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Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns

Review

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns

When the Devil is named Miranda Priestly, it takes two to do battle, and former Runway magazine enemies Andy Sachs and Emily Charlton are a formidable team 10 years later. They exploit their own savvy publishing style, Andy’s literary excellence, and Emily’s creative Rolodex style, to build The Plunge, the most exciting bridal magazine to hit newsstands in years. Their passion for revenge results in Miranda’s envy of this wildly successful publication and her determined desire to buy it for her empire, Elias-Clark publishing house. Miranda “remains the most powerful woman in both fashion and publishing.” How much power does the Devil have?

The Plunge was edited with a nod to high fashion and refinement: one-of-a-kind designer dresses; diamond jewelry worthy of being passed down through generations; guides on how to select the most elegant silver servers, rent a private island for your honeymoon, curate unique and finely crafted registry lists.” It’s a lifestyle that Weisberger’s fans adore knowing more about and one that sells books and movie tickets.

"The details of celebrity weddings in exotic locations with extravagant, luxurious details will provide Hollywood with another blockbuster movie."

Both Andy and Emily have built successful lives after escaping Miranda, and a decade later are at the top of their professional and personal careers. Andy is married to Max Harrison, heir to floundering Harrison Media Holdings, and Emily has found love with former playboy Miles, a reality TV producer. When they are summoned to Miranda’s office to discuss a possible acquisition worth millions, all of Andy’s memories and the trauma she experienced working as Miranda’s assistant comes roaring back to haunt her day and night.

Despite the surprising words from Miranda --- “I am impressed by its (The Plunge’s) level of elegance and sophistication, two qualities that are hardly synonymous with bridal magazines. The celebrity feature each month is especially appealing. You should both be commended for what you accomplished.” --- revenge still wears Prada. Miranda has NO idea that either Andy or Emily worked for her previously. Can the girls possibly work for “the evil, nasty, even sadistic Miranda” for one year as the pending buyout agreement stipulates?

Emily fantasizes that her former enslaver who threw her out like garbage has reformed and envisions being treated like an equal. Both girls bear the scars and nightmares of working for Miranda, but when Miranda starts sending lavish gifts and invites them to a private dinner party in her New York penthouse, they are intrigued by her interest in their three-year-old magazine and agree to several meetings, despite Andy’s grave reservations.

Andy is caught up in the idea of romance and marriage, and her lengthy relationship with Max is enough to ignore the red flag that suddenly appears on her wedding day. A surprise pregnancy forces her to push her reservations into the background and move forward with her fantasy of a happy marriage and a literary career in New York. Despite her new husband and baby, Andy is still pursuing something she can’t quite identify. She appears to have it all, but happiness evades her and the ultimate betrayal forces her to make some decisions about her future and never look back.

The reader is pulled into the glitz and glamour reminiscent of the New York Times bestseller THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA and the movie on which it was based. Celebrity weddings in exotic locations with extravagant, luxurious details will provide Hollywood with another blockbuster movie. The New York skyline and visions of Meryl Streep as the infamous Miranda Priestly from the 2006 motion picture adaptation keep popping up in the reader’s head as Miranda makes her strategic and devilish moves to acquire The Plunge.

Andy is the epitome of a survivor, a strong woman who keeps moving forward despite setbacks. Starting over may happen more than once in your life. Seizing change with reckless abandon is the ultimate revenge.

Reviewed by Hillary Wagy on June 7, 2013

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns
by Lauren Weisberger

  • Publication Date: May 6, 2014
  • Genres: Fiction, Women's Fiction
  • Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster
  • ISBN-10: 1439136645
  • ISBN-13: 9781439136645