IF I RULED THE WORLD

A young Black woman navigates the treacherous world of New York magazines in the 1990s.

A foolish indiscretion with media mogul Alonzo Griffin almost derails Nikki’s Rose’s career before it starts. Luckily, a mentor in human resources hooks her up with an editorial job at a Vogue-like fashion magazine, with a powerful editor to match. Though Lucinda mistreats Nikki outrageously, she also promotes her to special projects; the magazine needs some perspective from their “magical negro.” With everything looking up—more money, her parents’ pride, the support of her uptight boyfriend—Nikki would be crazy to throw it all away to head up Sugar, a fledgling magazine devoted to Black women and urban culture, right? The opportunity to promote Black beauty is too good to pass up, though, despite the fact that she’s given just six months to make it a success. Getting celebrities for the cover, battling Alonzo’s revenge-based sabotage, placating her new boyfriend, JJ, a hip-hop mogul, and maintaining a positive influence on the culture is a lot to ask of someone just turning 30. Much of the novel takes place in the office as Nikki puts each issue together (and in the evenings at the clubs, where drama, rivalries, and Cristal flow), but the detailed view of work begins to feel more instructional than plot-propelling. Nevertheless, Nikki remains our girl as she navigates all the complexities of skin color, misogyny in hip-hop, the do’s and don’ts of work wear, the implicit and explicit racism of publishing, and keeping your oldest friends as you move up. The novel has serious things to say about Black women’s empowerment while also dishing up plenty of sex, fashion, and friendship.

Style, love, and hip-hop converge in this lively, likable novel.