Movie Mondays: On Mondays, I will review a book series or novel that has been made into a movie. I will then answer the question that everyone asks: which is better, the movie or the book? Here is this week’s offering:
Book: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot | Movie: The Princess Diaries (2001)
Which did I read/see first? MOVIE
Book Cover | Movie Poster
The Book:
Series: The Princess Diaries
Genre: Teen, Romance, Drama, Humour
Thoughts:
I read these books quite a few years after the movie was released because I loved the movie and I was also a huge fan of Meg Cabot when I was younger (still am!) so that was an added bonus.
I liked the characters and the plot. It’s a fun read and if you are familiar with Meg Cabot’s other works it has that charm to it that she adds to all her books. Mia is an everyday girl that I think all young girls can relate with throughout her trials.
I did read a few other books in the series but I’m pretty sure I read a few of them out of order (I blame my small town library’s limited availability). Either way, there were easy to follow so it wasn’t a big deal though I do recommend reading them in order!
Conclusion:
These books are definitely geared to the younger teen set and being in my early 20s now, I probably wouldn’t enjoy them anymore. So I recommend them for young girls just getting into reading because Meg Cabot is one of the reasons I am a book addict now–I just love all her works and this one was one of my favourites!
Rating: 4/5
Similar Reads: Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison (Confessions of Georgia Nicholson #1) and All American Girl by Meg Cabot (All American Girl #1)
The Movie:
This movie is one of my favourite live-action Disney movies. I watched this A LOT as a kid and have no shame admitting that if it is on TV, I will watch it!
The cast was great–I love Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews–and it has some really fun moments. Definitely a chick flick.
While it does differ from the book, I really feel like this movie captured the spirit of the book. It was fun, funny and super cute but a touch more mature than the book mostly because they aged everyone by a year or two.
As for the sequel, Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, I didn’t really like it. It just lacked that charm the first movie had plus the plot was super annoying. I mean, it’s obvious that a lot of issues could have been solved by putting 2 and 2 together sooner (if you watch it you will know what I’m referring to). So I recommend that you watch the first one and don’t worry about the sequel 😉
So, which is better: the book or the movie?
In this case, the winner is the MOVIE. I just liked it a lot more and I think if I still would give this answer if I had read the book first. I just think the movie captures the spirit of the book a lot better and the changes that have been made from the book are better.
Do you agree? Leave a comment below!
Synopsis for The Princess Diaries (from Goodreads):
She’s just a New York City girl living with her artist mom…
News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that’s why a limo meets her at the airport!)
Downer: Dad can’t have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.)
Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material.
Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmére, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne.
Well, her father can lecture her until he’s royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty–no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what’s a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo
Trailer: