Book review: Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger

I enjoyed the movie The Devil Wears Prada. I had watched it years ago when I was a student. What endeared me even more was the fact that the movie was based on a book. Therefore, when I saw …from the best selling author of The Devil Wears Prada on the book’s cover, I knew I had to read it.

The book, the story, doesn’t disappoint. It centers around a young protagonist who is suddenly thrust into a world of glamour and parties, courtesy her new job. The characters that she meets add a different shade of colour to her perceptions and beliefs. It can be anyone’s guess how she reacts given the behavioural contrasts between the people in her life. The characters include a friend, best friend, a gay character, family, competitive colleagues, a love triangle, elements of a potential scandal presented in a light-hearted manner, a pet and a happening city

The settings play a very important role in the entire plot. The story revolves around the event management scene in New York. Like every setting that thrives around glamour and celebrity industry, the places mentioned present a vivid picture of what the underbelly of the party scene would like. This is crucial as it presents the much required moral dilemma to the protagonist that helps her in finding her way through life as the story unfolds.

The issue with the core story is that there is one universal theme that is often repeated, rebranded and repackaged under different characters and circumstances. A lead that is suddenly thrust into a life of glamour/ richness tries to find its way and ends up finding the one thing that they were looking for in the beginning. However, as is the case with any good story, it is the journey of the lead characters that makes the difference in the reading experience. In this regard, Lauren does a good job. Given her previous personal and professional experience, it is easy to see where she draws the inspiration for her characters. Do look for the ending paragraph of the acknowledgement note for a fun trivia.

I read the reviews of the book online before penning down my thoughts on the same. They were somewhere in the middle in the spectrum that ranges from ‘Utterly boring’ to ‘Un-putdown-able’. I don’t blame the reviews. I feel that they were written in comparison to the first book and the subsequent movie. This is understandable, as we need a benchmark to compare something. However, if one reads the book as a standalone work, they might find the book to be quite enjoyable.

The language is simple. The story flows organically. With a little imagination, the characters can be understood to be relatable. The settings and situations feel realistic for the most part. It is one of those books that you don’t regret picking up. Overall, I would give the book somewhere between 3.5 and 3.9 stars (out of 5).

Do read it and share your thoughts.