The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

The Devil Wears Prada
Author: Lauren Weisberger
Publisher: Broadway
Published: 2004
Paperback: 360 pages
Source: purchased at Borders


My Rating: 4 stars


Synopsis (from borders.com): Andrea Sachs, a small-town girl fresh out of college, lands the job "a million girls would die for." Hired as the assistant to Miranda Priestly, the high-profile, fabulously successful editor of "Runway magazine, Andrea finds herself in an office that shouts "Prada! Armani! Versace! at every turn, a world populated by impossibly thin, heart-wrenchingly stylish women and beautiful men clad in fine-ribbed turtlenecks and tight leather pants that show off their lifelong dedication to the gym. With breathtaking ease, Miranda can turn each and every one of these hip sophisticates into a scared, whimpering child. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA gives a rich and hilarious new meaning to complaints about "The Boss from Hell." Narrated in Andrea's smart, refreshingly disarming voice, it traces a deep, dark, devilish view of life at the top only hinted at in gossip columns and over Cosmopolitans at the trendiest cocktail parties. From sending the latest, not-yet-in-stores Harry Potter to Miranda's children in Paris by private jet, to locating an unnamed antique store where Miranda had at some point admired a vintage dresser, to serving lattes to Miranda at precisely the piping hot temperature she prefers, Andrea is sorely tested each and every day--and often late into the night with orders barked over the phone. She puts up with it all by keeping her eyes on the prize: a recommendation from Miranda that will get Andrea a top job at any magazine of her choosing. As things escalate from the merely unacceptable to the downright outrageous, however, Andrea begins to realize that the job a milliongirls would die for may just kill her. And even if she survives, she has to decide whether or not the job is worth the price of her soul. 


My Thoughts: After watching the movie numerous times, I finally got around to reading the book. I was skeptical at first that it would be too different from the movie for me to like, and while it did differ slightly, it was a great read! Told from Andrea Sachs' point of view into the working world of fashion magazines, we are all introduced to one of the many "bosses-from-hell" that I think we all have dealt with. Miranda Priestly is definitely one of the worst, though. Her outrageous demands, the way she talks to others, the way she treats people ... it's just awful! Seeing Andy deal with her antics for nearly a year is comical, sad, and uplifting at the same time. Lauren Weisberger is a great writer, one who truly knows how to dish it out without making her characters too whiny or unreal.


If I had to pick out my favorite part of this book, it would have to be the characters. It's such a diverse group of people in this book and each of them has their own, distinct personality. Weisberger throws a lot of people at you, but it was never overwhelming and it didn't feel like anyone was just there for the sake of being there. Every character contributed something, whether it was Andy's boyfriend Alex with optimism or Emily (Miranda's other assistant) with cruel jabs, which never seemed cruel, each character brings something to the table. Weisberger also does a great job of moving the story along. It would be easy for the book to become depressing with Andy's stories of Miranda's demands, but it moves along and actually seems quite light.


While the book was different from the movie, it was a great read and one that I would recommend to anyone looking for a chick-lit read. It wasn't too gushy with romance, but seeing Andy worklife a year out of college definitely made me feel better about my current boss! It was a great read for summer and something that I think I will definitely read again!