At the beginning of this year, I decided to start reading ‘The Princess Diaries’ series by Meg Cabot. I felt like by not reading it when I was 14, I was really missing out on a great series, and since there’s going to be a new book added to the already massive 10 books, all about Mia’s wedding, that I’m super interested in reading, now seemed the perfect time to pick them up!
Most of the books are only small, under 300 pages and all told, obviously, in a diary format. I love this way of writing! Some of my favourite books are written in the journal style, like ‘The Raspberry Rules’, but it’s pretty much a style that’s isolated to the middle grade genre. (Unless we’re counting ‘Shatter Me’ by Tahereh Mafi as a ‘journal style’ thing!)
The Princess Diaries has inspired me to keep up my own diary too! I’ve tried to do it in the past, but it’s all day-to-day stuff that doesn’t mean much to me now. Mia writes about the day-to-day (albeit more exciting than mine because she’s a princess) but she also writes about her feelings. I think Meg Cabot does a great job of portraying a teenager’s anxieties, even if I think Mia’s slightly too obsessed with her body image and gets panicked over things that really don’t need to be panicked about.
They’re the kind of book I wish I’d read when I was younger, because they deal with hard hitting stuff in such a light hearted manner. And it’s not like just because they’re meant to be a teenage girl’s diary, they’re vapid and nonsense filled. Mia writes things like “it was Lily’s own prerogative…” and uses words I certainly don’t!
I’m currently reading book five, ‘Princess in Pink’. Has anyone else read and enjoyed this series? I’m liking it so far, but I think Mia’s problems are slightly repetitive. Props to Meg Cabot for writing 10 books, and all, but 250 pages of Mia worrying and whining over something I know will be resolved in the last 20 pages can get a little old.
Still, I think the series has been a valuable reading experience and I’m loving it so far! (Anything to put off reading ‘Heir of Fire’…those 600 pages are freaking me out!)
Heart Full of Books 