The Devil Wears Prada

By: Lauren Weisberger

Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne

Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

A delightfully dishy novel about the all-time most impossible boss in the history of impossible bosses.

Andrea Sachs, a small-town girl fresh out of college, lands the job “a million girls would die for.” Hired as the assistant to Miranda Priestly, the high-profile, fabulously successful editor of Runway magazine, Andrea finds herself in an office that shouts Prada! Armani! Versace! at every turn, a world populated by impossibly thin, heart-wrenchingly stylish women and beautiful men clad in fine-ribbed turtlenecks and tight leather pants that show off their lifelong dedication to the gym. 

With breathtaking ease, Miranda can turn each and every one of these hip sophisticates into a scared, whimpering child. The Devil Wears Prada gives a rich and hilarious new meaning to complaints about “The Boss from Hell.” 

Narrated in Andrea’s smart, refreshingly disarming voice, it traces a deep, dark, devilish view of life at the top only hinted at in gossip columns and over Cosmopolitans at the trendiest cocktail parties. From sending the latest, not-yet-in-stores Harry Potter to Miranda’s children in Paris by private jet, to locating an unnamed antique store where Miranda had at some point admired a vintage dresser, to serving lattes to Miranda at precisely the piping hot temperature she prefers, Andrea is sorely tested each and every day - and often late into the night with orders barked over the phone. 

She puts up with it all by keeping her eyes on the prize: a recommendation from Miranda that will get Andrea a top job at any magazine of her choosing. As things escalate from the merely unacceptable to the downright outrageous, however, Andrea begins to realize that the job a million girls would die for may just kill her. And even if she survives, she has to decide whether or not the job is worth the price of her soul. 

©2003 Lauren Weisberger (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Miranda's behavior 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 real life." (Amazon.com)
"Weisberger has penned a comic novel that manages to rise to the upper echelons of the chick-lit genre." (Publishers Weekly)

You won't be able to stop the player

We listened to this book on a long car trip, and we almost ran out of gas listening to it because we didn't want to stop! The story goes from one unbelievable action to another, and just when you think you've seen the most selfish act on earth, another comes along. The narration is flawless.

Just make sure you start on a full tank and you have fresh batteries in your audio player! Don't miss this one.

Great entertaining book

This book was a funny, but sometimes truthful look at the entry leval positions in to the fashion editorial industry. I was laughing all the way through.

Outrageous

Great light listening. The story about the boss from hell and selling one's soul to the devil. I enjoyed Weisenberger's storytelling style especially her vivid descriptions. The reader had a pleasant voice and the recording was easy to understand.

Wins the award for most shallow character...

In every other sentence of this book, the main character whines about the unfairness of her boss, trouble with friends, etc. The remaining sentences are designed to try and dazzle readers by mentioning $1000 shoes and the "best restaurants", the "best parties", the "best people", etc. I'm not sure if describing the "glamour" of the fashionistas was meant to try and justify having sold herself out, but I find it impossible to sympathize with a girl that tries to take the easy way to her goals by selling out her dignity, then complains non-stop about it.

If you love the movie, DON'T listen to this

What would have made The Devil Wears Prada better?

I don't know if it was the story or just the narration, but this book was so hard to follow and stay interested. I LOVE the movie version, but the Andi in this story is whiney and unlikeable. I felt the story jumped around a lot and maybe it would have been easier to follow in print, but it'd jump to a completely different time and I'd rewind a bit thinking I must have missed the transition.

Funny and Light

Skip the movie -the book is much better- This is a light book that has some substance to it and is very entertaining. Even if you don't like the main characters at first you may change your mind. narrator's voice is great for the role

Far Better than the Movie

One of my favorite Audio Books. While the movie was entertaining, only the audio book can richly develop the characters, put you inside the minds and fully develop this story. Don't miss the book just because you saw the movie.

Lots of Fun

This audiobook is full of vivid scenes, witty satire, outrageous escapades, and surprising twists and turns. I found myself really rooting for Andrea, the assistant, as she learned to cope with her wicked boss Miranda and figured out what was important to her. This is a fairly long listen, and some parts seemed a bit overly detailed. However, the story really picks up momentum in the second half, and the denouement is quite exciting and somewhat moving.

While the main thrust of the book is undoubtedly entertainment, I found some substance in Andrea's changing relationship with her job situation and the people closest to her, and the balance that many of us must strike between career, relationships, and personal aspirations.

Overall, I recommend this book heartily to anyone looking for an entertaining read with a protagonist that's easy to identify with.

not what it was cracked up to be

given all the reviews, i kept waiting for something funny to happen. i waited through the whole book. i was mildly amused at times, but it seemed kind of realistic and not so over the top that it would be funny. i felt like the main character was a spoiled brat whining about a crappy first year out of college job, and not much of a hero. lots of people are overworked and under-appreciated, welcome to your liberal arts degree.

More Tragic than funny

As a more "mature" Audible listener, I found this story more tragic than funny. In the real world there are tirant managers and my heart aches for their victims. Listeners "over 40" probably will not "enjoy" this book. The literary quality, however, is excellent.