The Princess Diaries

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This article is about the Meg Cabot novels. For the 2001 film, see The Princess Diaries (film).

The Princess Diaries is a series of novels by Meg Cabot in the chick-lit genre, and the title of the first volume, published in 2000. The Princess Diaries novels are divided into journal entries of varying lengths, not chapters as in most novels.

The series spent 38 weeks on the The New York Times Children's Series Best Sellers List and has been sold to publishers in 37 foreign countries. As of January 2008 nine books in the series have been published.

Contents

[edit] Series description

Plot Summaries have been moved to their individual volume pages.

The story of Mia's adolescent turmoil as an average teenager, and a princess of royal descent and chronicled in her ongoing journal, where she explores topics of teenage angst, love and betrayal through very opinionated eyes.

[edit] Character Histories

Her Royal Highness, Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo, Crown Princess of Genovia: Mia is a vegetarian and animal-rights activist who cares deeply about the environment. She often laments her looks; she says she has triangular, "dishwater blonde" or "mouse brown" hair, "a really big mouth and no breasts and feet that look like skis", and that at 5'9" she is the tallest girl in her class, which she does not appreciate. According to her outspoken best friend Lilly Moscovitz, her "only attractive feature" is her grey eyes. Mia also says that she weighs 5 "Fat Louies".

Mia often struggles to understand her new role in the world as princess of Genovia. She prefers to wear combat boots and overalls (though she wears a uniform to school) than the designer clothes that she is expected to sport. She speaks French very well due to speaking it with her Grandmère from a very young age, though she sometimes humorously mistakes homonymous words for one another, such as poulet ("chicken"/"prostitute").

Though Mia often does inappropriate or mortifying things, in the end she learns from her mistakes. She is known for biting her nails, obsessing over her cat "Fat Louie" (whom she admits to loving the most in the world, over her mother and friends), being concerned about her life to an exaggerated degree, and writing in her diary whenever she can. After receiving the news about being a princess, she also receives her own bodyguard, Lars, who is friends with Wahim, Tina's bodyguard (Tina being one of her best-friends). She often feels great sadness and frustration because she is not self-actualized and greatly wishes to be. She lives on takeout from Number One Noodle Son and other local Noho restaurants.

She briefly goes out with classmate, Kenny Showalter. He had sent her love notes that she had hoped were from Michael - her crush (and Lilly's brother). When it turns out to be Kenny sending the notes, and he asks her out, she can't find it in herself to say no. Gaining inspiration from Kenny, Mia starts sending love notes to Michael. He finds out that it was Mia sending the notes and, much to her surprise, responds favourably, telling her that he loves her.

In book 7 and 3/4 (Valentine Princess) Grandmere's astrologist tells Mia that her soulmate is a Leo, not a Capricorn like Michael, much to Mia's dismay. But Meg Cabot later revealed that the Leo was actually Lilly Moscovitz, and that the "soul-mate" aspect had been incorrectly interpreted on the astrologer's part. It actually should have been a reference to Mia's longest standing relationship (aside from the ones with her family), her friendship with Lilly.

In the ninth novel of the series, Michael ends their relationship after several miscommunications and arguments, mostly taking place in the eighth novel. This becomes the final straw in what has been a couple of very stressful years for Mia, and she becomes depressed, eventually being sent to a psychologist, Dr. Knutz. Mia spends much of the ninth book, attempting to create some normalcy in her life, but it is difficult for her. Eventually though, with the assistance of Dr. Knutz and her friends, she begins to pull herself out of it.

Lilly Moscovitz: Mia often feels inadequate compared to Lilly, who is a slightly overweight feminist with an IQ of 170 (at last count). Regardless, they have been best friends since kindergarten; Mia lists her as one of her heroes. She is portrayed as having a "squished" visage (similar to that of a pug) and brown curls. She frequently talks down to Mia and uses an extensive vocabulary that Mia cannot always understand. She always says what is on her mind and has a very loud voice.

