Rating: 
Summary: Much Better than the movie!!!
Review: This book is great, and so are the sequels that follow it. I love books that are written in dairy form. If you like this book also read Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging and the sequels to that. It is so much better than the movie, and i absolutely loved it!
Rating:
Summary: Nothing like the movie
Review: If you saw "The Princess Diaries" movie without reading the book first (as I admittedly did), you'll be in for a bit of a surprise. The same premise is still there- high school non-conformer Mia Thermopolis wakes one day to find she is the Princess of Genovia, and has to decide if she's up to the challenge. However, that's really where the major similarities end.Disney's movie has given Mia's grandmother ("Grandmere", as she's called) as large a role as Mia herself. In the book, Grandmere is merely a supporting role, popping in to give Mia Princess lessons and head up her makeover. Disney's Queen Clarisse, played by Julie Andrews, is all squeaky clean Neutrogena/Clinique-ness, full of poise and elegance. Meg Cabot's book description has her sounding more like a cross between Gloria Swanson and Auntie Mame (go ask your Mom, if you're under 20)with tattooed eyeliner and purple sequined turbans. And the biggest shocker to me was...Mia's Father is not dead. In fact, it is HE who seeks her out. He has recently been diagnosed with testicular cancer and must have (ahem) one removed and receive radiation treatment, pretty much nixing his chances of producing another heir to the throne. Plus, Mia's parents were never married in the book, where as Dinsey had them neatly divorced. Perhaps Disney didn't want to bring up illegitimate pregnancies and have to use the word "testicular", since they barely followed the major points of this fabulous novel. Cabot's Mia is much sharper than the movie gives her credit for, and it is she who decides not to tell anyone of her imminent royal status for fear of bringing an almighty upheval from best friend and activist Lilly. Other characters that were not used in the movie add flavor to the story. Still, there remains Josh Richter, Lana Weinberger, Principal Gupta, and the hilarous Paulo, played in the movie to perfection by one of my favorite comedians, Larry Miller. Try to think of the movie and book as two seperate entities, and read this book with a fresh perspective. Fun and hilarious- I can't wait to read the sequels.
Rating: 
Summary: Best In the Series
Review: This book was a lot better than the movie. If you thought that was good, you better check this out! Personally I think it's the best in the series. The other three books are great reads too, but not as good as this one. *** Mia Thermopolis, a classic high school nerd (complete with the frizzy hair and granny glasses), one day discovers that her father, recently deceased, was prince of little-known European country Genovia, and that SHE is heir to the throne! It's a cute Cinderella-esque tale that will keep you laughing until long after you finish the book! Meg Cabot did a wonderful job- after reading this, I suggest reading the other "Princess" books in her series. (All starring the wonderful Princess Mia!)
Rating:
Summary: Sparkling Little Confection
Review: I'll admit, I'm a college student who loved the movie surprisingly enough, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to read the book when I found a cheap copy of it. I was again surprised when I loved the book as much as the movie. With style and humor, Cabot creates a charming modern fairy tale that never goes too far out to not be reasonable. Who hasn't been in Mia's shoes? Gawky, unpopular, and just trying to make decent grades in school, Mia is the embodyment of the typical teenager. With a sparkling sense of humor and more than a few charmingly messed up friends, Mia stumbles through life until she is told that she is indeed royalty. Like any other teenager whose life has been turned upsidedown, Mia struggles with her new found fame and trying to keep her new self true to her old self. A stylish haircut doesn't change what's inside, and Mia is a real gem. Hopelessly in love with the most popular boy in school and trying to fight a growing attraction to her best friend's brother, Mia's plight is fantastic yet still real. Now for the charming supporting cast. Grandmere of Genovia is a dragon in a purple silk dress. Terrifying and comical at once, Grandmere Clarisse is proud, arrogant, and insensitive yet still inadvertantly humorous. The tattooed eyebrows have to be one of the funniest discriptions I've ever read. Mia's best friend Lily is brassy and opinionated. She tries just as hard to stand out as Mia tries to fit in. Sassy and intelligent, Lily, as bold as she is, is still someone you want on your side. Michael. Michael has to be my favorite character of all. What girl doesn't want a Michael in her life? Cute, kind, and independent, Michael is perfect boyfriend material whether he knows it or not. Who wouldn't want someone as subtley devoted to Mia as Michael is? That and he looks good with his shirt off. Needless to say, I'm addicted to these books now. I rarely find a novel I like so much and want so much more of.
Rating:
Summary: Princess Mia rocks
Review: I bought this book after I saw the movie (the book is better than the movie but the movie is still good.)and I LOVED it! It's nice to read a story about a teenaged girl that DOESN'T want to be a princess of a principality. After I read this book I ended getting the rest in the series. I can't wait for volume 4 1/2 and for the sequel to the movie to come out! Princess Mia is my hero!
Rating:
Summary: 14 year old reader from TN
Review: I think I would have to say this is one of my most favorite books of all time! It is soooo funny!! And it is A LOT better the movie. I am now reading the second book to the series, and it is just as good.
Rating:
Summary: She didn't want to be a princess...
Review: This book is about Mia Thermopolis; a totally funny character. She is not such a "princess type". Her feet are huge, she has frizzy hair and she is anything but pretty. She's hilarious and obsessed with a senior at her school named Josh Richter. She lives with her artist mother, having her as a single mother. Her father is bald. Her grandma wants her to take "princess lessons" and she doesn't.
Personally, I LOVED this book. I've read this one and Princess in the spotlight. I still have 3 to go: Princess in Love (which I got today), princess lessons and Princess in Waiting. I want to read them all. This will go under my FAVORITES (funny books, descriptive books, blah blah), along with: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and some other books like that. I love Meg cabot. I want to read "All American Girl" and "The Haunted" after reading this. They're great reads; funny, exciting and it gets you shouting for more.
Rating:
Summary: Diary of a Princess
Review: This is a very sweet story about a Princess in modern times.I also loved the movie and thought that the book was great as well.The writter is very funny and knows how to write teens good to.
Rating:
Summary: Princess-Like
Review: This book was good. It's awful to call a book simply "good", but honestly this book wasn't spectacular, nor was it loathsome. It's nice that Cabot writes with such ease and casually, but it gets kind of annoying. Nobody talks like that all the time. In addition to this, the plot really was very out there. Don't get me wrong, I thought the plot was interesting, but by the end of the book, I really thought Mia's reaction was exaggerated. I understand that she's not a preppy "ohmigod" girl, but hey, even a tomboy might like a chance to be a famous princess. I admit the tabloids would get annoying, but any girl would at least enjoy all the attention for a while-especially someone as "invisible" as Mia-but not even this occurs. From the moment the word "princess" spouts from her grandmere's mouth, it's all "nononono"...there's never a firm reason why not. But I think I've spent too much time putting this book down. It is a nice read on a rainy day. Just don't expect too much of it.
Rating:
Summary: The best book i've ever read!
Review: I have just recently finished this book and am smack in the middle of the second one, but this book and the following ones in the series plus other novels by Meg Cabot are the BEST books i've ever read! Oh my god! I have never been so into books that i've NEVER wanted to put down. The book is MUCH better then the movie. Mia Thermopolis is a charicter that everybody can relate to in some way. I definitly reccomend this book to ANY one.
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