yvo_about_books's review against another edition
2.0
“Maybe nobody has a right to tell anybody to shut up. Maybe this is how wars get started, because someone tells someone else to shut up, and then no one will apologize.”
WARNING: it's unpopular opinion time yet again!!
It's true that I don't read a lot of YA anymore, but I needed a book for the lost royalty prompt for the Beat The Backlist Bingo challenge and there weren't many options. Add the fact that I really enjoyed the movie back when it came out, and I ended up actually being quite excited to revisit these characters and read the original story. I sure didn't expect to come very close to DNFing instead! Whatever The Princess Diaries is, it is nothing like the movie adaptation. I don't say this often, but the movie is in this case WAY better than the book. I'm actually glad I never read the book as a teenager, because I don't think I would have watched the adaptation otherwise... Mia is just SO incredibly unlikeable in the book, and I started to hate her more and more with each chapter. The constant repetition, the whining, the complaining... It was just all way too much to be entertaining. I wasn't a fan of the writing style either, with the constant interruptions, random notes and math. I get that this is supposed to be a diary, but it just really disrupted the flow of the story. Nothing much was happening either; the book only covers part of the first movie, and not the most interesting part at that. The characters in general were rather dull and unlikeable, and I confess I only made it to the end because I started skimreading. I guess that it won't come as a surprise that I won't be continuing this series... I'll stick with the movie instead.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Racism, Bullying, Body shaming, and Cancer
nglidk's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Racism and Bullying
Moderate: Ableism and Sexual harassment
Minor: Stalking
r slurreadingpro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Bullying
kaitzo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Bullying
abby_can_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Bullying
Minor: Cancer
izypup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Minor: Body shaming, Toxic friendship, War, Cancer, Classism, Racism, Alcohol, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
caitlin_doggos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Body shaming, Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Stalking
snazzysie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Minor: Alcohol, Bullying, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
valeriabee's review against another edition
3.5
It's definitely fun to read Mia's diary, especially because her tone is very dramatic -- which I love. I also kind of like that the Michael situation is getting more time in the books. I do want to know that the age difference between Mia and her love interests is kind of creepy, at no fault of her own, but theres no reason that a boy who is about to go to college should be into a girl who has gotten through puberty. It's not much of a difference when you're in your thirties and have similar life experiences, but at that stage in your life, four years is a big difference in maturity, development, and experience.
I don't think it helps my experience that I watched the movies before I even knew these were books, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It's always fun to read something lighthearted.
It was a little bit annoying to read through the ignorant privilege of a rich white girl (like she really went to France every summer and had her dad - who she wasnt living with - pay her mothers bills). Of course, she's fourteen, so I don't hate Mia. I just hope she grows to appreciate her privilege and do some good with it. I'm not really in the mood for white feminism ever.
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Sexual assault, and Infertility
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship
mirandareadsca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Bullying