She hosts her own public access television show, "Lilly Tells it Like it is", financed by her psychoanalyst parents, the Drs. Ruth and Morty Moscovitz. They rescind their financing after Lilly baits Norman, the stalker who has repeatedly asked for her to remove her shoes on camera. She finds a new producer in Tina Hakim Baba, who receives an allowance of fifty dollars per week.

She went out with Boris Pelkowski, but cruelly broke up with him when she met an attractive Tibetan sherpa, Jangbu, in the fifth novel. After that relationship ends, very quickly, Lilly regrets breaking up with Boris, but Boris has moved on. She later falls in love with John Paul "J.P." Reynolds-Abernathy IV, and they go out for roughly six months.

J.P. eventually breaks up with Lilly though. He claims it is because he doesn't like the way Lilly treats people - particularly Mia. It is later revealed that this is not entirely true, and J.P. actually broke up with her as he was in love with Mia. This, along with other events, apparently leads to Lilly estranging herself from Mia as Lilly blames her for the break-up.

Lilly goes on to create a website about Mia, called ihatemiathermopolis.com[1], where she lists what she considers to be Mia's short-comings, as well as generally abusing her. By the end of the ninth installment of the series, it appears that their friendship has sustained one too many blows to recover. But Meg Cabot has alluded to the fact that there may be more going on with Lilly that Mia is unaware of. Something that may excuse her behaviour.

Michael Moscovitz: To Mia, the love of her life and the only reason for living. He is Lilly's older brother. He begins the series as a senior at Albert Einstein High School. He is like Lilly in that he is highly intelligent and academic, but unlike his younger sister, Michael is much more socially adept. He is proven to be a very perceptive and a "wise beyond his years" sort of young man. He is also the treasurer of the computer club and co-valedictorian, and he spends a lot of time in his room. Mia notes that he has a "surprisingly" well-defined chest. He is a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Wars.

Mia has a crush on Michael until Princess in Love, when they become boyfriend and girlfriend the night before Mia has to leave to spend her Christmas in Genovia. They remain a couple until the end of Volume Eight, where Mia breaks up with him on account of his "dishonesty" (specifically his omissions relating to his relationship with Judith Gershner), the night before he is to fly to Japan for a year where a company has expressed interest in his robotic arm prototype that will replace open heart surgery. Though, in the ninth installment Mia reveals to her psychologist, Dr. Knutz, that "dishonesty" wasn't the real reason, but actually more of an excuse as she felt extremely inferior to him, and felt it likely that he would dump her very soon for someone better.

At the end of the ninth installment, Michael and Mia begin to reform a relationship in the form of friendship, though Mia is still in love with him. It is not completely clear what Michael's feelings are, as he alluded to the fact (more than once throughout the series) that he was very serious about Mia, to the extent of marrying her and becoming her Consort. But he broke up with her all the same.

Clarisse Renaldo: Clarisse Marie Grimaldi Renaldo, the Dowager Princess of Genovia and Mia's paternal grandmother. She speaks French most of the time; though she can speak English, she considers it vulgar — she refuses to be called Grandma by Mia. She perceives herself as superior to many, and often dresses in purple to flaunt her royalty.

As a young woman she married Prince Artur Renaldo and had one son, Phillipe. Clarisse is a disdainful and manipulative woman who constantly scolds Mia, drinks Sidecars, and smokes French filterless cigarettes. She is usually indifferent towards Mia's feelings. When using Mia's full name, she habitually leaves out Thermopolis, Mia's mother's maiden name, which annoys Mia. Nevertheless, Clarisse sometimes offers profound advice to Mia that surprisingly eases Mia's pain at being her granddaughter. She is very short, and in the eighties, she had black eyeliner tattooed on her eyelids in "a brief manic phase shortly after Princess Grace died."

