to remain in a working-environment so massively dominated by sexism, racism and toxic masculinity. In my option, no amount of money is worth having to pander to male chauvinist pigs 🤷🏼‍♀️.

When I made the decision to leave my career in commercial real estate, I felt exceptionally conflicted... especially given the fact that I had no alternative career plan in place at the time. However, reading this book really reaffirmed for me that I have absolutely no desire to be a part of “the boys club” no matter the potential perks.

TW: toxic masculinity, sexual assault, sexual harassment, adultery, tokenism, drug abuse

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/4

Thank you Harper Perennial for the gifted copy. Now available in paperback! ALSO the book is currently being adapted for film by Netflix. 🤩