Book Review: I Am Princess X

Title: I Am Princess X

Author: Cherie Priest

Rating: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ (4)

In addition to my graphic novel/comic book kick, I seem to be reading quite a bit of YA recently. So it’s no surprise that I picked up I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest. What makes this book so interesting (or irresistible to me) is the combination of the story of friends Libby and May, and the comic that started it all. 

On a boring day at school, Libby and May created a rock’n princess in red Chuck Taylor’s they dubbed Princess X. Over the years the girls spent hours drawing and writing stories about their Princess X. But it all ended one rainy night when the car Libby was in drove off a bridge and into the water below. Years pass, but May still mourns the loss of her first best friend. She still feels there was something strange about how Libby died but she can’t figure out why. While she’s visiting her dad in Seattle, her past comes back to her in the form of a sticker, and the further she digs the more questions she has about the appearance of Princess X. Who put it there and why? Could it be that Libby is still alive and trying to send May a message? After a little sleuthing, May discovers that it’s not just stickers and patches; someone is writing new comics staring Princess X. It is the inclusion of the Princess X comics that really make the story unique. The story was more interesting because the reader was able to see what May was seeing. These new comics drive May to dig deeper until she runs into a dead end (read: a broken laptop).  Calling a tech support flyer she finds in her building introduces her to neighbor “Trick,” who not only tells her how to fix her laptop, he also decides to use his hacking skills to help her discover the identity of Princess X and find out what really happened to Libby. 

I love May; she’s shy and has a hard time opening up to people, even her parents. When Libby dies, she loses the person who understands her the most and brings out the best in her. Then things get worse when her parents decide to divorce and May moves back to Atlanta with her mother, while her father stays in Seattle. She loves her parents but she keeps them at a distance. I really love the friendship she cultivates with Trick. She knows that she needs his help, but she also values their growing friendship.

Although the friendship between May and Libby is the driving force behind the story, I must admit that my favorite character is Trick. He’s so smart but he’s also an impulsive teenager who has made some bad decisions, but he doesn’t let that stop him from acting like the computer genius he thinks he is. I think even he was surprised at how quickly he bonded with May and I believe he really cherishes their growing friendship.

The pacing is good, in fact I was able to finish it in a day, but because the pacing is so fast – especially toward the end, there are scenes that stick out because they are a bit too unbelievable. I also wish the author had fleshed out her descriptions of the places May and Trick visit in Seattle. Since I’ve never been to Seattle, it was hard for me to picture the places she talks about, although someone who has been there probably wouldn’t have an issue with it. I gave this book a 4 because I loved the unique plot and the mixing of the story and the Princess X comics.