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A review by tasmanian_bibliophile
Campaign Ruby by Jessica Rudd
3.0
‘Before I lost my job, got pickled on peanut noise, switched hemispheres ..’
‘.. and joined this travelling circus my life was a relatively straightforward one.’
Ruby Stanhope, 28 year old English investment banker, is fired by eMail. Using the same medium to respond, Ruby protests about her treatment in an eMail addressed to the bank’s board.
The next day, Ruby awakens with a hangover to discover that not only has her impromptu reply to the board gone viral and been published on both facebook and in the Financial Times, she has also managed to book a non-refundable same-day ticket to Melbourne, Australia. Ruby plans to stay with her Aunt in the Yarra Valley (she has time for a holiday now that she is unemployed), but things just don’t work out that way.
Ruby attends a fund-raiser at a local winery and receives an unexpected job offer as the financial policy adviser to the federal Leader of the Opposition (LOO), Max Masters. Ruby heads off to Melbourne the next morning to have coffee with the LOO’s Chief of Staff – and finds herself in the middle of Deputy Prime Minister Gabrielle Brennan’s overthrow of the Prime Minister, and the announcement of an early election.
Ruby, nicknamed ‘Roo’ by her colleagues, is thrown into the campaign and spends the next four weeks travelling around Australia discovering the realities of both the 24 hour news cycle and the gruelling campaign trail. Ruby is nothing if not resilient and she manages to negotiate wardrobe malfunctions, media mishaps and possible deportation.
Those familiar with Australian politics earlier this year will recognise an uncanny resemblance between fact (Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is Jessica’s father) and fiction. And, I must confess, it was this connection that initially prompted me to read the novel. But once I started reading, it was Ruby’s story that engaged and amused me. The novel contains some delightful laugh out loud moments, and a realistic peek into the world of political campaigning. Ruby herself is likeable, has an obsession with making lists and has a passion for shoes (and good wine) that many women will relate to.
A good, fun ‘chick lit’ read.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
‘.. and joined this travelling circus my life was a relatively straightforward one.’
Ruby Stanhope, 28 year old English investment banker, is fired by eMail. Using the same medium to respond, Ruby protests about her treatment in an eMail addressed to the bank’s board.
The next day, Ruby awakens with a hangover to discover that not only has her impromptu reply to the board gone viral and been published on both facebook and in the Financial Times, she has also managed to book a non-refundable same-day ticket to Melbourne, Australia. Ruby plans to stay with her Aunt in the Yarra Valley (she has time for a holiday now that she is unemployed), but things just don’t work out that way.
Ruby attends a fund-raiser at a local winery and receives an unexpected job offer as the financial policy adviser to the federal Leader of the Opposition (LOO), Max Masters. Ruby heads off to Melbourne the next morning to have coffee with the LOO’s Chief of Staff – and finds herself in the middle of Deputy Prime Minister Gabrielle Brennan’s overthrow of the Prime Minister, and the announcement of an early election.
Ruby, nicknamed ‘Roo’ by her colleagues, is thrown into the campaign and spends the next four weeks travelling around Australia discovering the realities of both the 24 hour news cycle and the gruelling campaign trail. Ruby is nothing if not resilient and she manages to negotiate wardrobe malfunctions, media mishaps and possible deportation.
Those familiar with Australian politics earlier this year will recognise an uncanny resemblance between fact (Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is Jessica’s father) and fiction. And, I must confess, it was this connection that initially prompted me to read the novel. But once I started reading, it was Ruby’s story that engaged and amused me. The novel contains some delightful laugh out loud moments, and a realistic peek into the world of political campaigning. Ruby herself is likeable, has an obsession with making lists and has a passion for shoes (and good wine) that many women will relate to.
A good, fun ‘chick lit’ read.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith