Trashionista

BOOK REVIEW: The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

Arguably one of the most successful chick lit books of the past few years, it has also been made into a successful film with Meryl Streep. Which we've reviewed. Twice. Andrea has appeared on Trashionista as a heroine, yet, *whispers* we've never actually reviewed the book. So today I'm going to right this wrong.

If you don't already know (and if you don't where have you been?!) this brilliantly titled book is about Andrea Sachs, who has ambitions to write for The New Yorker and gets a job as Miranda Priestly's assistant. Apparently if you work for her for a year you can practically name the magazine you want to then go on to write for.

Lauren Weisberger has written this from her own experiences as she worked as the assistant for Anna Wintour the all powerful editor of Vogue. Priestly an exacting, outrageous control freak is supposed to be based on Wintour.

Andrea has no interest in fashion, diets, low carbs or any of the stuff associated with that industry. She has to learn fast both how to survive the looks and comments from her peers but also how to manage the demands of her boss. She is reduced to buying the coffee for her whilst also trying to negotiate several other difficult demands at the same time.

The plot of this book isn't it's strongest point. It has humour, a vivid look at the inside of the fashion industry, and definitely that page turning factor. But what carries the book, for me, is the character of Miranda. She is just so outrageously awful, so demanding of all these people who do exactly as she says, so larger than life that you just have to keep reading.

Occasionally I felt irritated by Andrea. Why put up with all of this? But Andrea has got to the point where she is so sucked into it all she believes she doesn't have a choice, which we, as a reader, can see that she does. Because of this I was led to believe that we were leading up to a big ending. A big bang, if you like. And whilst I won't give it away, I have to say the only bit I was slightly disappointed with was the end. Otherwise, I loved it.

Rating: 4/5 for sheer entertainment.

Like this? Try The Nanny Diaries by Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin

HELEN'S HEROINES: Andrea Sachs

Some people don't like it when the protagonist of a story is a writer. I can understand that, it is a bit of a cliche after all.  Personally though, I love it. One of my favourite Marian Keyes books is The Other Side of the Story, which is about a writer and her agent (and no doubt a heroine will be appearing from that book soonish). I've also just reviewed a lovely book with an erotic writer as the heroine and Carrie Bradshaw is my idol. Not for her shoes, hair or her wardrobe, but because she writes.

So Andrea Sachs, in The Devil Wears Prada, was bound to be one of my favourite heroines for the simple reason that she is. A Writer.

A graduate with a degree in English, Andrea moves to New York to live with her friend Lily and to find a job within the magazine publishing industry.  Not having much luck elsewhere, she gets a surprise interview with Elias-Clark for a job "a million girls would kill for." At first she finds herself dismissive of "the clackers" but soon find herself sucked in to the ridiculous demands of her boss and into becoming a fashionista herself. She hates her job, neglects her friends and family and misses meals -  but she justs needs to stick it out for a year then she could have her pick of writing jobs in New York.

She knows this isn't the job for her, but her determination to keep going in order to gain the job she really likes is pretty inspiring. Having never had a boss or editor from hell myself, I don't know how I'd react to that sort of situation. I don't know if I would have had the strength to put up with it - even for a guaranteed job with The New Yorker. But I have a feeling I wouldn't have lasted a minute, if I'd got the job at all. When it all becomes too much though, I'm glad Andrea does what she does. No-one is paid enough to put up with the soul destroying efforts of her boss, free designer clothes or not.

More Helen's Heroines

The Devil Wears Prada - alternative film review

Warning: Movie Spoiler

I finally got round to watching The Devil Wears Prada last weekend (I know I’m a year behind everyone else!) and I was very disappointed. Girl goes to the big city to get her dream job and then jacks it all in because her boyfriend doesn’t like her new lifestyle (and, if you ask me, her best mate seemed jealous as well).

The moral of the story seemed to be that if you want the powerful, glamorous job that Miranda Priestly has you will end up a lonely divorcee, but if you toe the line and get the good little girl job all will be right in your love life. I’m told the book has a different ending so I’ll have to move that up my to be read pile to find out.

Related Posts:  The Devil Wears Prada archives

BOOK NEWS: Blood is the New Black by Valerie Stivers

Billed as Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets The Devil Wears Prada, I can’t wait to get my hands on ‘Blood is the New Black’ by Valerie Stivers.

Kate is spending the summer working for ‘Tasty’ and her colleagues are all condescending, black clad and emaciated. Normal for a fashion magazine? Not when those colleagues are vampires. I love supernatural chick lit and hope this one, out on 18th October, won’t disappoint.

Related Posts: Lover Revealed by JR Ward  |  Jinx by Meg Cabot |  Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie

Follow fashion at GFWlive.com!

We like a fashion-themed read as much as the next girl: from The Devil Wears Prada to Divas Don't Knit - clothes, chick lit and the fashion industry share a special bond, which may be why Trashionista's ed-in-chief Gemma Cartwright is also a fashion maven.

For the rest of this week, you can follow Gemma, Kim and the Catwalk Queen gang's take on Graduate Fashion Week at a specially-dedicated blog, GFWlive.com.

If you want to know what kind of clothes we'll all be wearing (and most likely, reading about) next season then head on over for all the gossip!

MOVIE NEWS: The Jane Austen Book Club

I seem to be the only Trashionista writer who loved The Jane Austen Book Club , but obviously people somewhere agree with me, as Hollywood quickly snapped up the rights for a big screen version of the novel.

Emily Blunt, who played the English first assistant (based on Plum Sykes?) in The Devil Wears Prada, stars, along with Amy Brenneman from (one of my faves) Judging Amy. Hugh Dancy, who will also star in Bronte (it's in 'pre-production' now) is in it too - but there's no news on a release date yet.

We'll keep you posted.

[Via Imdb.com]

THURSDAY THREE: Working at magazines

Last week I looked at books set in newspaper offices. This week I’m looking at the much more glamorous world of magazines.

Andrea Semple’s The Ex-Factor features agony aunt for Gloss magazine, Martha Seymore, whose own relationship comes apart, leading Martha to piece together her relationship history and realise that she might not be that different to her readers after all.

Zoe Rose, heroine of Stephanie Lessing’s Miss Understanding, has recently been made deputy editor to Issues magazine, despite being a radical feminist. She immediately gets on the bad side of a couple of fashionistas and the rest of the plot is typical bitchy, back-stabbing, sabotage type of stuff you would expect from a book set at a glossy magazine.

Carry on over the cut for our third book - ooh, what could it be? - and a special request ...

Arguably the most successful chick lit book of the last few years, Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada is about Andrea Sachs, who goes to work for Miranda Priestly, the scary editor of Runway magazine. Can you believe we haven’t actually reviewed The Devil Wears Prada here at Trashionista? So would any of you like to review it for us? The book, not the film. If you're feeling generous, please email us. Thanks!

Meryl Streep wins Golden Globe for 'Prada' portrayal

Meryl Streep's star turn as boss-from-hell Miranda Priestly in hit chick-lit film adaptation The Devil Wears Prada has earned her a Golden Globe award for best actress in a comedy film, reports the BBC.

Most deserved, I must say - good on ya, Mezza!

Devil Wears Prada archives.

MOVIE NEWS: Becoming Jane

A new film, Becoming Jane is about a twenty-year old Jane Austen and her romance with a young Irishman, and how he influenced her in the creation of the male characters in Pride and Prejudice. It stars James McAvoy, Dame Maggie Smith, Julie Walters and - gasp! - an American as Jane: Princess Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada star Anne Hathaway.

It should hit British screens on March 9th and I can. not. wait. to see it!

[Via The Sunday Times and Imdb.com]

Top 10 chick lit books of all time

For the final Top 10 of our Top 100 Extravaganza we had to be strict. We wanted to include our own all-time favourites and the books we think are the best chick lit books, but we thought the most influential and successful - the books that, for whatever reason, define the genre - should be included too. Following a flurry of emails (Diane: “We need a Weiner!”), we have our Top 10 Chick Lit Books of All Time. Let us know what you think.

10 Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell

I didn’t actually manage to finish Sex and the City the book, although of course I love the TV series. We’ve included the book because it’s been highly influential, although perhaps not in a good way. Many of the critics of chick lit who claim that it’s all about shoes, shopping, drinking and searching for a man are actually thinking of Sex and the City, the TV show, and not chick lit at all. Annoying, but what can you do?

Anyway, it gave us Carrie Bradshaw, so we have to love it, don’t we?

9 Thirtynothing by Lisa Jewell

Thirtynothing is probably my second favourite chick lit book of all time. Like all of Lisa Jewell’s books, the setting is perfect, the characters realistic and believable and it also has one of my favourite ever first chapters. Lisa Jewell is a glorious writer and Thirtynothing is a delightful book. If you haven’t read it, you really should.

8 The Nanny Diaries by Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin

One of the most successful books in the Top 10, The Nanny Diaries was so popular its two authors scored an incredible $3 million advance for their second book, Citizen Girl, which they had to return when it turned out to be a stinker. Proof that it’s not that easy to write chick lit after all.

The film adaptation of The Nanny Diaries is due out in April in the US.

7 The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

I haven’t actually read this one yet (I must, I know), but clearly it is the most successful chick lit book of the last few years. The title has become a household name, the book sold millions of copies in hardback, stayed on the New York Times Best Seller list for six months and has since been translated into 27 languages and the film’s been both a critical and commercial success. And they say chick lit’s dead. Sheesh.

6 High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Ooh, a controversial one. Yes, I’m aware that Nick Hornby isn’t a woman and that High Fidelity isn’t chick lit, but it’s close enough and influential enough that it has to be here. Plus it’s the book that inspired Lisa Jewell (amongst others) to start writing and that’s good enough for me.

Fever Pitch is often credited as the book that created Lad Lit, but, as I’ve already mentioned, Fever Pitch is non-fiction. High Fidelity was Nick Hornby’s first novel and is the brilliantly written and hugely entertaining story of Rob Fleming’s relationship history. While it is a great book, Nick Hornby has gone on to be critically acclaimed and accepted as literary, unlike any chick lit author I can think of. Now that can just be because he’s a man ... can it?

Carry on over the cut for the Top 5.

5 Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie

Welcome to Temptation was Jennifer/Jenny Crusie’s third mass-market (i.e. not romance) novel, but it’s a favourite of anyone who reads Jennifer’s books. Actually, you don’t read Jennifer Crusie’s books, you devour them. Welcome to Temptation has all the essential Crusie ingredients: a feisty heroine, a sexy hero and an arguably even sexier anti-hero in Davy Dempsey. This was the book Diane insisted made it into the Top 10!

4 In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner

My favourite chick lit book of all time, In Her Shoes has got everything - the antagonistic sisterly relationship so popular in chick lit, a love story, personal growth, humour (of course), even an evil stepmother. Plus Jennifer Weiner is the woman most likely to emulate Nick Hornby and be accepted by the literary establishment. But don't hold your breath.

3 The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

This, the first book in the enormously popular series, is yet another example of how much skill is involved in writing an apparently simple book. Kinsella came up with the perfect chick lit conceit: if chick lit is all about shopping, then what about a character who is, quite literally, all about shopping? And it worked. Becky Bloomwood is a charming and hilarious heroine, just on the right side of irritating.

(Look out for the latest Shopaholic book, Shopaholic and Baby, due out in February 2007.)

2 Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes

The Marian Keyes connoisseur’s favourite Marian Keyes book and the chick lit connoisseur’s favourite chick lit book*, Rachel’s Holiday is the story of Rachel Walsh - one of the Walsh sisters who also appear in Watermelon, Angels and Anybody Out There? For anyone who thinks chick lit is lightweight, meaningless and obsessed with shoes and shopping, here’s a book about drug addiction, alcoholism and anorexia (although it was still described as “fluffy” by one of the broadsheets!).

* Both Megan Crane and Hester Browne chose it as their favourite in our author interview.

1 Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

Bridget Jones’s Diary may not have been the first chick lit book, but it’s certainly the most famous. Spawning a sequel, two films and introducing “singletons” and “smug marrieds” into the vernacular (not to mention increasing sales of big knickers), Bridget remains the “face” of chick lit. It is also v. v. funny.

Bridget is also the most commonly referenced book and heroine in our weekly author interviews, cited by Laura Zigman, Janet Evanovich, Kelly McClymer, Rebecca Agiewich, Sara Gruen and Deanna Carlyle!

So what do you think? Have we got it right or are we completely wrong? Is your favourite missing or a hated book included? Let us know!

Posted by Shiny Media on December 29, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Debut Novels, Devil Wears Prada, Irish Authors, Marian Keyes, Modern Fiction, Opinion, Sophie Kinsella, Top 100 Extravaganza! | Permalink | Comments (14)

Top 10 chick lit authors

Our Top 100 Extravaganza continues with the Top 10 chick lit authors chosen from our weekly Spotlight feature.

10 Belinda Jones

Belinda Jones has carved herself the best career ever - she travels the world and writes always-entertaining chick lit books based on her adventures.

9 Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell’s Thirtynothing is one of my favourite books of all time and her latest, Vince and Joy is wonderful too.

8 Emily Giffin

Emily Giffin is one of the new breed of chick lit authors, scoring huge sales in an allegedly dying market.

7 Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot may be better-known for her young adult novels, but her adult chick lit books are entertaining and very funny.

6 Jennifer Crusie

Jennifer Crusie (pictured) was writing chick lit before it was called chick lit and she just keeps getting better.

Carry on over the cut for the Top 5 and find out who's number one (it might not be who you think!)

5 Sophie Kinsella

The Shopaholic books are chick lit classics and rightly so. Plus Can You Keep A Secret has one of my favourite ever chick lit heroes. (Look out for the latest Shopaholic book, Shopaholic and Baby due in February 2007.)

4 Lauren Weisberger

Had to be Top 5 due to the enormous success of The Devil Wears Prada (the only book to get its own Trashionista category!). Weisberger’s debut brought the chick lit debate back with a bang.

3 Jennifer Weiner

One author who has apparently begun to transcend her chick lit label. Graduating from an Ivy League school and writing short stories has probably helped.

2 Helen Fielding

Nope. She’s not number one, but she had to be up there. The one who - arguably - started it all with Bridget Jones and still the author still most associated with chick lit.

1 Marian Keyes

Why? Because her first book, Watermelon, came out in 1995 - a year before Bridget Jones’s Diary - making her arguably the originator of chick lit. Plus she’s published a further seven gorgeous novels and two wonderful books of non-fiction. And because she’s a goddess.

Posted by Keris Stainton on December 11, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Devil Wears Prada, Irish Authors, Marian Keyes, Modern Fiction, Opinion, Top 100 Extravaganza! | Permalink | Comments (5)

MOVIE NEWS: The Undomestic Goddess

We mentioned a while ago that Aline Brosh McKenna, who wrote the script of The Devil Wears Prada movie, was working on Allison Pearson's I Don't Know How She Does It.

Now it seems that she's also working on a screenplay of Sophie Kinsella's The Undomestic Goddess for Universal Pictures. [via Variety]

Posted by Keris Stainton on October 31, 2006 in Book News, Book related, British Authors, Debut Novels, Devil Wears Prada, Modern Fiction, Movie News, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

Trashionista recommends: Relentlessly Positive

You know how much we love The Devil Wears Prada round here, but we appreciate it might not be quite as entertaining if you actually do have a Boss From Hell!

Fab new site Relentlessly Positive has some tips if you're in an Andie-esque situation, but even if you're not, it's worth reading for the title alone: The Devil Wears Primark. Genius.

Posted by Keris Stainton on October 25, 2006 in Book related, Devil Wears Prada | Permalink | Comments (0)

SPOTLIGHT: Lauren Weisberger

This week we turn our attention to arguably the most successful chick lit author of the last few years - Lauren Weisberger.

Lauren was born in 1977 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Cornell University in 1999 she backpacked around Europe and Asia before moving to New York to work as Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour. Amazingly, it was the very first job she applied for.

This experience inspired her first novel The Devil Wears Prada, which was published in 2003 to great fanfare and enormous popularity. It was subsequently made into a film starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway (see what we thought of it) and is soon to be a TV series too!

Lauren's second novel, Everyone Worth Knowing (for which she received a $1million advance), was published in October 2005 and was also a New York Times bestseller, despite the general consensus being that it's not quite as good as her debut (USA Today declared it "a major letdown").

Lauren lives in New York and is working on her third novel (yep, another $1million advance).

Continue over the cut for her bibliography and more

The Devil Wears Prada
Everyone Worth Knowing

Click here for a list of Lauren's favourite books.

Did you know? Lauren's a huge fan of Grey's Anatomy (like some other of our favourite authors!)

Posted by Keris Stainton on October 24, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Debut Novels, Devil Wears Prada, Fashion-Lit, Modern Fiction, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

TRASHIONISTA RECOMMENDS: Marie Claire

This month's Marie Claire magazine is a veritable smorgasboard of delights for the discerning Trashionista!

Not only is there an interview with Devil Wears Prada and Princess Diaries star Anne Hathaway (looking like a young Liza Minnelli on the cover, in my opinion), there's a short feature about Janet Evanovich's favourite books (she thinks the fictional hero she most resembles is Bridget Jones) and the scoop on Lauren Weisberger's favourite music (Broadway soundtracks), films (Dirty Dancing), Books (Love Story) and fashion (jeans!).

Shockingly though, Marian Keyes's column seems to have ended. Boo.

Posted by Keris Stainton on October 20, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Devil Wears Prada, Girly Stuff, Marian Keyes | Permalink | Comments (2)

FRIDAY FLICK: The Devil Wears Prada

We had to review DWP for Friday Flick, didn't we? After all, we've talked about it for quite some time- and even told you how to make Devil Wears Prada cocktails! (I didn't end up sneaking a flask in with me, but I did go to see it with four other girls and a large tub of popcorn, which seems the ideal scenario).

If you haven't read the book and have managed to avoid hearing about the film (how?!) here's the story: Andi wants to be a serious journalist and has moved to New York to pursue her dream. After trying to get her dream job on a big New York newspaper investigating serious issues, and repeatedly failing, in desperation she attends an interview at Runway magazine (famously based on American Vogue) where despite her lack of fashion acumen, editor-in-chief Miranda Priestley (famously based on Vogue editor Anna Wintour) hires her. And then the fun begins!

Sorry- that was sarcasm... the fun doesn't really begin at all for Andi after that. Miranda makes Margaret Thatcher seem warm and fuzzy: Andi is constantly on call to pander to her every whim, from getting the new Harry Potter in manuscript form to getting her out of Florida in the middle of a tropical storm. And Miranda's senior assistant Emily has no sympathy, and never responds to Andi's attempts at friendliness. Soon Andi's relationship with her boyfriend Nate is suffering and her friends complain they hardly see her. Her dad comes to visit her and she spends the whole night on the phone, instead. Andi says she can't stand her job. But a part of her is sucked in, too: she changes her image, loses weight and starts to fit in to this glam new world. But does she want to? And what will that mean giving up?

I really enjoyed this film- it's perfect fun chick-lit fare, perfectly placed for its target audience. Anne Hathaway is great at this kind of bumbling-awkward-girl-turned-beauty shtick (as the two Princess Diaries films prove). It's also fun to watch stuff like this and try to imagine what's based on reality (I imagine quite a lot, as the book's author Lauren Weisberger was Anna Wintour's assistant!) There are some differences from the book, though: Andi's boyfriend lives with her in the film, which actually makes more sense, and Miranda is a touch softer (although not much- I'd heard reports that suggested she was positively warm and fuzzy- not so!) The ending is also different, and I feel the book's more moral outcome was stronger. But those who haven't read the book I'm sure won't mind. All in all, a fun girly fun, perfect if you love fashion, journalism- or just a light chick-flick of a Friday night. I recommend it!

Friday Flick archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 20, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Debut Novels, Devil Wears Prada, Fashion-Lit, Friday Flick, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Movie Magic, Movie News, Romance | Permalink | Comments (4)

The Devil Wears Prada cocktails!

As you should all know by now, this Friday sees the UK release (at long, long last!) of the film adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada so in honour of this fine occasion, one of the film's sponsors, Cointreau, the French liqueur (ooh Cointreau and liqueur are hard to spell, aren't they?- and I haven't taken a sip, I swear!) has created two special cocktails in honour of the film. Perhaps you could have some girlfriends round afterwards for a celebration? Or, y'know, you could try and sneak a flask into the cinema... (JOKE).

Check out the recipes over the cut...

Devil's Desire:

You need: 50ml Cointreau; 25ml pink grapefruit juice; 25ml pomegranate juice; 10ml passion fruit syrup; 1 wedge of lime, squeezed.

Chill a martini glass. Shake ingredients together in a shaker with ice, and strain into glass. Garnish with a spiral of orange peel.

Devil's Delight

Fill a tall glass with ice. Add in this order and stir gently: 1 wedge of lime. Squeeze over ice and drop into glass;

25ml Cointreau;

50ml apple juice ;

50ml cranberry juice.

Garnish with a slice of orange.

Simple! Enjoy...

[Via Response Source].

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 2, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Debut Novels, Devil Wears Prada, Fashion-Lit, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Movie News | Permalink | Comments (0)

THURSDAY THREE: Assistant Lit

I ranted a while ago about the numerous chick lit sub-genres and then, in her review of See Jane Write, Luisa mentioned Assistant Lit. Well it may sound far-fetched, but it's actually one of the most successful sub-genres. (Laura Zigman's long-awaited new book, Piece of Work, is yet another example.)

Just in case you're unfamiliar with the term, Assistant Lit does exactly what is says on the tin - it's a book where the main character works for someone who is usually glamorous and most likely a pain in the pants.

It would be remiss of me not to start with the most famous example, The Devil Wears Prada, particularly since the film is finally out next week. I think everyone probably knows what this one's about, but just in case ... Lauren Weisberger worked as assistant to Vogue editor Anna Wintour and then wrote a book about Andrea Sachs who gets a job as assistant to Miranda Priestly, editor of Runway magazine ... and she gives her a dog's life.

Hop over the cut for the other two books.

The Second Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare is about Elizabeth Miller who takes the job of second assistant to an executive at a glitzy Hollywood agency and soon finds it's not all glamour. Mimi Hare used to be a Hollywood executive so she presumably knows what she's talking about.

The Nanny Diaries by, yes, former nannies Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin follows the New York adventures of Nan as she attempts to take care of 4-year-old Grayer while dealing with his mother, Mrs X's increasingly outrageous demands.

So which is your favourite Assistant Lit book or *evil laugh* do you have an ex-boss you could write your own book about?

Posted by Keris Stainton on September 28, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Debut Novels, Devil Wears Prada, Fashion-Lit, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Tuesday Three | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Times gears up for an all-male Christmas

Two days ago, The Sunday Times previewed the books they think will be big this Christmas. As we told you yesterday, celeb memoirs are especially big this year- something the newspaper acknowledges, mentioning Stephen Gerrard, David Hasselhoff, Rupert Everett, Peter Andre (!) and Gary Barlow. As for fiction, although there's a token mention of Janet Fitch and Margaret Atwood releasing books for the American market, it turns out that the big names to look out for in Britain this autumn are:  "Jurassic Park author Michael Crichton, Charles Frazier, John Grisham, Robert Harris, Stephen King, John le Carré and Thomas Pynchon."

I can't work out if the blokes at The Times are sexist or just a bunch of old fogies, but I don't for one minute believe that literary quirk Thomas Pynchon or Charles "Cold Mountain" Frazier will outsell Marian Keyes or Lauren Weisberger this Christmas! Come on Sunday Times writers- How about you do another article highlighting all the great books by women that have been released this year?

Update: The ever-insightful Galleycat sees my point!

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on September 26, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Devil Wears Prada, Irish Authors, Marian Keyes, Memoirs, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Opinion | Permalink | Comments (1)

The curse of the second novel

What do Citizen Girl, Everyone Worth Knowing and The Debutante Divorcee have in common? All are second novels that were considerably less successful/popular than the authors' debut books.

This great Newsday article examines the "sophomore slump" - just how hard is it to write a second book? Read on to find out more.

The piece includes insights from Carolyn Parkhurst (whose book, The Dogs of Babel, was called Lorelei's Secret in the UK), Janet Fitch and Sue Monk Kidd - who laments the woman who told her 'I don't see how you can ever write another novel that good' causing her to throw out everything she wrote for the next two weeks - as well as revealing that Amy Tan gave up on six novels before finally publishing The Kitchen God's Wife.

It's a really interesting article, but it's worth a read just to learn that there's a "support group for second novelists" in Los Angeles (where else?).

Posted by Keris Stainton on August 18, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Debut Novels, Devil Wears Prada | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK REVIEW- The Second Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare

Many young women dream of moving to Hollywood, working for a top movie mogul, and mixing with famous actors and high-flyers in the film world day-in, day-out.  But Elizabeth Miller, aka: The Second Assistant, isn't one of them.  A down-on-her-luck political campaigner, she meets a Hollywood big-wig at a Washington party and, thinking she has nothing to lose, flies to L.A and lands a new job-  approximately 2650 miles out of her comfort zone...

After her first task, sorting drawing pins into piles (throwing away the coloured ones, of course!) it becomes clear that the Stephen Spielberg biography Elizabeth read on the plane isn't going to be adequate preparation for this crazy new world.  However, after a lot of ups and downs, she slowly starts to realise she likes the town, even making a new friend or two and finding a man she likes (can she make him her boyfriend? Read it to find out!) and she even becomes inured to the craziness of Hollywood...

"There are things that I know are not normal but since I became involved with Hollywood, I now cease to bat an eyelid at. They are:  Men who wear mascara in between eyelash dyes, the sign in the bathroom of my office that says 'smoking and vomiting prohibited'... women who take fertility drugs even though they don't have a boyfriend..."

You get the picture.  The authors have both lived and worked in Hollywood themselves, and so this is another Devil Wears Prada "snitch-lit" -type novel.  I think this one is a bit of a broader farce than DWP, or The Nanny Diaries for that matter- but then truth is stranger than fiction and we are talking about Hollywood, so who can be sure??!

I have to admit I was a little disappointed with some aspects of the story.  Elizabeth goes through so much at the start of the book, finding it hard to adjust and dealing with all the bitchiness and competitiveness of the film world, that I thought she'd have a typical 'rags to riches' Hollywood ending (this is one of those rare cases where the authors could have made that seem realistic!)- but she doesn't.  It's not a terrible tragic ending or anything, but I was left wanting more.  I can only assume that was to whet readers' appetites for the sequel which  I hope will tie up all the loose ends.  But even though I love this type of book, I can't help wondering... how many more of them do we need?

Still, this is an easy-to-read  insight into another (fascinating) world, with an intelligent protagonist,  and it's all the more enjoyable if, like me, you choose to assume that a lot of it is based on real events!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try You'll Never Nanny in this town Again by Suzanne Hansen, The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger.

*DID YOU KNOW?*  Uma Thurman was set to film Mimi Hare and Clare Naylor's script, The Accidental Husband in 2004, but it never happened.  (Fodder for their next book, perhaps?!)

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 27, 2006 in American Authors, Devil Wears Prada, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Review: Everyone Worth Knowing

Owing to the success of its world-famous predecessor The Devil Wears Prada, Lauren Weisberger's next offering, Everyone Worth Knowing, definitely seemed worth the read. With the upcoming movie release of Prada this October, I was curious to know what else this this lady had up her sleeve!

But as they all say - the sequels are never as good as the first. Actually, Everyone Worth Knowing is NOT a sequel - it's a new character in a whole new world of work - but with the immense similarities, it might as well be.

Bette Robinson leaves her dreary bank job in New York, and with the help of her well-known columnist uncle, lands a job for Kelly & Company; one of the biggest party-planning firms around. Jumping in at the deep end, somewhat clueless Bette finds herself immediately accosted by a vast array of celebrity clients, colleagues who think that a Birkin bag will solve all of life's miseries, and a boss who promotes partying as 'good for the company.' Okay, this job is certainly not banking. But she's getting paid to party!

However, when Bette appears in the latest gossip columns as the girlfriend of Manhattan's most wanted bachelor, everyone is clamouring to know just who she is and how she managed to snare the hottest guy around, Philip Weston. If that isn't bad enough for Bette, seeing as she is in fact NOT going out with the famed millionaire, her boss thinks it's amazing. Bette's instant fame is tripled, leaving her to suffer late nights and the prospect of having to let down her best friend.