Helen Thermopolis: Mia's mother, a 36-year-old Greek-American painter who begins dating Mia's high school algebra teacher, Mr. Frank Gianini. She is rather scatterbrained, but Mia notes that "she always keeps track of Mia." With black curly hair, Mia thinks she's very pretty, like Carmen Sandiego (minus the trench coat). Like Lilly, she is a feminist and most of her friends are very outspoken performance artists who tend to be on the wild side. She's an extremely laid back parent who doesn't believe in much punishment.

Phillipe Renaldo: Mia's bald father, the Prince of Genovia. He is around 40, and also attractive, according to Mia, who compares him to Captain Jean-Luc Picard: his voice is similar, he is bald, and he has to rule over a small body of people. He often dates beautiful women, though the relationships are not serious. He speaks French and English, and he almost always wears suits. He has had testicular cancer which has rendered him infertile which is why Mia, an illegitimate child, is heir to the throne. In contrast to Helen, Phillipe is a strict parent.

Lars van der Hooten: Mia's very protective bodyguard. He becomes friends with Tina's bodyguard, Wahim. He tends to voice his opinions when Mia is being particularly ridiculous, yet goes along with her schemes anyway. He also tends to turn a blind eye to Mia and Michael when they make out, for which Mia is grateful.

Frank Gianini: Mia's algebra teacher who begins to date her mother, then marries her when she becomes pregnant with his child, Rocky. He plays the drums, which annoys the neighbors. He is unfazed by his stepdaughter's fame, and treats her the same as every other student during class. Mia appreciated his after school algebra review sessions.

Tina Hakim Baba: A current junior at Albert Einstein; the daughter of a Saudi Arabian oil company owner and sheik and a British former supermodel. Tina, due to her father's status, is followed by a bodyguard, Wahim. Tina constantly reads romance novels and is therefore considered by Mia, an expert on love.

When Mia and Lilly have a fight in the first novel, Mia begins to sit with the outcast (outcasted because of the presence of Wahim) and develops a close friendship. Tina supports Lilly's public-access television show with her allowance. She first goes out with Dave Farouq-El-Abar from 'Trinity' - another school. Later in the series, she begins to date Boris Pelkowski, after Lilly breaks his heart. Tina is normally the person Mia goes to for more sensitive advice, as Lilly can be harsh where those things are concerned. After Mia and Lilly's estrangement at the end of the eighth novel, Mia comes to see Tina as her best-friend.

J.P. or John Paul Reynolds Abernathy IV- Formerly known as "Guy Who Hates It When They Put Corn In the Chili", he meets Mia in a musical that Grandmere writes. Mia asks him to sit with the rest of her friends in 'Party Princess'. Surprisingly cute and talented when Mia gets to know him, he becomes one of Mia's best friends. He is described having 'broad shoulders, floppy brown hair, and surprisingly blue eyes'.

J.P. dates Lilly for quite some time, then breaks up with her when he, apparently, sees how she treats her best friend (Mia) when she is angry. J.P. is Mia's chemistry partner in book eight. After Mia and Michael break up, when Mia learns he was dishonest with her about Judith Greshner, she and J.P. share an unintended kiss outside Chemistry. In the latest book, J.P and Mia go to watch Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, after the fateful events of the past few days, where they both promise to forget both of the Moscovitzes, at least for the duration of the musical.

J.P. later reveals that he is in love with Mia, and has been for a little while, and this is the real reason why he broke up with Lilly. Mia is slightly interested, but is still grieving the loss of Michael. At the end on the ninth novel, Mia kisses J.P., opening the doors for a new relationship. Though she concedes that her feelings for J.P. are nothing to her feelings for Michael, she feels "hope" with J.P. And that is something.

