Book Review

“The Devil Wears Prada”

ISBN 0-385-50926-X
Lauren Weisberger
$21.95

Living in New York City and working as the assistant to the hottest fashion editor at the trendiest fashion magazine is seemingly the life “a million girls would die for.” The latest Jimmy Choos, Manolo Blahniks, Marc Jacobs pants and stylish Dior sunglasses make up your designer wardrobe. This is the new life of Andrea Sachs, Lauren Weisberger’s heroine in her best-selling novel “The Devil Wears Prada.”
Andrea Sachs is a 23-year-old recent college graduate from Small Town, U.S.A., looking to make it big in the world of magazine journalism. Her dream has always been to work for The New Yorker, but she lands the job as the assistant to Miranda Priestly, editor of Runway magazine. Andrea hopes this will be her ticket to writing for The New Yorker as long as she gets the needed recommendation from her crazy boss. She gets the dream job and the perks that come with it while learning how to schmooze with the “very important” people in the fast-paced world of high fashion. When Andrea takes the job, she is in for a rude awakening. First, if she is going to play the part of assistant to a top fashion editor, she’s going to have to look it. That means khakis from the Gap are not going to cut it – some Jimmy Choos to match a sexy pencil skirt or those $2000 pants will. Andrea didn’t realize that being Miranda Priestly’s assistant meant running to grab lattes on 57th and Lex, getting Pelligrino for lunch, being a babysitter for her children, or being screamed at for not confirming her hair and make-up appointments. Andrea of course does not expect that to be part of her job description, but realizes that she must do what it takes to get her big break. Weisberger, through the voice of her heroine, tells an intriguing and realistic tale of climbing the fashionable corporate ladder in stilettos amidst being blinded by the glitz and glamour of the world of fashion. Can Andrea make it without breaking a heel?

-Charmie Snetter