It seems like a decent plot that would make for a witty tale of celebrity life, but Everyone Worth Knowing is far from it. Much to my disappointment, it took me two weeks to get through this when I usually finish a book in a matter of three nights, due to the fact that this is simply Prada repackaged. And not only that, it's not half as interesting as the tale of Andrea Sachs. Party-girl stories about glamour and celebs are beginning to wear a bit thin, especially when the supposed heroine is one of those 'woe is me' types. Bette came across as a constantly miserable sort who would probably always have something to mentally whine about. Basically, someone you'd want to slap with a wet fish, albeit a Gucci one.

This book dragged, it wasn't at all funny, and to be blatantly honest, it read just like Prada only without the horrid boss and bitchines which made that story particularly amusing. New York? Check. Regular girl jumps into a high-flying world of designers and celebrities? Check. Unfortunately this second offering doesn't come close to Lauren's brilliantly successful debut. Despite the fact that her books are very well-written, she needs to come up with a different plot.

And quickly.

Rating : 2 out of 5

Like this? Try 'Bergdorf Blondes' by Plum Sykes.

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on July 18, 2006 in American Authors, Devil Wears Prada, Fashion-Lit, Girly Stuff, Rating: 2/5 | Permalink | Comments (8)

Devil Wears Prada - Anne Hathaway Interview

Looking forward to the release of the Devil Wears Prada? With the launch set for 27th October (argh!), you won’t have to wait so long for snippets. Movie news site Comingsoon.net recently had a chat with Princess Diaries actress Anne Hathaway – who plays fashion-hopeless graduate Andy Sachs in the adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s bestseller.

Said Anne: ‘I felt connected to the story of a girl who was fresh out of college and really idealistic and how she was going to find a way to live in this world. I just loved her story, and I’ve played so many kind of good characters, characters that make good decisions, selfless decisions – I really liked that she kind of did everything wrong.’

To read the whole interview, click here. Comingsoon.net also offers a selection of trailers, featurettes and clips if you really can’t wait.

Just be sure to stay away from those spoilers!

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on July 12, 2006 in Devil Wears Prada, Devil Wears Prada, Fashion-Lit, Interviews, Interviews, Movie News, Movie News | Permalink | Comments (0)

Devil Wears Prada - Anne Hathaway Interview

Looking forward to the release of the Devil Wears Prada? With the launch set for 27th October (argh!), you won’t have to wait so long for snippets. Movie news site Comingsoon.net recently had a chat with Princess Diaries actress Anne Hathaway – who plays fashion-hopeless graduate Andy Sachs in the adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s bestseller.

Said Anne: ‘I felt connected to the story of a girl who was fresh out of college and really idealistic and how she was going to find a way to live in this world. I just loved her story, and I’ve played so many kind of good characters, characters that make good decisions, selfless decisions – I really liked that she kind of did everything wrong.’

To read the whole interview, click here. Comingsoon.net also offers a selection of trailers, featurettes and clips if you really can’t wait.

Just be sure to stay away from those spoilers!

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on July 12, 2006 in Devil Wears Prada, Devil Wears Prada, Fashion-Lit, Interviews, Interviews, Movie News, Movie News | Permalink | Comments (0)

Trashionista Recommends: Amazon extras!

If you're not a regular visitor to Amazon's American site, you may have missed out on a wonderful new gem: Amazon Fishbowl.  It's an internet-exclusive show/preview section about music, entertainment and, most especially, books! 

Hosted by American comedian Bill Maher, a new 'Fishbowl' is uploaded to the site each week.  And there's lots to interest the typical Trashionista, with the most recent episode including Desperate Housewives' Teri Hatcher (talking about her new autobiography, Burnt Toast) and on June 22, big-time Trashionista fave Janet Evanovich was the guest of honour.  They've even featured exclusive preview clips of the hugely- anticipated film adaptation The Devil Wears Prada  in the past.  (To my huge excitement!)

The show's released every Thursday night, which means we Brits can catch it on the site's main page every Friday, via amazon.com.  Or, you can check out the jam-packed, fun-filled archives at your leisure here.  (What are you waiting for?!)

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 3, 2006 in Announcements, Book related, Devil Wears Prada, Girly Stuff, Interviews | Permalink | Comments (0)