The Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries #1)

Reader reviewed by Janet

I must contradict another reader's review. Yes, there is more to being a princess than that, and does'nt the book cover all of Mia's emomtional changes and resolutions? How being a princess made hardships between her and her best friend? How people's attitudes changed toward her, and no one was real anymore, how it became dramatically all about her? While i thought the book was cute, however, i must say that it was a little hard to relate to. But then, who can relate to being the princess of a foreign country as well as one might relate to some other teen romance? It's not as easy.

Reader reviewed by Saba

I have to admit that this book is slightly disapointing. Yes, yes, I know you all think it's great, but it's just not my style.

Well, for starters, the plot was good - and ordinary girl suddenly revealed as a princess - but there was just too much gushing and OMG-ing. I couldn't relate to it easy enough.

I liked the idea of an ordinary girl suddenly becoming a princess, but basically nothing happens, and the main climax of the book is when she gets kissed by a guy in front of the media - which is terrible, but surely there's more to being a princess than that?
Think about it.

Reader reviewed by Paula T.

I loved this book. Mia is just a regular girl until she finds out she is the PRINCESS of Genovia. She thinks she is not fit to be a princess. Throughout the entire book, she has troubles with boys, family, and herself. This book is terribly funny and you should read it.

Reader reviewed by milanna

Your royal highness may present The Princess Diaries! What a good book! Mia the invisible girl. the one that spends her whole life being teased about the way she looks. well at 15 it has to be hard to learn that you are the princess of a small country named Genovia. Oh yea! you can't forget the fact that her dad had cancer,her mom is going out with her ALGEBRA TEACHER(did i mention the fact that she is FAILING ALGEBRA!!!)must be one hard life!

Reader reviewed by artemis

The book is way better than the movie to be honest. The movie just leaves out her dad--saying he died when he's very much alive in the book. The journal entries are funny and the whole Genovia concept is cool. I wish I could rule a country! Mia is a school nerd who learns she is heir to a European throne. Her father breaks the news--not her grandmother. Don't watch the movie. It's so bad. But give the book a try. It's long, sometimes boring, predictable and a bit cheesy, but it's an okay start to the series.

Reader reviewed by Sofie

This was one of the funniest books I have read in a while! This book is about a high school girl named Mia who isn't really that exciting, but then learns the she is the princess of a small country call Genovia. Mia is not as excited as everyone else is, because now she has to learn algebra from a teacher that her mom is dating, not look stupid in front of her friends, and learn how to be a princess!

Her Grandmother is now making her come to her house to practice being a princess everyday after school, and she has to be followed by a bodyguard everywhere she goes! She is starting to really hate being a princess.

If you liked this book, read all the others in the series! This is a really good book for middle schoolers.

Reader reviewed by Whitney Hwang

Originally, I read this book when it first came out in 2000. At that time, Ill admit, I was a bit crazy about it. I also read some of the later books in the series over the years, which were surprisingly as good as the first one. Recently, I reread The Princess Diaries, and rediscovered the joy if irony.

Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo is a freshman who, in fact, only referred to herself as Mia Thermopolis before, unknowing that she was a princess, and destined to rule a country one day. Shes feeling stressed. About many things, of course. Even for a princess, she worries a lot. Her algebra teacher is her mothers boyfriend, shes in a fight with her best friend, doesnt have a date to the Cultural Diversity Dance, is failing both in Algebra and her attempts to not be affected by her adversary, the most popular girl in school, and, worst of all, must have princess lessons with her grandmother (but of course, shes called Grandmere!). In this book of self-discovery, Miss Thermopolis is about to find out who she really is.

I enjoyed this book, although a bit bothered by the superficiality. Reality is what this book lacks, and humor is what it has plenty of, fortunately. Meg Cabot tries too hard in trying to think like a unheard teenage girl. She has almost satisfactorily portrayed how a freshman misfit might think. However, it was a bit over-exaggerated, which made it fun to read for its whims. This book needs less ranting and more description; it was hard for me to create an image in my mind of the setting. Put bluntly, there were no truly profound moments to be found in this book. All that there is to be read about is a teenager ranting about her life and then a wave of relief and exhalation as everything turns out alright at the end. Sappy and sweet, in other words. There were many funny moments, which I liked immensely, revenge-of-the-geeks moments. The irony of those incidents really helped me sympathize and yet rejoice with Mia. This whole book was greatly amusing and made me chuckle.

I recommend this book for upper-elementary and middle school girls or high-school girls who want to have a laugh.

Reader reviewed by lainie

Mia is and average teenager growing up in New York. Her parents are divorced, she's failing algebra, and to top it off her mom is dating her teacher could it get any worse?

Lets throw in a tiara and see what happens.

The books are definitely better than the Disney movie, though I really liked the movie. The books are much different. Mia in the books is 14 years old and her father in the book is still alive. There are also a few supporting characters left out in the movie, which is a shame cause they are hilarious.

Though I think these books are way overrated they are still highly recommended for a quick fun read.

Reader reviewed by sara

If oyu feel like you are invisable in this world here is the book for you.It shows that you aren't alone.But you might not ge tout of it the same way.IF you end up as a princess then this is you biographery.It shows that even if you don't feel noticed you will be one day.

Reader reviewed by sara

This is my favorite book in the princess diaries series.It is another book about a girl i can relate to.Mia is an invisble person at her school that happens to be a princess.The hardest part is not skipping to the end to see what happens.If she ends up with the guy,choses to be a princess.so read it to find out.