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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Long ago, when I was just a little girl and mom took me to the library every week to get new books, I read the Princess Diaries. I doubt I read the complete series, since I don't think the library had them all. I do remember that I quite enjoyed them. So, when I was scrolling through a webshop with english boxsets and saw this one, I just couldn't bring myself to not getting them all. I'm so excited to re-read old favorites and re-discover new installments!
I had clearly forgotten how amusing and entertaining these books were. I dove into this book remembering that I liked it, but I ended up liking it even more than I remember. Maybe it's also because I read them in English now. Although we have great Dutch translations really doing justice to the story and its characters, it's not always easy to translate a tone and atmosphere to a different language.
What I really love so much is that Mia sounds so much like a real teenager. Over the years the YA genre has moved up and a lot of YA characters seem old and wise for their age and are more mini-adults than teenagers, but that's not the case with Mia. Mia is angry, Mia screams, Mia doesn't always see reason, Mia makes mistakes even when others are trying to keep her from doing so and Mia is chaotic and thinks she knows the world, even when she has no idea.
And for this story that works so well, especially because Mia is the kind of teenager who does not want to be a princess and who doesn't care about speaking properly or wearing the right clothes. It's what makes the interactions between her and her parents and grandmother so funny and entertaining, even when at times Mia is unreasonable. It feels real, as if it could really happen to some random girl in America and would really go like this.
Luckily I have all ten books ready now. I can't wait to read the rest!
I had clearly forgotten how amusing and entertaining these books were. I dove into this book remembering that I liked it, but I ended up liking it even more than I remember. Maybe it's also because I read them in English now. Although we have great Dutch translations really doing justice to the story and its characters, it's not always easy to translate a tone and atmosphere to a different language.
What I really love so much is that Mia sounds so much like a real teenager. Over the years the YA genre has moved up and a lot of YA characters seem old and wise for their age and are more mini-adults than teenagers, but that's not the case with Mia. Mia is angry, Mia screams, Mia doesn't always see reason, Mia makes mistakes even when others are trying to keep her from doing so and Mia is chaotic and thinks she knows the world, even when she has no idea.
And for this story that works so well, especially because Mia is the kind of teenager who does not want to be a princess and who doesn't care about speaking properly or wearing the right clothes. It's what makes the interactions between her and her parents and grandmother so funny and entertaining, even when at times Mia is unreasonable. It feels real, as if it could really happen to some random girl in America and would really go like this.
Luckily I have all ten books ready now. I can't wait to read the rest!
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a fun, easy read, but definitely not what I expected!
I grew up watching the movies, and this book was a stark contrast.
While both good in their own way, I appreciated the gravity and depth of the book, and the charm and sparkle of the movie.
They're not easily comparable, as they're so different.
Unfortunately, the book shows its age and wannabe edginess with some off-color comments, mostly regarding mental health. For the most part, however, the book has an open-minded message.
I'm giving it a low-ish rating because I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped, due to the writing style being more juvenile than I expected, and the characters being so different that it wasn't nostalgic.
My rating is a reflection of my enjoyment, not the quality of the book itself.
I grew up watching the movies, and this book was a stark contrast.
While both good in their own way, I appreciated the gravity and depth of the book, and the charm and sparkle of the movie.
They're not easily comparable, as they're so different.
Unfortunately, the book shows its age and wannabe edginess with some off-color comments, mostly regarding mental health. For the most part, however, the book has an open-minded message.
I'm giving it a low-ish rating because I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped, due to the writing style being more juvenile than I expected, and the characters being so different that it wasn't nostalgic.
My rating is a reflection of my enjoyment, not the quality of the book itself.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Mrzí mě že to čtu až v 17, protože je mi úplně jasné že v takových těch 13/14 letech bych to ocenila mnohem víc. Je to prostě oddechové čtení <3
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
August 2018: I'm unsure why I had dropped this series in 2015, but I'm thinking it has to deal with the overall series' length and access to them. However, it was a treat to reread this one.