Product Description

A sharp, witty and hugely entertaining debut novel, The Devil Wears Prada is The Nanny Diaries set in the world of high fashion. Perfect reading for all Sex and the City fans everywhere.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3100 in Books
• Published on: 2003-10-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's a killer title: The Devil Wears Prada. And it's killer material: author Lauren Weisberger did a stint as assistant to Anna Wintour, the all-powerful editor of Vogue magazine. Now she's written a book, and this is its theme: narrator Andrea Sachs goes to work for Miranda Priestly, the all-powerful editor of Runway magazine. It turns out Miranda is quite the bossyboots. That's pretty much the extent of the novel, but it's plenty. Miranda's behaviour is so insanely over-the-top that it's a gas to see what she'll do next, and to try to guess which incidents were culled from the real-life antics of the woman who's been called Anna "Nuclear" Wintour. For instance, when Miranda goes to Paris for the collections, Andrea receives a call back at the New York office (where, incidentally, she's not allowed to leave her desk to eat or go to the bathroom, lest her boss should call). Miranda bellows over the line: "I am standing in the pouring rain on the rue de Rivoli and my driver has vanished. Vanished! Find him immediately!"

This kind of thing is delicious fun to read about, though not as well written as its obvious antecedent, The Nanny Diaries. And therein lies the essential problem of the book. Andrea's goal in life is to work for The New Yorker--she's only sticking it out with Miranda for a job recommendation. But author Weisberger is such an inept, ungrammatical writer, you're positively rooting for her fictional alter ego not to get anywhere near The New Yorker. Still, Weisberger has certainly one-upped Me Times Three author Alix Witchel, whose magazine-world novel never gave us the inside dope that was the book's whole raison d'être. For the most part, The Devil Wears Prada focuses on the outrageous Miranda Priestly, and she's an irresistible spectacle. --Claire Dederer, Amazon.com

Harpers & Queen
‘Not since the heyday of Sex and the City has a story so caught the imagination of ladies who lunch.’

Evening Standard
‘I love books like this...perfect reading in the bath with a flute of champagne.’

Customer Reviews

An amazing read!
I really enjoyed this book!
I went on a 1 week holiday and found this book in the villa! I rushed to read it before i got home! I am really glad i picked it up!
I couldn't put this book down and i would recommend it to anyone! The book is much better than the film and the book was very enjoyable to read!

I couldn't stop reading it!
I loved it, was determined to finish this book before I watched the film and ended up not being able to put it down. It was very entertaining and the perfect escapism. very well written. Cant say much more, other than a fabulous holiday read, or even the perfect relax in the house over summer whilst it's raining outside read!

I found it un-put-downable!
After having enjoyed the film, I picked the book up a few months ago and only just read it. I can't help feeling that some of the negative reviewers have missed the point, I found it really quite un-put-downable! No it's not great literature, but it's really well paced and very readable. I'm not a fashion fan and I was appalled by the description of the fashion industry with its wasteful and excessive materialism. The lack of basic humanity shown by Miranda's character angered me. I wouldn't have sacked Andrea as per other reviewers, and no, I could never feel 'sorry' for a monster like Miranda! I didn't think she whined, she was witty! Andrea never got to use any of her literary or intellectual talents for Runway, and I felt that Miranda was like a spoilt child expecting people to 'fix' silly little things for her from the other side of the world if necessary, and at unreasonable and ungodly hours with the threat of being sacked for not succeeding! I don't remember the film as having as much clout as the book so I'm going to rent it out again just to see. I'm surprised at the mixed reviews. As for advice for would-be purchasers, I suppose if you are after some light holiday reading and you are skeptical of the fashionistas of this world and would enjoy hating 'the boss (and system) from hell' I say give it a whirl!