Girls or in Mia's case - just want to have fun. But that is somewhat of a hard situation when you're Mia Thermopolis - princess of a small principality known as Genovia, as well as one of the biggest over-analyzing worriers on the face of the earth. So while Mia would love to be thinking only about her boyfriend's upcoming college party, Mia is sitting around worrying about having her face pummeled in by short, strong-as-an-ape, Amber Cheeseman - senior valedictorian who is totally going to freak out once she finds out that Mia (class president) has already used all of the money in the student government budget for high-tech recycling bins, and has no money left to rent Alice Tully Hall for the senior dinner. As if that weren't bad enough, Mia is freaking out over the prospect of being at a party with a bunch of college girls. College girls who talk about intellectual things - like books - as opposed to the latest rerun of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and who smoke cigarettes and drink beer. Mia is nothing like these girls, so she knows that she won't fit in with the other party guests. That is, unless she tries to become one of these "college" types - with a little help from...Lana Weinberger! Now, Mia has bitten off more than she can chew, and is making a fool of herself left and right - first with Michael, her boyfriend; then with the entire student population at Albert Einstein High School; and now, thanks to Grandmere's bright idea to raise some money for the student government, in front of a bunch of celebrities. The life of a princess is, obviously, not as easy as it looks. At least not if you're Mia Thermopolis - sophomore failing Geometry. Wow! I was amazed with Meg Cabot's newest addition to The Princess Diaries series, for I highly doubted that she would ever be able to outdo the previous novels in the series. I will admit: I was wrong. Party Princess has become, quite possibly, my favorite novel in the entire series, due in large part to the fact that Mia is finally growing up a bit. She is no longer the shy, soft-spoken girl she used to be; she is forming into a wonderful Princess who will, undoubtedly, rule her country someday with pride. She has finally begun standing up to some of her friends, and taking charge of situations that affect her directly. She is becoming an adult - that is, when she's not watching the Lifetime Channel for Women. As the longest book in the series thus far, Cabot has made each page delectable, and hard to put down. Party Princess bubbles like champagne, and will leave you with the same effect: giggling from beginning to end.
Another fun book in the series. Each book builds on the character and growth of Mia, her relationships with her boyfriend, family, friends. In this one, Mia begins to have a better understanding of how she wants to behave and choices she wants to make. The production of a play in a week seems impossible, but with her grandmother in charge, you can imagine she would make it happen. I do love Mia's voice, still both funny and touching, feels authentic.The one thing I have had and continue to have problems with is her best friend, Lilly. If someone consistently treated me the way Lilly treats Mia and spoke to me the way Lilly speaks to Mia, they wouldn't be my friend for long. Lilly is pushy and not very kind most of the time. She seems to care nothing for Mia's feelings and is so adversarial. If this is a friend, I think I'll pass.I had a small problem with Mia having to ask someone how to party. This is a girl who watches lots of tv and movies and she's never seen the portrayal of teenagers at a party? Kind of hard to believe, but still I was able to go with plot. It's fun so why quibble?All in all, I really enjoy this series.
What do You think about Party Princess (2006)?
See my entire binge read of this book and books 6-7 1/2 here.I think this book gets a bad rap.I can understand why it might get a little lackluster reviews though. At it’s face it might seem silly. Really, a musical about Genovia. But I think this is the book where the series finally picks up steam again because JP enters the scene.Up until this point, JP was simply known as the guy who doesn’t like it when you put corn in his chili. However, he actually becomes a real character in this installment.Having read the entire series, I view JP a lot differently than I did in earlier installments (meaning, I can see through him). However, I really thought he was a nice and decent guy the first time I read this.One thing I didn’t expect to feel, this read a round was such sympathy for Michael.I really never have viewed myself as a Michael fan in comparison to some of Cabot’s other heroes (cough, Jesse de Silva, cough), but he’s grown on me a lot in the reread. And I have to give him kudos for putting up with Mia in this one.That sexy dancing incident.I forgot just how stupid that whole scene was.And she wasn’t even that drunk when she did it. I think she only had one beer?Whatever. It’s sort of fun reading about a train wreck in the making when you know how it’s going to resolve. And for it’s credit Party Princess ends on a pretty good note.
—Howdy YAL
3.5 It kind of funny how Meg Cabot accurately depicts a teenage mind in the Princess Diaries book.In this one, a good example would be Mia's internal conflict between whether or not she should attend a party that Michael is throwing because she doesn't know how to party. If she actually thought about what kind of person she knew Michael to be, maybe she wouldn't have humiliated herself.Grandmere and this island. She acts more like a celebrity that a celebrated queen. Pffft responsible MY FOOT!And the play that Grandmere want to put on. Sorry....musical! A musical of a Genovian historic tale. To raise money for the bankrupt student government of which Mia is the president, and to butter up her competition for the faux island of Genovia. She butters up said competition by casting his son as the male lead. Said son's name is JP and happens to be "the kid who doesn't like it when they put corn in the chili". For the last 6 books we've only known him as "the kid who doesn't like it when they put corn in the chili". It's strange that he finally has a name and a personality!Anyways, fun read!
—Muse-ic
Ler estes livros com a minha idade actual já não é a mesma coisa do que quando comecei, como tal, é natural que a minha classificação seja completamente diferente da que daria há uns anos atrás.Eu gosto desta saga, mas tenho pena que não evolua muito, que cada um dos livros gire única e exclusivamente à volta de um dos dilemas da Mia.Outra coisa que tenho sentido é que cada vez mais embirro com a Lilly. Meu deus, ela trata tão mal a Mia e todo o mundo que a rodeia. É demasiado egoísta para o meu gosto e, como tal, não consigo suportá-la.
—Daniela
