Chambermaid: A Novel (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Here is the legal system exposed and skewered for what it is: haplessly human. Columbia Law School grad Sheila Raj accepts a clerkship from Judge Helga Friedman of the federal court of appeals in Philadelphia, and the world appears to be at her feet. The terrain inside the courthouse turns to quicksand, however, as Sheila discovers Friedman is a sociopathic, homicidal, bipolar jurist who screams at, mocks and otherwise tortures her clerks. Yet Sheila and co-clerks Matthew and Evan must suffer in silence, since the world universally views Judge Friedman as a champion of liberalism. During her tenure, Friedman had nailed cops for racial profiling, overturned a law banning pornography on First Amendment grounds, and nine out of ten times thought company executives were sexually harassing pricks. If she weren't a tyrant who racially profiled her law clerks, she'd be worth idolizing, Sheila laments. This judicial nut job winds up the crucial member of a panel hearing a death penalty appeal that pits her against a rival judge with a dirty little secret that Sheila helps reveal. While Rao's wit shines in her debut, the former TV producer and federal appeals court clerk plays most of the characters for slapstick, which generates more smirks than laughs. (July)
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Product Description

The devil holds a gavel in this wickedly entertaining debut novel about a young attorney’s eventful year clerking for a federal judge. Sheila Raj is a recent graduate of a top-ten law school with dreams of working for the ACLU, but law school did not prepare her for the power-hungry sociopath, Judge Helga Friedman, who greets her on her first day. While her beleaguered colleagues begin quitting their jobs, Sheila is assigned to a high-profile death penalty case and suddenly realizes that she has to survive the year as Friedman’s chambermaid — not just her sanity, but actual lives hang in the balance. With Chambermaid, debut novelist Saira Rao breaks the code of silence surrounding the clerkship and boldly takes us into the mysterious world of the third branch of US government, where the leaders are not elected and can never be fired. With its biting wit and laugh-out-loud humor, this novel will change everything you think you know about how great lawyers, and great judges, are made.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (July 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802118496
• ISBN-13: 978-0802118493
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #653,933 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars worth the read, July 27, 2007

By	lbow "lbow" (SF, CA) - See all my reviews

I liked this book a lot--it's a truly funny summer read. Chambermaid is neither a John Grisham novel nor an expose on the inner workings of the federal court system, but it's perfectly suited for what it is: a fun, witty, odd, laugh-out-loud book that's perfect for a subway commute, a beach, or a lazy Sunday.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Praise for Chambermaid, July 24, 2007

By	Erin A (Riverside, CT) - See all my reviews

Chambermaid was the perfect summer vacation read. Saira Rao's witty portrayal of life inside one wacky, fictional judge's chambers was the right balance of wit, (relatively) light-hearted plot, well-developed characters, and some important commentary on the mysterious ways of the federal courts. Critics who harp on the protagonist's catty side or how the novel depicts a not altogether true look at the judiciary have totally missed the point: Rao wasn't channeling Woodward and Bernstein here in a legal-journalistic expose of the federal courts. Rather, this is a terrific first work of fiction by a talented young writer and lawyer who saw fit to have some fun at the expense of our legal system. I am looking forward to whatever her pen (her sword?) sees fit to attack next.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Witty Beach Read, July 26, 2007

By	PhilaFoodie (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

Chaimbermaid is a fictional account of a judicial clerk, Shelia Raj, and her experience at the Third Circuit Court of Appeals here in Philadelphia. A lot of the action takes place in Philadelphia restaurants, including such gems as Rouge, The Continental, Jones, Las Vegas Lounge and Ralph's. It's interesting to see the perspective of these restaurants from a character who is not a Philadelphia native. And Shelia's objectivity is refreshing. For example, Shelia, who hails from New York, is annoyed by the velvet rope elitism practiced at Rouge and is not a fan of The Continental's "Oriental Ginger Noodle Salad." Yet, she's grounded enough to appreciate the simple comforts of the mac-and-cheese and deviled eggs at Jones.

The book has received a lot of attention due to its so-called scandalous, fly-on-the-wall perspective of what happens inside the chambers of a federal appeals court judge. This aspect of the book certainly is a draw, especially to us lawyer types, and does carry its share of the book's humor. But Rao's stories did not diminish my respect and reverence for the court. In the end, all judges are human beings. But Rao, in fact, demonstrates that it takes an exceptional kind of human being to be the effective judge that Judge Friedman is in Chambermaid.

In addition, there's a lot more to Chambermaid than the gossipy goings-on behind chamber doors. For example, one of the key plot threads involves a high-profile death penalty case Shelia has been assigned. Death penalty jurisprudence can be complicated stuff (I know; I represented a death row inmate back in the day). But Rao not only manages to make death penalty jurisprudence approachable, she also makes it engaging.

Yet, Chambermaid is still an escape. Rao's style is light, witty and entertaining. And her book is chock full of politics, love and other tumultuous happenings in the life of a young lawyer struggling for direction and identity. Chaimbermaid is the perfect beach read for anyone interested in a young professional's perspective on law, Center City or the Philadelphia dining scene.