Boris Pelkowski: Russian violin virtuoso with whom Lilly went out with until Book 5. His habits include tucking his sweater into his pants, breathing through his mouth, and playing the violin in Gifted and Talented when everyone else wants him to be quiet. When Lilly dumps him he starts dating Tina Hakim Baba. During the summer before the sophomore year, he lifts weights, gets laser eye surgery and becomes, by Mia's standards, a hottie. Boris tends to be a "say it like it is or say nothing at all", sort of guy. In the ninth installment, it appears that Boris is in contact with Michael, as Boris implores Mia to respond to Michael's emails so that he won't think she's "forgotten".

Josh Richter: The most popular senior at Albert Einstein, on whom Mia has a huge crush during the first book, though he is dating Lana Weinberger. He is on the crew team and is valedictorian. Mia believes he is the most attractive boy in school; he is very tall and muscular and has "electric" blue eyes. She also believes that Josh is the most sensitive boy in school. At the end of the first book, Josh Richter uses Mia for a chance to be in the media spotlight by taking her to the "Cultural Diversity Dance" dance and kisses her on the steps leading to the entrance of her school. Mia realizes Josh used her, and so avoids and dislikes him; this is difficult due to their adjacent lockers.

Lana Weinberger: A popular cheerleader and freshman at Albert Einstein who is very spiteful towards Mia. She has long blonde hair, a peaches-and-cream complexion, baby blue eyes, large breasts, and regularly Brazilian waxes. She dates Josh Richter. She breaks up with him between the fifth and sixth books, due to the four-mile distance that tears them apart over summer break and his leaving to go to college. She has a younger sister named Gretchen, who starts at AEHS in volume eight.

A major shift occurs in the ninth novel though, and Lana offers the olive branch to Mia as Lilly is no longer a part of Mia's social circle. Lana claims she has "gotten over" all their previous jealousies that largely revolved around Josh.

Shameeka Taylor: A friend of Mia, with an overprotective father. She successfully tries out for the cheerleading team. Spiteful Lana asserts that African American Shameeka was put on the team to "fill our freak quota" and that her relationship with Mia and her friends will not change.

Ling Su Wong: An artist friend of Mia's who has illegible "artist handwriting". She is temporarily treasurer in book seven for Mia's school government, until they go broke. She is Asian American. Mia thinks she is very pretty; in the first book she was apparently asked out seven times.

[edit] Secondary Characters

  • Prince Rene of Italy: Seen in the fourth novel, Rene is Mia's distant cousin. Clarisse has tried to fix them up, but has failed on those occasions. Rene is described as devilishly handsome. He enjoys wearing tiny speedos on the beach, and strutting his well-toned body, and "impressive pecs". He was once found playing strip-tennis with a government official's wife, entertaining topless sunbathers in the pool house, disappearing with a prime minister's eighteen year old daughter, and photo-copying his nether-region in the palace administration office. He currently resides at the Palais de Genovia, for he was de-throned and his ancestral palace now belongs to a shoe designer. In the ninth installment, Rene has impregnated Contessa Trevanni's niece, Bella. They are rushed into a marriage and although the circumstances sound unfavourable, Mia notes more than once, that they seem happy.
  • "Mamaw" Shirley Thermopolis and "Papaw" Thermopolis: Helen's mother and father from Indiana whom she constantly feuds with. They, however, keep in touch, and were seen in the second novel.
  • Hank Thermopolis: Son of Helen's sister Marie, Hank is a Hoosier teenager from Indiana. He and Lilly, for a short time, were thought to be romantically intertwined. It tuns out however that she was helping him land a job as a model. He achieves this ambition and leaves Indiana to become a Calvin Klein underwear model. He is seen in book two.
  • Kenneth "Kenny" Showalter: Mia's boyfriend in book three, Kenny is good at biology and chemistry, and a fan of anime. He wants to discover a cure for cancer when he becomes older. It is hinted at that his feelings for Mia may still be romantic. In book six, he pretends to have a "perfect" girlfriend named Heather, but he later admits that he invented Heather to make Mia jealous. Kenny later goes on to form a relationship with Lilly, who is much more similar to him than Mia ever was.
  • Perin Thomas: A student at AEHS who no one could tell was a boy or girl. She turns out to be a girl and becoming friends with Mia. She is again later confused for a boy in Mia's Grandmere's musical, in which she is given a male role.
  • Trisha Hayes: Also known as Trish; one of Lana's cronies who helps terrorize Mia, but later befriends her at Lana's whim.
  • Judith Gershner: A friend of Michael's who Mia suspected of having romantic feelings for Michael. She later becomes the object of Mia and Michael's break up at the end of book eight because she "messed around with" with Michael (she was the one Michael lost his virginity to and never told Mia about). She is also well known for being able to clone fruit flies.
  • Jangbu Panasa: A good-looking busboy of Sherpa descent who was fired thanks to an incident involving Clarisse and her dog. Lilly campaigns to get his job back, and ends up getting to second base with him, despite her boyfriend.
  • Karen Martinez: A critical English teacher who expects more from Mia's writing. Tina thinks she is very pretty, compares her to Maggie Gyllenhaal and often comments on her clothes.
  • Rocky Thermopolis-Gianini: Mia's half-brother and son of her mother and algebra teacher, Mr. Gianini. Mia is incredibly over-protective of him.
  • Sebastiano Grimaldi: Mia's cousin who is second in line to the crown of Genovia. He is an up and coming fashion designer who designs some of Mia's gowns, and often has trouble pronouncing the ends of words.

