How exactly were we supposed to predict what would please her? I was about to find out.
Not the best page to take a quote from, unless you don't mind a long description of different kinds of skirts. I picked up this book at the 'Free books' table at uni and thought it would be a good starter read for the holidays, one that is completely different from my course work. Boy was I right. The 'her' in question is the ostensible Devil herself, Miranda Priestly, the editor of Runway fashion magazine. The main character, Andrea, has just been hired as Miranda's second assistant, even though she has zero interest in fashion and really wants to work at The New Yorker. However working at Runway seems a far bigger stepping stone than attempting to claw her way up the literary ranks, or so Andrea keeps telling herself. If she can survive the 12+hr working days, the ambiguity of her new boss' instructions, and having no personal time, let alone socialising with anyone, she might just get that reference she craves. But is it worth it? The answer is clearly no, and it takes outrageously terrible things to happen in her personal life for Andrea to even remotely come to this conclusion.
This novel and its film adaptation are both good in different ways. While the novel is grittier and darker than the film, presenting slightly more complex scenarios and characterisations of modern people (albeit people who are self-destructive, self-obsessed and materialistic), the film offers glimpses beyond the facades that characters intentionally or otherwise place around themselves. They are aware of the sacrifices they have made to be where they are, but appear to believe in a higher cause that motivates them.
From a personal standpoint, I didn't enjoy the way that characters in the novel manipulated and attempted to control those around them. It was almost as if they were willing participants in a game where the aim is to score as many favours as possible. However the way that everything had conditions placed upon it highlighted the give-and-take nature of all human relationships, and the way that there are always expectations and consequences.
All up it was an interesting read, although Andrea, as the perfect personification of a driven, distracted and unsettled 20-something, was deeply frustrating to follow. Read if you're interested in the fashion industry (apparently it's quite accurate) and enjoy some 'will she or won't she' action.
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