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strawberryblonde's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
In all honesty, just watch the movie. It's so much better.
I found the main character in general very unlikeable and the book mainly consisted of her workplace abusing her in every way possible. There were parts I enjoyed, but for me the pacing of the book was generally off. For a long time the plot didn't seem to be going anywhere and then the climax came at the very end of the book, which left me as a reader incredibly confused. It wasn't terrible, but I don't see myself picking it up again.
I found the main character in general very unlikeable and the book mainly consisted of her workplace abusing her in every way possible. There were parts I enjoyed, but for me the pacing of the book was generally off. For a long time the plot didn't seem to be going anywhere and then the climax came at the very end of the book, which left me as a reader incredibly confused. It wasn't terrible, but I don't see myself picking it up again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Alcoholism, Car accident, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Addiction
vannahcabana's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a good read! I’ve seen the movie so had an idea of what the book was about. It follows Andy’s journey as an assistant to one of the top fashion magazine editors in the world. I do think the story dragged on a bit in a few spots, but I would recommend this book as a good summer vacation read!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Car accident, Sexual content, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Body shaming, and Bullying
melancholymegs's review against another edition
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Bullying, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Homophobia, Dysphoria, Classism, Car accident, and Racism
calcifire's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Body shaming
Moderate: Car accident and Racism
mynameisrebecca's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This is a relatively fast, fun read. It takes a bit since it's a longer book, but the vocabulary isn't too complicated and the writing style flows easily. It's gimmicky and "trashy" in the best ways, reminding me of a reality show. Not much happens in the grand scheme of things, despite the book taking place over a year, so it's not the place to come if you're looking for a complex, earth shattering plot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Eating disorder, Body shaming, and Car accident
gamora_zen1's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Car accident, Body horror, Body shaming, Cursing, Sexual content, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, and Drug use
anapthine's review
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Alcohol, Body horror, Dysphoria, and Drug use
Minor: Car accident, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Deadnaming
doggamn's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Came into this one wanting to see how much it differs from the movie and what aspects came from the writers of the film's script. Definitely feel like this one is one of those rare adaptations that ends up better than the source. Rather than listing all the casual details that were changed (e.g. Andrea's hair color or Emily being American), which don't matter, I think it's more important to reflect on the ways the film adjusted the structure of the story and treated its characters. Miranda is more sympathetic in the movie, and we see her in vulnerable and human positions: when she finds out her husband wants to divorce her and at the end of the film when she helps Andrea get a new job.
The book also doesn't really have an act three; the conclusion speeds through Andrea learning her friend is in a coma to her cussing out Miranda and flying home. Andrea herself is pretty different as well. Rather than buying into the culture of Runway, as we see her do in the film, she remains pretty much the same throughout the book--complaining throughout the entire thing and not really changing her stance on any of it. Interestingly, the main three scenes in the movie that are most memorable to me (Miranda's divorce news, Nigel losing his chance at his promotion, and of course Miranda's monologue about cerulean) all are unique to the film rather than having any real basis in the novel. Miranda in the novel is cold and we never see her in any real vulnerable position; the closest we get is Andrea watching Miranda navigate her husband's family and their friends for his brother's wedding, but there's no real insight there. Nigel hardly exists in the book other than as a flamboyant fashion master. Miranda never ever speaks to Andy about the ins and outs of fashion and, though she says at the end that Andy acts as though she's above everything Runway, we aren't left with the feeling that there's any reason Andy shouldn't be.
Weisberger definitely intended to show how Andy lost sight of what was important in her life as she fell more and more into her job and had to work long hours, but that didn't really land. Andy in the book feels somehow more isolated from her family and friends, but that's not due to Runway. Though the book insists that she loves her family, her boyfriend, and her best friend, we don't really get the feeling that she has any strong relationship with any of them. When she misses Alex's calls or doesn't help Lily with her drinking problem, it doesn't really affect anything. Lily gets in a car crash and ends up in a coma, but by the time Andrea is back in the US, everything is pretty much status quo again.
