Before seeing "The Princess Diaries" in theaters, I was browsing through the book store and came across a book by the same name. The words 'Now A Major Motion Picture' were right across the front. I decided to buy it and read it, since the movie looked interesting enough and the short description on the back of the book sounded good. A week after I read it, I saw the movie and was highly disappointed. The book was a very well-written story meant for the younger teen set. The movie was a piece of fluff designed for those ages 5-9. The movie lacked any kind of depth, and it's the kind of film that makes you wonder if the screenwriters even picked up the novel.
Julie Andrews was good as the airy-fairy "You Will Prevail" grandmother, but the grandmother in the book (known not-so-affectionately as Grandmere) was--for lack of a better word--a complete bitch. The romance that Mia's mother had with her algebra teacher Mr. Gianini in the book was cut down to a single date with Mia's debate teacher in the movie. And the biggest skewered plot point of all: in the movie, Mia's father is dead, which is why Mia has to step up as princess. In the book, her father is very much ALIVE, but he can't bear children, so Mia (his illegitimate child) must reign.
Let's just put it this way: if you want a cheesy puff piece with little to no character development or plot, see the movie. If you want something with a bit more depth and characters that you can actually care about and relate to, pick up the book.
Julie Andrews was good as the airy-fairy "You Will Prevail" grandmother, but the grandmother in the book (known not-so-affectionately as Grandmere) was--for lack of a better word--a complete bitch. The romance that Mia's mother had with her algebra teacher Mr. Gianini in the book was cut down to a single date with Mia's debate teacher in the movie. And the biggest skewered plot point of all: in the movie, Mia's father is dead, which is why Mia has to step up as princess. In the book, her father is very much ALIVE, but he can't bear children, so Mia (his illegitimate child) must reign.
Let's just put it this way: if you want a cheesy puff piece with little to no character development or plot, see the movie. If you want something with a bit more depth and characters that you can actually care about and relate to, pick up the book.