Shopgirls

A Novel

By: Jessica Anya Blau

Narrated by: Caitlin Kinnunen

From the author of the “delightful” (New York Times Book Review) Mary Jane, a new novel of found family, growing up, and the best and worst of the 1980s, revolving around San Francisco’s most exclusive department store, I. Magnin.

Nineteen-year-old Zippy can hardly believe it: she’s the newest and youngest salesgirl at I. Magnin, “San Francisco’s Finest Department Store.” Every week, she rotates her three spruced-up Salvation Army outfits and Vaseline-shined pumps; still, she’s thrilled to walk those pumps through the employee entrance five days a week as she saves to buy something new. For a girl who grew up in a one-bedroom apartment above a liquor store with her mother and her mother’s madcap boyfriend, Howard; a girl who wanted to go to college but had no help in figuring out how; I. Magnin represents a real chance for a better and more elegant life. Or, at the very least, a more interesting one.

Zippy may not be in school, but she’s about to get an education that will stick with her for decades. Her fellow salesgirls (lifetime professionals) run the gamut from mean and indifferent to caring and helpful. The cosmetics ladies on the first floor share both samples and advice (“only date a man with a Rolex”); and her new roommate, Raquel, an ambitious lawyer, tells Zippy she can lose ten pounds easy if she joins Raquel in eating only every other day. Just when Zippy thinks she’s getting a handle on how to be an adult woman in 1985, two surprises threaten both her sense of self and her coveted position at I. Magnin.

Set in the Day-Glo colors of 1980s San Francisco, Shopgirls is an intoxicating novel of self-discovery, outrageous fashion, and family both biological and found.

Excellent historical fiction & narration!

Wonderful coming-of-age story! Fantastic narration and storyline set in mid-80’s San Francisco. Highly recommend!

The story and the narration!

This is a great book even for a 58 year old. The author writes so clearly and the narrators voice is so uplifting! I loved Mary Jane and I love this one too. Such a different story line which is refreshing. Great building character s and can’t wait to see if she writes another and uses the same narrator. Five star fun spring time read!

Great coming of age

It brings back personal memories of when I was growing into an adult in the nineties. &……………….

So good!

I loved this book! I’ll miss the endearing characters and will be listening for a sequel plllease!

We need a sequel!

I enjoyed this story so much and I am not ready to let Zippi, Mrs. Lena, and Just John go! The girls working the store floor had such great character and theatrics. A fantastic coming of age where hard work pays off in the end… even id you can’t see the way from where you currently are to that something amazing you know is out there.