Review: The Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries #1) by Meg Cabot

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS:

Mia Thermopolis is pretty sure there's nothing worse than being a five-foor-nine, flat-chested freshman, who also happens to be flunking Algebra.
Is she ever in for a surprise.
First Mom announces that she's dating Mia's Algebra teacher. Then Dad has to go and reveal that he is the crown prince of Genovia. And guess who still doesn't have a date for the Cultural Diversity Dance?

MY TAKE:
I think I would have loved this book more if I had read it before I saw the movie.

In The Princess Diaries, Mia is a high school freshman who discovers that her father is the prince of Genovia, which means that she is actually a princess. Now in addition to her problems with Algebra, dealing with Lana, and coming to terms with her mother dating her teacher, she also has to take princess lessons from her grandmother, who she dislikes.

For the longest time, I thought that this book was much like the movie. I mean, I knew that in the book that Mia's father was still alive, but I had no idea that there were so many major differences between the film and this book.

The plot, as it is, is not bad. It differed greatly from the movie, but I actually liked the plot here a little better than the story in the movie. It really was a lot like reading the diary of a teenage girl.

I didn't like Mia all that much, though. She seems to whine about everything and make a big deal out of little things. Although, since she's still a freshman and this is the first book in the series, I guess she can be forgiven for being immature. The biggest surprise for me, however, was grandmere. She was not like Julie Andrews' character at all. She was quite condescending and intimidating, although I imagine her lessons would have been worth it.

It's too bad that some characters that I liked in this book (Tina and Lars, in particular) weren't in the movie, and those I liked in the movie (Joe and Charlotte) weren't in this book. At least Michael was around, and he's an even better person in the book than he was in the movie.

Despite Mia's whining, I still think I'd read the rest of the series. If only to see how her relationship with Michael progresses.

THE GOOD:

1. It does read like the diary of a teenage girl.
2. There were some funny moments.
3. The series looks promising. 

THE BAD:

1. Mia whines quite a bit. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

What is the appropriate reply to make to a man who says he loves you?
Thank you. You are very kind. 

READ IT IF:

1. You've wondered what it would be like to be a princess.
2. You love books set in New York.
3. You like books with some family and friendship drama. 

RATING:


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