book 31

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
360 pages


Funnily enough, although this was Lauren Weisberger's debut novel, it is the las by her that I read.  I've now completed her entire line of novels and I'd started with her most recent (at the time).  The last time I reviewed a novel by Weisberger, I'd complained it was too much like another I'd read, so I was a little reluctant to read The Devil Wears Prada.  I was, however, pleasantly surprised by TDWP and have the movie all set On Demand to start as soon as I finish this review.

Andrea (Andy) Sachs is a bright-eyed recent college-grad looking to get a job in the magazine industry.  Her dream is to work for The New Yorker, but she wanders into a job at Runway, the most "it" fashion magazine around.  She ends up as the junior assistant to the editor, an insanely demanding woman named Miranda Priestly.  The novel reads like a memoir with little flashbacks and changes in time, but mostly follows along chronologically.  Andy has a best friend, Lily, who has a drinking problem, a do-gooder boyfriend, and, of course, an extremely challenging boss and a life-consuming job.

The story is told with wit and humor, and I was always eager to find out what was going to happen next.  I wanted to see how long Andy would be able to ut up with Miranda, whether she would eventually come around to the fashion world insanity, or if Miranda would ever soften.  The progression was satisfying and not as predictable (although not unbelievable at all) as I would have expected.  I truly enjoyed reading this book and, as I've literally JUST finished the book, I'm a little sad that it's over.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone at any time.  It isn't pigeon-holed into summer beach read or anything, and I think it would appeal to many ages.  Although, as it spend forever on the NYT best-seller list, I'm sure most literate people have already read it!  But if you haven't, you should!