The Princess Diaries, Volume X: Forever Princess
| Author | Meg Cabot |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Princess Diaries |
| Genre | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | 6th January 2009 |
| Pages | 383(UK) 400(USA) |
| Preceded by | The Princess Diaries, Volume IX: Princess Mia |
| Followed by | The Princess Diaries, Volume XI: Royal Wedding |
The Princess Diaries, Volume X: Forever Princess is a young adult book in the Princess Diaries series. Written by Meg Cabot, it was released on January 6, 2009[1] by Harper Collins Publishers.
The book was released in the UK on 2 January 2009, and called The Princess Diaries: Ten out of Ten.
Summary
After the ninth book finished on an unhappy note, the tenth book is set two years later, in her last few weeks of school before graduation, and follows her triumphant transition into adulthood.
Her progress included a relationship with J.P., a long-distance friendship with Michael Moscovitz and a surprisingly close friendship with Lana Weinberger (Who has since matured considerably from her old mean girl ways.) but Mia is still painfully estranged from former best friend, Lilly Moscovitz, who is now dating Kenny. Within a week, Mia has to prepare for her eighteenth birthday party, her prom and her graduation but Mia is still attached to her bad habit of lying. Though she told everyone otherwise, she has been accepted into every college she applied for, due to her royal status. She also unsuccessfully tries to publish her romantic novel under an alias; while lying to anyone who asks by stating the novel is a paper on Genovian olive oil pressing.
Her former boyfriend returns to Manhattan due to the well-paid success of his closed-heart surgery breakthrough machine, the CardioArm. His return causes Mia to become completely uncertain about anything she was previously sure about, including her relationship with J.P. and her suspicions about his motives. She also has to deal with turning eighteen and the extravagant party that Grandmere is throwing for her, and helping her father win an election against her cousin, René.
It all sounds very complicated - not forgetting Mia wants to lose her virginity before graduation. In the end she goes to prom with J.P, planning to have sex afterwards, just out of spite because she thinks Michael left her party because he does not love her, when it was in fact caused by his not wanting to wipe the floor with JP's face. A series of events lead Mia to distrust JP's real motives. For example, he wrote an entire play based on her, revealing some of Mia's private, personal experiences. He also doesn't even glance at her book, even though he has had it for a week, while Michael read it overnight and praised it. Or how the paparazzi seems to always be there whenever Mia and J.P are out.
To make matters and even more confusing for her, Michael donates a Cardio Arm to Genovia, helping her dad's chance in election, and Lily crafts a commercial in support of Prince Phillipe. Mia is sure that her feelings have never changed after a carriage ride with Michael takes a turn for the best, and they end up making out for 15 blocks in broad daylight. He almost confesses his love for her, but she puts her hand over his mouth to shut him up. She is confused because she does not want to hurt JP's feelings, since he was the one who helped her put the pieces of her heart together during her depression, even in spite of his recent behavior.
However, after she learns from Lily that J.P only dated Lily to get closer to Mia, and he had even lied about being a virgin, having had sex with Lily, when they dated in sophomore year. Mia breaks up with him, and puts a cease and desist on his play and she and Lily become friends again. Then, Michael appears to try and change her mind about something even he doesn't know. Lily had only told him Mia might need his assistance, and that he should appear there at around midnight. In order to keep him from hitting JP, and also because of MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex), which she claims is guilty for her attraction to Michael, and to his smell, she suggests they go to his apartment. It is implied that they have sex, but she doesn't write the details. On the day after, Michael goes to her graduation party. She also learns that her father won the election by a vast majority. On top of that, Mia tells her parents and grandmother that she has decided to go to Sarah Lawrence.
The book concludes with Mia being extremely happy with Michael.
References
External links
- Meg Cabot chat transcript, 30 July 2006. URL accessed 25 April 2006.
- Meg Cabot's Official Website
- Meg Cabot , URL accessed 27 August 2008
- Excerpt of 'The Princess Diaries, Volume X: Forever Princess'