Rating: Summary: Funny and Entertaining Review: I laughed out load so many times while reading The Devil Wears Prada. I thought it was what a good fiction book should be: funny, laugh-out-loud, simple, a page-turner, and good escapism. I also thought it would make a great new sitcom or movie. Lauren Weisberger's story flowed, kept me interested, and I enjoyed the anticipation of learning what the main character's next impossible task would be. I believe the additional story lines concerning the best friend and boyfriend were necessary and realistic without taking over the story of Andrea and her boss. I wouldn't hesistate to read the author's next story.
Rating: Summary: You didn't get it! Review: This book was not by any means a literary masterpiece, but entertaining, absolutely. Those of you who did not think this was funny, obviously never worked for someone like this. Yes, these mean-spirited bosses are in every profession. Weisberger makes you feel like you weren't alone. This book is a great page turner!
Rating: Summary: Boot Camp in High Fashion Review: By the time you read this review, you probably realize that The Devil Wears Prada narrates a year -- well, eleven months -- in the life of Andrea Sachs, recent Brown U graduate. Desperately needing a job, Andrea signs up to be junior assistant to Miranda Priestly, doyenne of high fashion and editor of Runway, hottest fashion magazine on the planet. Being a junior assistant means embarking on a series of scavenger hunts to make the great woman's life easier or at least more amusing. Sure it's a light-hearted chick book. Andrea toils in a pink collar ghetto, courted by big-budget advertisers and fashion houses. She rides around in chauffeured town cars, gets to wear high-fashion clothes and meets famous people. In return she works eighteen-hour days and runs around on meaningless errands. Miranda sends her off to find a restaurant but conveniently forgets to mention that it's in Washington, not New York. She tells Andrea to find "Madeleine," who could be anyone, anywhere. Miranda's assistants are terrrified to ask for clarification. Instead, they spend hours -- and thousands of dollars -- on inept detective work. Sure, it's a year-long version of hell week, but it's also an initiation into a world that will pay dividends throughout Andrea's working life. And I think Andrea knows this, on some level. I don't think she whines, as some reviewers say. I think she goes along with the program and handles herself amazingly well. And while the book could be shorter -- by the tenth torment we get the picture -- Andrea's job isn't all that unusual for a probationer entering a competitive world. Read Billable Hours and Liars Poker: highly paid legal and financial newbies spend hours doing what amounts to clerical work and round-the-clock devotion is the norm. And it's hard to argue they're serving humanity. I wish Andrea's parents and friends had left her alone to finish her year. Andrea's boyfriend is a nurturing-type schoolteacher -- a gender bender relationship -- and her father is a therapist. Neither understands the demands of high-power corporate jobs. Few organizations would offer compassionate leave for a friend's accident, and the circumstances leading up to the accident don't inspire sympathy. Comparisons to Nanny Diaries can be misleading. True, Nanny Diaries seems shorter and tighter, yet a nanny job leads nowhere. It's just a way for a desperate college girl to survive so putting up with a crazy boss has little value. Here, Andrea embarks on a career. Hanging out with the elite in any field gives you access that you can't get any other way, even if you change fields. Nannies serve time; Andrea undergoes initiation. In a brief "what happened next" chapter, Andrea benefits from her eleven months at Runway, just as the lawyer in Billable Hours admits he needed his affiliation with a big-name firm to get his next job. She learned more than she realizes as the book ends. A good read and no sympathy needed.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful Review: I do not usually read fiction. My sister picked this up for me as a gift. I am so glad. I have not enjoyed fiction this much since reading Paul Zindel as a child. It is a wonderful read. Ms. Weisberger is a talented writer and I hope she continues to write books of this quality.
Rating: Summary: Unprofessional Review: here's my two-cents. If the author, Lauren Weisberger, truly did write this book to spite her former employer, I wonder how her colleagues in the writing world perceive her now? It seems like she's outed herself as extremely unprofessional. and what the heck does "natch!" mean?
Rating: Summary: Disappointment Review: Twenty-three year old Andrea Sachs dreams of writing for The New Yorker. Fresh out of college, she lands a job in Manhattan as assistant to the powerful Miranda Priestly, editor of the successful fashion magazine Runway. Although her writing abilities won't be utilized, all Andrea hears from everyone she meets is that she's landed the job "a million girls would die for." Supposedly, "people who worked for Miranda got places." The position is more of a college-educated messenger. But if Andrea can hang in there for 1 year, she's sure to get a great promotion. However, 1 year as Miranda's personal gopher won't be that easy. Miranda's like Cruella DeVil from Disney's Dalmatian movies. She's insensitive, demanding and just "cruel." This had the makings of a hilarious book, but just failed to pull it off. Better luck next time.
Rating: Summary: a fun read and easy to relate to... Review: I enjoyed reading this book and had a hard time putting it down, mainly because it validated a recent experience I had working for a demanding prima-donna chef whose quick rise to fame made her think she was better than the rest of us peons. I couldn't wait to see what the next crazy incident in the book would be and if it would parallel the unbelievable things that happened in the restaurant -- the similarities were uncanny! I think anyone who has ever worked for an impossible boss will enjoy this book because they'll be able to relate to it.
Rating: Summary: What a great summer read! Review: I actually listened this book on Audio CD, I did not read it. On a recent long roadtrip alone I was able to enjoy this great summer book. Although it seems to start out a bit on the fluffy side, there is some definite depth and character to the book and the characters, or perhaps it is the lack of depth to the characters in the fashion magazine world that make the book intriguing. This is a great easy summer read, I highly recommend it.
Rating: Summary: Absolutely maddening. Review: While not a maven of literature, I do find it annoying when mispellings and grammatical trainwrecks occur -- especially when a book is hyped so much, you expect that they spent something on the editing, no? Maybe not; there were plenty of both in this book. Having said that, and perhaps agreeing with those who would know better than I that her style is immature and needs a little time to ripen, I have to say that Weisberger DID succeed in drawing me into the book, thoroughly pissing me off, and driving me to turn page after page until 2:30 in the morning. I admit; I've been sheltered (working with great, kind people, working for myself, etc.) -- and the antics of this hellish boss were just absolutely unbelievable. I was disgusted, and couldn't wait to see what she'd say next. Moreso, the fact that anyone with two brain cells would put up with it was hard to stomach, but seeing how an otherwise level headed person gets sucked into this warped reality of the fashion world was interesting and provocative. It happens, whether in New York or Podunk. Immerse yourself in an environment and you will eventually find yourself reeking of it. I felt somewhat unfulfilled with the ending -- but I'd certainly give her next work a read.
Rating: Summary: Disapointed! Review: I am a very avid reader of chic-lit. I really look for novels that particularly deal with clothes or the fashion industry. Sadly, The Devil Wears Prada does not go on my recommendation list. The plot was dull and I was just reading it to get the book done with about halfway through!! You just keep thinking "Ok she hates her boss, so quit already!". There are some funny parts blended in with the overall dullness but you won't catch your self shedding comical tears any time soon. The story was a good idea but not good enough for over 300 pages!! I want back my [money amount]I paid for it!
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