A sassy, a light summer read.
You’re looking for something a little light-hearted, but something with a bit more depth than a teen love story and what do you find? Goodbye Newsroom by Michelle Prak. It’s got the love story, but it’s also got the lost job and wild ride of a social media hype-storm to back it up and bring it into the 21st Century.
We are introduced to two sisters who end up jobless at the same time: Anna, the non-online-media, local journalist, and Holly, the live-stream-your-resignation-and-tell-the-world sister. Holly however, has a plan and who better to send across the world to help begin her media empire, than Anna? I mean, Holly might not know how to pay council rates, but who better to start such a business? The pair are contrasting and very relatable to any young woman stepping out into the world of adulthood. The quirkiness of their interactions grew on me the further along I got, reminding me that not everyone has the nuance to run a business or the know-how to simply get things done. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way.
The Australian media landscape was very well characterised throughout the story and Prak is certainly flexing her experience and knowledge in this respect. Her writing style was casual and relaxed, which suited her characterisations well. To some, the story may have seemed perhaps lacking in excitement, but the elements of truth were engaging in a way that fiction often isn’t – drawing on experience is the key to a good story based in today’s world. Her characterisations are the key to her success.
I would recommend this as a light summer read to anyone interested in the online world of media, or anyone looking for something a bit casual to be drawn into. I highly enjoyed Prak’s writing style, though it may not be to the liking of those looking for something a little deeper to sink their teeth into. If nothing else, pick it up for Prak’s extensive experience in the PR world, and her realism-worth a try for anyone interested in working in the industry.
Reviewed by Zoe Butler
Twitter: @Zoe_Rambles
Distributed by: Amazon Australia
Released: February 2019
RRP: $17 Paperback
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