The Devil Wears Prada

Title: The Devil Wears Prada
Author: Lauren Weisberger
Publishing Date: 2003

Lauren Weisberger’s debut novel, The Devil Wears Prada has become increasingly popular; adorning the New York Times bestseller list, securing its place within the staples of classic chick lit and even transitioning onto the big silver screen. The tale is believed to be a semi-autobiographical account of Weisberger’s experience as assistant to the Editor in Chief of Vogue, the infamous Anna Wintour.

Weisberger exposes the brutal inner workings of the fashion magazine elite through the tell-all tale of young Andrea Sachs, a small town girl and recent Brown graduate. Poor Andy doesn’t have a clue what kind of hell she’s in for when she accepts the position as junior assistant to Miranda Priestly, Editor in Chief of Runway magazine. Priestly, the fascist (although utterly fashionable) dictator is irrefutably the true embodiment of ruthlessness, her antics quite possibly rivaling the devil himself. Expecting nothing less than perfection and to be waited on hand and foot, she’ll cut you off mid-sentence- callously stating, “Enough. The details of your incompetence interest me very little”. Then, in a sort of sing-song voice with an obvious demoralizing overtone, she’ll expunge a simple “That’s all”, absently waving you off like a mere mortal servant.

Her servants (or assistants if you will) are accustomed to doing her dirty work with the utmost obedience and loyalty. They abhor her with a passion of course, but one menacing look from Miranda strikes fear in their little hearts and they can’t help but transform into submissive, eager minions. Andy, the non-fashion conscious “Size Six” is a complete anomaly among the multitude of borderline anorexics with their Manolos and six grand a year highlights. Fiercely dressed to the nines, her co-workers make Andy stick out like a white pantsuit after Labor Day.

Andrea, or “Ahn-dre-ah” as Miranda proclaims, quickly discovers that this job is anything but glamorous and life within the upper echelons of the industry is filled with nothing but cold blooded success. Mistreated to the core and constantly bombarded with Miranda’s unfathomable demands, Andy endures it all with the striving hope of receiving a recommendation that’ll catapult her to success and fulfill her ultimate passion of writing for the New Yorker (a real magazine).

Andy slowly becomes more and more immersed in this faux existence, the temptation of glittering exclusivity too much to bear. Abandoning the people and passions that she loves the most, her job takes priority above all and transforms her into someone she doesn’t recognize at all.

This was a fairly entertaining read for me; it’s always a bit more intriguing when a story is rumored to be modeled after real events. You end up wondering how much of it is actually true. Andy’s mishaps and cruel testaments are rather comical and cleverly written. Fashionistas will rejoice over all the luxurious brand names repeatedly mentioned. The overall concept of the good girl tried and tempted by the evil boss from hell is a good one, one that many people identify with. On the other hand, Andy’s constant complaining and sarcasm is a little over the top. These elements should be used in moderation rather than the principal mode of description. Her attitude is both understandable and necessary for this particular plot, but the continuous droning and negativity becomes irritating and you don’t really feel sorry for this girl anymore. You don’t care whether she makes it out alive or not. I think Weisberger tried to make Andy come across as the realist, down to earth, witty character, but it was overdone and you’re tempted to yell, “Just quit already!” at every page turn. On a side note, I bet Anna Wintour was pissed. I would pay good money to see a reunion between her and Weisberger.

Recommendation:
Minus all the irritable complaining- the bizarre circumstances and uptight, idiosyncratic characters are relatively amusing. Miranda is quite a piece of work too, archetypically brilliant and satisfying. Read the book and definitely watch the movie. I personally thought the movie was a superior version of the book. The characters were dimensionally richer and the ending was much more plausible and fulfilling. In addition, Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway both do an exceptional job portraying these characters.

Average Rating: 9.2/10

Rating System:
Plot Development: 9/10
Character Development: 8/10
Originality: 10/10
Format: 9/10
Complexity: 9/10
Humor: 10/10