The Devil Wears Prada

I have to be completely honest: the reason I bought this book was because I have seen the film so many times, that I felt I owed the book a read. I took it with me on vacation to Cabo and within the first chapter, I was a bit put off. The writing at the beginning is a little.... less polished than I expected?? Anyway, I put the book down on my first poolside day and kind of forgot about it.However, I threw it in my bag recently and now I am pretty into it. The writing is not the best but perhaps I should not have been expecting so much. The book is entertaining, the characters and story suck you in, and I want to know what happens. That is good considering I have seen the movie. Give it a try!!Caveat: I am aware that I usually have a bit of a hard go at reading a book when I have seen the movie because I have a hard time separating the actors from the literary characters. This is the reason it took me forever to read The Talented Mr. Ripley.

I really enjoyed reading this story, as it has themes that many people can relate to. Everyone loves talking about that especially awful boss! There were 2 small things that annoyed me, but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book: 1) the depiction of the relationship with Alex. That guy sounded like such a dweeb that I was honestly happy the relationship didn't last. I was rooting for Andy to get together with the hot writer and dump her irritating boyfriend. The fact that you would live in the same city and not live together in the same apartment with your boyfriend after finishing college sounds totally unrealistic to me and like they were just asking for their relationship to end. No wonder they saw so little of each other that the relationship became unsustainable! On a related note, Alex and Andy refusing to spend the night together in the old apartment before Andy moved to her new apartment so as not to create an "awkward" situation with the parents also came across as unrealistically prudish, unless they are religious and have made a pledge of no sex before marriage, which did not appear to be the case in this story. 2) everyone treating Andy like she's personally let them all down. It sounds like cruel and unusual punishment to treat someone that way when they already have to deal with a horrible boss and don't have much of a choice over their schedule and free time. I don't know anyone who would treat their loved ones that way, unless they were themselves selfish and thoughtless.Other than those 2 small things, this was a really fun, easy read which mirrors the movie quite well.

I enjoyed the movie and therefore found the book interesting as the movie followed the concept but the characters were a bit different. Andrea though in a difficult situation was more whiney in the book than the movie- therefore more likeable in the movie, but the book is probably more realistic. Also some characters are darker in the book. It was a good read and I would recommend it.

Andrea Sachs dreams of a publishing job with the New Yorker but knows she must pay her dues first. She only needs one year without getting fired to get the recommendations she’ll need for that job. She takes a job as assistant to the editor of a fashion magazine. She doesn’t look right, doesn’t act right and is treated badly. Her boss, Miranda, is a tyrant demanding unimaginable things all the while belittling Andrea and others in the firm. Andrea has no free time and her personal relationships suffer. Finally, she is pushed too far.It is an interesting look inside the fashion industry. Though not sure how real the depiction isI did not see the movie to make a comparison. The book was enjoyable. I can understand giving your all to further your career and letting your private life suffer for a time. But - Andrea stayed too long hurting all relationships, some beyond repair.

Don't understand the hype for this book. I found the heroine annoying, and it is rare that I prefer a movie over the book but that was the case here. At least Anne Hathaway's character was believable and sympathetic. I could understand Meryl Streep's character and although over bearing, she was still real. The book's Miranda was not real. I stuck with it to the end just to get there.

This book explained more in detail that the movie did not show. That is not surprising, and some facts such as Andy smoking and Lily involved in another career move. But I did like the ending as stated in the book. The book is in a narrative form and of course Hollywood added and removed some episodes. You have to read the book to find out how it all came together.

The book of The Devil Wears Prada gives a little more insight into the lives of the workers at the obscured fashion magazine. A good weekend read or definitely a nice read on a rainy day. As I've said it gives a little more insight then the movie had and the book is more non fiction then the film was. Definitely worth a read for anybody in the industry or anybody who is into fashion and curious about the fashion industry and editorial fashion magazines.

Well written and held my attention even though I know nothing about fashion or designers. The "action" in the book might have worked better in the visual movie form, but I haven't seen the movie to compare. I would recommend for a quick easy read, but I have no interest in reading the sequel. If the reader loves fashion, they would probably understand more and, possibly, want to continue the series.

