Book Reviews
Book Review: The Devil Wears Prada
9:30 AM
I am DONE! Done with The Devil Wears Prada, I mean.
The book was extremely entertaining with the witty humor, sarcasm, and advice concerning prioritizing your life in a very subtle, amusing way. {I guess we can all learn from Andrea Sachs' obvious mistakes when it came to prioritizing her job, personal life, and me-time.} If there was only one word that I could use to describe The Devil Wears Prada, I would say 'interesting'. With everything possible going on the book, it was so hard to even set the book down for a break! {Just ask my teachers...oops.}
After I finish reading a book, I will be answering discussion questions on my blog. Feel free to chime in if you have previously read the book {or if you have different opinions based on the film, which I have yet to see}. For this book, I have retrieved the discussion questions from here.
The Devil Wears Prada Discussion:
I. What is it about Miranda that scares so many people? Why do people continue to work for her despite her abusive attitude? What is it that makes her so good at her job?
Miranda Priestly is an evil, impudent woman. She humiliates people on purpose and frightens them into jumping whenever she says jump (literally, if she so demands). Despite her abusive attitude, people continue to work for Miranda simply because she can get them places. According to the novel, after a year has passed, Miranda will put in a recommendation for her employees, which can guarantee them pretty much any job that their heart could desire. Miranda is also the best at her job because of her attitude and how she refuses to take no for an answer. She is a determined, bossy lady, which carries well into her job as an editor at Runway.
II. How is Andy different to the other employees of Runway? Why do the others see this as a negative thing? Why does Andy find it so difficult to deal with Miranda's attitude and demands?
Andy does not easily conform to Miranda's wishes and demands. Andy prefers to be treated with respect, likes to eat, and does not care all-too-much about fashion. That sets her apart from the other employees of Runway. However, this distinct difference between Andy and others cause people to look at her negatively. They look at her negatively because she is unconventional -- likes fattening soup, prefers sneakers over high, high heels, doesn't wear a bunch of makeup, and more. Andy finds it very difficult to conform to Miranda's attitude because she (as previously mentioned in the first sentence) likes to be treated with respect and within reasonable measures, which Miranda neither possesses.
III. Why is Emily so unpleasant to Andy? Why is her job, and going to the Paris fashion week, so important to Emily? What are her priorities in life? How do you think working for Runway has affected her and her worldview?
Emily is so unpleasant with Andy because she feels as if Andy is too casual about working for THE Miranda Priestly and takes her job too lightly. Emily's job (and attending Paris Fashion Week) is extremely important to her because she has worked very hard and long to get to the position she is currently at. She aims to please Miranda as best as she can. The priorities of Emily's life revolve around Miranda (as number one) to anything else coming behind that. Working for Runway also affected Emily in a major way. It made her more frantic, stressed, and scornful towards anything lower than Runway standard.
IV. Why do you think that Andy decides to get a makeover? How does it change the way other people at work, especially Miranda, view her? What does this say about the superficial attitude of many people?
Andy decides to get a makeover because of the ridicule she was being thrown whenever she went to work. When she does get the makeover, her coworkers looked at her more positively. Miranda, on the other hand, simply stopped scowling or whatnot at her clothing choices. This entire scenario is the perfect example of superficiality. It proves that if you do not look a certain way, some {read: a lot} of people may look at you distastefully. However, if you change the way you look, the look of distaste will become one of adoration and false, "You look great!"
V. How does her time at Runway change Andy? Are they positive or negative changes? How does leaving Runway change her?
Andy changed dramatically while at Runway. The way she dressed did a complete three-sixty. Her priorities also became mixed up, and instead of putting family and friends above work, she did the complete opposite. Obviously, the changes were of the negative variety. Thankfully, after leaving Runway, Andy rediscovers who she really is and became the once, down-to-earth person that everyone used to know.
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