The Freudian Slip

GIVEN the year, the setting and the number of references to bust-waist-hip measurements, it's tempting to liken this novel to Mad Men.

GIVEN the year (1963), the setting (an advertising agency) and the number of references to bust-waist-hip measurements (too many to count), it's tempting to liken this novel to Mad Men, and the publisher's willingness to ride the coat-tails of the wildly popular TV show is understandable.

But such action really isn't necessary - this is a truly terrific book that stands on its own merits. The brainchild of 79-year-old first-time novelist von Adlerstein, it is an engrossing read that makes you wish she'd turned her hand to fiction writing sooner - although given her long career in advertising and journalism, she can't be accused of sitting idly by as she waited for inspiration to hit.

Set in the Sydney agency of Bofinger Adams Rawson & Keane, the story chronicles the various fortunes of three female employees: Desi, a TV producer from a wealthy family who's in danger of being air-kissed into a miserable marriage; Bea, a copywriter with a leeching ex-husband; and Stella, a newly appointed junior copywriter whose creative powers, ironically, only kick in in earnest when she's caught plagiarising someone else's work.

For the trio, work is variously a stimulating, intoxicating, frustrating experience, punctuated by long lunches, male bosses and an ever-present pall of cigarette smoke in the office.

The social mores of the time, which dictate the direction of campaigns (family-friendly), the length of skirts (on the knee) and the preferences of gay men (strictly unacknowledged) are all-encompassing.

It's clear that von Adlerstein possesses both a long memory and an incredibly sharp eye for detail. Most importantly, she's also got a wicked sense of humour, ensuring an ending that'll satisfy even the toughest of critics. A fast-paced, funny, fabulous read.

VERDICT: A brilliant debut novel

The Freudian Slip, Marion von Adlerstein, Hachette, $32.99.