'The Devil Wears Prada' by Laura Weisberger
Helen Lee - 27 July, 2004
Ok first things first. Let's get the basics out of the way. Ms Laura Weisberger - author of this novel - use to be an assistant to the Anna Wintour. The very Anna Wintour who is Editor in Chief at American Vogue, mother of two children and also has quite a repuation for being quite demanding of her staff. But happens to be pure genius in what she does.
So why is that so important to know? Well every other review I've read has little mentions and also snide remarks about the novel because of Laura Weisberger's past job. According to reports, The Devil Wears Prada is based on Weisberger's time at Vogue and the editor in the novel - Miranda Priestly - is Anna Wintour herself. Also be wary of Anna Wintour references, she actually 'appears' in the novel. Personally I think they're there to throw readers off track - which is what happened to a friend of mine.
ANYWAYS... let's get on to what the book is actually about now shall we? The Devil Wears Prada centre's around the world of Andrea Sachs, a recent college graduate who knows about as much about fashion as your five year old brother. Andrea dreams of writing for The New Yorker newspaper, not Runway - the fictional Vogue esq. magazine in the novel.
Throughout the Andrea struggles with juggling her very demanding job with moving out, her best friend's alcoholic problem, her and her boyfriend growing apart and a very persistent admirer. Did I mention her job at 'Runway' is her first full time job since graduating - some girls have all the luck!
Andrea is constantly reminded by co-workers at Runway that she is the luckiest girl in the world because of her job, but she is expected to read Miranda Priestly's mind day in day out. Over the course of the book Andrea's fashion knowledge changes dramatically, with designer fashion literally being thrown at her by her colleagues in sheer hope that her wardrobe would improve from chain store drab to designer chic.
So did I like this book? To some point it was a very entertaining read, I have managed to pick it up a few times for a re-read just to re-experience what it's like to work at a magazine as huge as Vogue, oops Runway. Though having seen the inside of a few major magazine offices recently, I doubt anything like that would actually exist - in Australia.
 I think the book is a fun read that flies at a mile a minute, I often had to put it down for a few hours because I was exhausted. Weisbereger's clever writing made you feel as if you were there feeling exactly what Andrea was feeling! It was a little irritating for me to read that Andrea loathed her job so much when I am one of the million girls that are constantly mentioned in the book that would love her job.
Overall I liked Andrea and The Devil Wears Prada is defiantly better than Candace Bushnell's two latest chick lit offerings. It is an interesting read for those who want an insight to tyrannical bosses - unless you've actually worked for one. Believe it or not bosses like Miranda Priestly do exist, even I have a story or two to tell. But maybe in my own novel...
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