Trading Up

Mira Sorvino’s narration is the real star here, her voice shifting seamlessly between the brittle confidence of Manhattan’s social climbers and the weary resignation of their overworked assistants. She nails the sharp, rapid-fire dialogue that Bushnell’s writing thrives on, giving each character a distinct cadence that makes the audiobook feel like a performance rather than a passive listen. The story itself is a rollercoaster of outrageous encounters: a divorcée who trades her husband for a hedge-fund mogul, a wedding planner who blackmails clients, and a therapist who charges by the tear. Bushnell’s world is so relentlessly self-absorbed that it’s hard not to laugh at its absurdity—but it’s also exhausting, like being trapped at a dinner party where every conversation is a status update. The production quality is top-notch, with crisp audio that makes Sorvino’s performance shine, though I found myself wishing the satire had a little more bite to match the glitter. The ending, in particular, feels rushed, as if Bushnell herself couldn’t decide whether she wanted to skewer her characters or let them off the hook. Still, if you’re in the mood for a guilty pleasure that critiques the very culture it romanticizes, *Trading Up* delivers—just don’t expect it to change your life. It won’t. But it might make you glad you’re not one of the people in it.