Personally, I feel like the book lacked some of the heart the movie had. All of the characters in the novel seem to be annoyed with each other at all times, rather than having relationships that are in flux and change because of Andy's descent into Runway and fashion. Ultimately, the novel didn't come to a satisfying conclusion, as Andy gets a job with a magazine as a writer under a boss who was Miranda's assistant years earlier. The story ties things up in a few short pages and we're left feeling that there is something missing from the story. Weisberger apparently didn't like that the movie softened Miranda Priestly but, without that softening, the novel feels more like a rant than a coherent story. The book is ultimately fine and an easy read, but it isn't engaging in the way the movie is for me.
Additionally, the book is riddled with outdated terms and language; Miranda's husband is referred to as BDAD for "blind, deaf, and dumb" and Weisberger always mentions when a character is not white (using general terms, such as "Asian" and so on). Though the book is an easy read, it isn't one I would recommend at the end of the day. If you want to enjoy a version of The Devil Wears Prada and not slog through chapters of repetition, I'd recommend skipping the book and going straight for the film.
The book also doesn't really have an act three; the conclusion speeds through Andrea learning her friend is in a coma to her cussing out Miranda and flying home. Andrea herself is pretty different as well. Rather than buying into the culture of Runway, as we see her do in the film, she remains pretty much the same throughout the book--complaining throughout the entire thing and not really changing her stance on any of it. Interestingly, the main three scenes in the movie that are most memorable to me (Miranda's divorce news, Nigel losing his chance at his promotion, and of course Miranda's monologue about cerulean) all are unique to the film rather than having any real basis in the novel. Miranda in the novel is cold and we never see her in any real vulnerable position; the closest we get is Andrea watching Miranda navigate her husband's family and their friends for his brother's wedding, but there's no real insight there. Nigel hardly exists in the book other than as a flamboyant fashion master. Miranda never ever speaks to Andy about the ins and outs of fashion and, though she says at the end that Andy acts as though she's above everything Runway, we aren't left with the feeling that there's any reason Andy shouldn't be.
Weisberger definitely intended to show how Andy lost sight of what was important in her life as she fell more and more into her job and had to work long hours, but that didn't really land. Andy in the book feels somehow more isolated from her family and friends, but that's not due to Runway. Though the book insists that she loves her family, her boyfriend, and her best friend, we don't really get the feeling that she has any strong relationship with any of them. When she misses Alex's calls or doesn't help Lily with her drinking problem, it doesn't really affect anything. Lily gets in a car crash and ends up in a coma, but by the time Andrea is back in the US, everything is pretty much status quo again.
Personally, I feel like the book lacked some of the heart the movie had. All of the characters in the novel seem to be annoyed with each other at all times, rather than having relationships that are in flux and change because of Andy's descent into Runway and fashion. Ultimately, the novel didn't come to a satisfying conclusion, as Andy gets a job with a magazine as a writer under a boss who was Miranda's assistant years earlier. The story ties things up in a few short pages and we're left feeling that there is something missing from the story. Weisberger apparently didn't like that the movie softened Miranda Priestly but, without that softening, the novel feels more like a rant than a coherent story. The book is ultimately fine and an easy read, but it isn't engaging in the way the movie is for me.
Additionally, the book is riddled with outdated terms and language; Miranda's husband is referred to as BDAD for "blind, deaf, and dumb" and Weisberger always mentions when a character is not white (using general terms, such as "Asian" and so on). Though the book is an easy read, it isn't one I would recommend at the end of the day. If you want to enjoy a version of The Devil Wears Prada and not slog through chapters of repetition, I'd recommend skipping the book and going straight for the film.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Classism, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Car accident, and Medical content
hannahelizza556's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I liked that Andy and Emily had a good relationship - a better one than in the film. Miranda Priestly is as awful in this book as the film portrays her.
I found the characters to be unrelatable - Emily is already somewhat a bitch when Andy joins Runway. Andy herself becomes a bitch while working at Runway - she has no time for her friends or family. Miranda meanwhile is already horrible so no relatability there.
This wasn't at all written like novel and it definitely didn't feel like a story. By the end of the book I became incredibly bored and disinterested, I couldn't wait to finish it.
This wasn't at all written like novel and it definitely didn't feel like a story. By the end of the book I became incredibly bored and disinterested, I couldn't wait to finish it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, and Car accident
pichine's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Fatphobia, and Body shaming
Minor: Car accident and Eating disorder
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