Whilst the basic premise of the book is the same as that of the book, that is where they diverge and I have to say the film is far better than the book. If for no other reason than the three given below:1. Nigel in the film is an amalgamation of 2 or 3characters in the book - none of whom really have much page time. This means that there is no natural sympathiser for Andy to turn to in the office.2. Andrea herself is actually pretty much unlikeable in the book,she has none of the charisma of her screen counter part. This was my biggest issue with the book to be honest - the main character is just so self-absorbed and just lives to have her own pity party, it drove me batty3. In the film we do see a touch of humanity to Ms Priestly - well, towards the end we do. In the novel this is completely missing and she is painted as completely vindictive and self-centred with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.The plot is ore or less the same as that in the film so you do know what is going to happen overall. There are some significant tweaks though, particularly with Andy's living arrangements and relationships. Unusually the screenwriter has taken a rather unprepossessing novel with a great idea and turned it into broadcast gold.I found the writing to be rather stilted and there was an awful lot of covering old ground; there are only so many ways you can describe going for coffee or answering the phone. It does feel like a one-idea book and that nothing that is put on the page should deviate from that so it does become, actually, quite boring in several places. There are some good moments but these come early on when Andy is fully subsumed by Runway magazine and still has at least half a brain and a sense of basic human dignity.Basically if you haven't seen the film you will probably enjoy this book a lot more. If you have then probably best to steer clear as it will disappoint.

I first read The Devil Wears Prada in 2003. I read it during a very long flight. The novel was easy to read, which helped with the long journey. I remember enjoying the book but not blown away by it. I felt there were too many words that described the same things repeatedly.I recently read the book again and while it remains an easy read, this time (perhaps I am older) I found Andrea the protagonist to be a bit on the whinging side. For instance, she knows that her boss Miranda (aka the immaculately and expensively dressed titular Devil) is demanding and expects things like her coffee from Starbucks to magically appear minutes after she demands for it. Yes, that seems very demanding and diva-like behaviour. However, having known how Miranda is, Andrea still continues to take her time in returning to the office with the coffee, taking the opportunity to smoke and chat on the phone. And when she gets reprimanded by Miranda or by her senior colleague Emily for being late, Andrea goes on a whinge-fest. She could have avoided the unhappy looks in the office if she had just gone to Starbucks and returned with the coffee.Somehow the novel does not seem as funny as when I read it last decade (perhaps this is because I am older). The novel is still fluffy, easy to dip into, but nothing that would blow your mind away. Perhaps the book would appeal to the pre-25-year-old set than to those closer to 40.

I had read the book before watching the film. Surely the book gives you a lot of background that disappears if you just watch the film, but in the book Andy, Lily and Alex are so childish that I cannot feel for them at all. Andy gets the job because she wants to work elsewhere and she complains constantly about Miranda and how miserable her life is. She deliberately challenges her as if it was her right to get promoted after one year. And also, why one year? Shouldn't it be two, given that Emily will get promoted and the junior assistant will become senior?Lily is the "problematic friend", that together with Alex - the archetype of the good guy - is there essentially so that Andy can feel guilty. Guilty about what? About a demanding job. Poor Andy works late in the evening, poor Andy cannot go back to her family whenever she wants, poor Andy might not be able to leave Paris at the right time... and all of this is unacceptable for the other characters, while instead is just part of adult life - especially if you live far from your hometown, not being able to see your family or to jump on a plane when something happens.Not to talk about the finale, which is honestly gross... I couldn't side up with Andrea, in Paris, and even later when she is so resentful I keep thinking that if she hated her job so much she should have just quitted it earlier on.I think in the film, at least, both Miranda and Andrea are better shaped characters. Andrea is not a crying baby, she is a smart woman who impresses people around herself, and the finale actually makes sense rather than being the last tantrum of an entitled child.

This review was written for 'The Review Diaries'.Read the full review here: http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.fr/2014/10/review-devil-wears-prada-by-lauren.htmlI saw the movie before I read the book, and this is one of the few cases where the movie is better than the book. So if you’re thinking about reading this after seeing Anne Hathaway turn from slouchy to glamorous, I’d really save your time.The movie worked to make the characters likeable, both Andy and Miranda, and for there to be progress, character development, and you know, an actual plot. The book really didn’t bother. Andy remained aloof, sarcastic and whiny throughout the book and it never really felt like she grew as a person, or developed at all over the course of the year. She maybe had slightly better dress sense by the end, but there was no development, she just whinged at everyone, pushed her friends and family away and didn’t really try to integrate or work particularly hard at Runway. Yes her job was demeaning at points and yes Miranda had unrealistic expectations, but Andy never even really tried. She went out of her way to try and be obnoxious and get one over on Miranda the entire time, only for it to backfire and cause her more work as a result. It was painful to read.

A couple of the best bits in the movie are actually missing or altered in the book, but the two fit together well anyway. The movie provides all the visuals for the book with ease. Miranda is made more human in the movie. In the book I don't think she has any positive human qualities at all!