[edit] Volumes

Volumes in The Princess Diaries series include:

Illustrated by Chelsey McLaren:

  • Princess Lessons, March 2003
  • Perfect Princess, March 2004
  • Holiday Princess, November 2005

[edit] Alternative Titles

In the United Kingdom and Australian editions of the books, the titles differ from the US release. Instead of referring to the plot line, the titles are puns on the book number. They are: The Princess Diaries, The Princess Diaries: Take Two, The Princess Diaries: Third Time Lucky, The Princess Diaries: Mia Goes Fourth, The Princess Diaries: Give Me Five, The Princess Diaries: Sixsational, The Princess Diaries: Seventh Heaven, The Princess Diaries: After Eight, and The Princess Diaries: To the Nines.

[edit] Awards & Nominations

[edit] Style of writing

The books are noted for containing many popular culture references, which include singers, movies, and fads in modern culture. Many critics have taken unkindly to this form of storytelling. In response, Cabot wrote an English teacher into the book Princess In Training who criticizes Mia's writing, telling her that it relies too much on "slick pop culture references."

[edit] Meta-References

  • Mia makes many references to "the movie", which in the book is supposed to be a movie made about her life. She refers to things that relate to the real movie, for example: her dead dad, and breaking up with Michael in the sequel (which she thought would never happen). Lilly complains that in the movie, the portrayal of her is mean and untrue, and Tina Hakim Baba was not allowed to be in it as her overprotective father forbade it for security reasons.
  • Mia also makes references to the other Princess books: in the fourth book, Mia says that there are already three or four unofficial biographies out there, and that one made the bestseller list once. The original The Princess Diaries novel did make the bestseller list.
  • The eighth novel mentions Samantha Madison and Jessica Mastriani, two heroines from other Meg Cabot books All-American Girl and 1-800-Where-R-You.

[edit] See also ...

  • Jazmin Grace Grimaldi: a daughter of the Prince of Monaco born and living in the U.S.
  • Republic of Genoa: The historical republic bearing geographical and cultural similarities to the fictional modern Genovia.

[edit] References

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ a b FAQS Meg Cabot Website.
  2. ^ "ALA |2001 Best Books for Young Adults"
  3. ^ "ALA |2001 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers"
  4. ^ "The Princess Diaries, Volume I"
  5. ^ "Young Adults' Choices for 2002"
  6. ^ "Volunteer State Book Award Winners 1978-present"
  7. ^ "Past Winners of the Evergreen Young Adult Book Award"

[edit] External links

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The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot
Novels
Novellas
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