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The Carrie Diaries #1
The Carrie Diaries
Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation?
The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.
Rabid fans of Sex and the City will love seeing Carrie Bradshaw evolve from a regular girl into a sharp, insightful writer. They'll learn about her family background -- how she found her writing voice, and the indelible impression her early friendships and relationships left on her. We'll see what brings Carrie to her beloved New York City, where the next Carrie Diaries book will take place.
The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.
Rabid fans of Sex and the City will love seeing Carrie Bradshaw evolve from a regular girl into a sharp, insightful writer. They'll learn about her family background -- how she found her writing voice, and the indelible impression her early friendships and relationships left on her. We'll see what brings Carrie to her beloved New York City, where the next Carrie Diaries book will take place.
389 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
935 people are currently reading
23864 people want to read
About the author
Candace Bushnell
45 books3,354 followersCandace Bushnell is the critically acclaimed, international best-selling author of Killing Monica, Sex and the City, Summer and the City, The Carrie Diaries, One Fifth Avenue, Lipstick Jungle, Trading Up, and Four Blondes. Sex and the City, published in 1996, was the basis for the HBO hit series and two subsequent blockbuster movies. Lipstick Jungle became a popular television series on NBC, as did The Carrie Diaries on the CW.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,662 reviews
July 29, 2010
Have no idea why I even bothered to open this book. I actually never liked Candace Bushnell's books I've read - Sex and the City and Lipstick Jungle. I guess my enjoyment of the TV show affected my judgment?
This novel was a drivel and I couldn't get through more than 20 pages of it. Boring, superficial, directionless high school melodrama galore with personality-less characters and no sense of time or place. I don't think even the fans of the show will enjoy the novel because Carrie of The Carrie Diaries had nothing to do with neurotic, clueless in men, shoe-obsesses Carrie of the show.
Kudos to Bushnell for being smart enough to see that she, like everybody else, could cash in on exploiting the YA fiction boom. Too bad she chose to produce this.
This novel was a drivel and I couldn't get through more than 20 pages of it. Boring, superficial, directionless high school melodrama galore with personality-less characters and no sense of time or place. I don't think even the fans of the show will enjoy the novel because Carrie of The Carrie Diaries had nothing to do with neurotic, clueless in men, shoe-obsesses Carrie of the show.
Kudos to Bushnell for being smart enough to see that she, like everybody else, could cash in on exploiting the YA fiction boom. Too bad she chose to produce this.
April 25, 2021
I love Sex and the City show and it is an iconic show. When I had a chance to read everything about Carrie, I bought every single book available about her.
This book gives an insight into Carrie's high school life and how her teenage experiences let her evolve into the character we have all come to know and love. This book is nothing like I expected it to be. It reads like another high school drama with boyfriend problems, family issues, mean girls and so on and it doesn't even stand out.
Carrie in this was not a bad character but like I said there wasn't anything that stood out. If I read it like just another book but instead of a Carrie Bradshaw book I think I would have been less disappointed. I am happy that she had that experience with Sebastian Kydd but didn't end up with him.
By no means it is completely terrible but keep your expectations low.
2.5 stars
This book gives an insight into Carrie's high school life and how her teenage experiences let her evolve into the character we have all come to know and love. This book is nothing like I expected it to be. It reads like another high school drama with boyfriend problems, family issues, mean girls and so on and it doesn't even stand out.
Carrie in this was not a bad character but like I said there wasn't anything that stood out. If I read it like just another book but instead of a Carrie Bradshaw book I think I would have been less disappointed. I am happy that she had that experience with Sebastian Kydd but didn't end up with him.
By no means it is completely terrible but keep your expectations low.
2.5 stars
June 28, 2011
If you are a SATC fan you will love this series! I think this is what most people are looking for when they read the actual book called "Sex in the City" and they are disappointed when they don't get it. This book just reads like an actual diary of a young Carrie Bradshaw, and of course since I love Carrie I love these books. She is the sweetest character ever to read about and she's fun too! I feel like she's just so real and that's what had made me a huge SATC fan for so long. I couldn't stop reading about her antics as a teen and then thinking about her as an adult and thinking "yeah, that's totally Carrie!"
Carrie isn't fully Carrie though until she's in NYC so I'm glad the series didn't spend so much time on her life before NYC. It was nice to finally have her mother's death mentioned, because in all the seasons of the show I always wondered why she never once mentioned any family members. That still doesn't clear up why she doesn't ever mention her dad or sister, but oh well...I can get over that.
I am not a fan of any of Bushnell's other writing. I like this series, but I don't think I have ever finished a single one of her other books. And yes, I have started like 3 or 4 of them always hoping I would find one I loved just because I love SATC so much. I think she's better at writing YA than adult chick-lit.
September 27, 2016
Look, The Carrie Diaries is never going to win any literary awards for being a valuable exploration of teen culture, but it was a fun book. And I enjoyed reading it for it's entertainment value.
I've never seen one episode of Sex and the City ?? And I have only seen one or two of The Carrie Diaries but it didn't really matter. This stands alone without those other influences.
It basically follows Carrie Bradshaw, a school senior who's dealing with typical teenage drama - boyfriends, school prom, mean friends, dysfunctional families and the looming, uncertain future. When she starts school, a blast from the past in the form of Sebastian Kydd ( the HOTTEST boy in senior year ) turns up to ruin her life, and that's basically the story
One thing I think really stood out is that, even though the drama was ridiculous and cliche, the dynamics and the aesthetic of the school and how the people and the groups interacted felt realistic. I liked that it transcended typical teenage / highschool stereotypes generally portrayed within books such as these and insisted upon the integrity and value of each person - it did not victimise or vilify one group or clique, but rather highlighted the hypocrisy and flaws of each. I liked that the faults of the protagonist and her friends were pointed out, alongside those of the "popular girls". I often find it disappointing how contemporary books dehumanise and vilify "pretty girls" generally because they are. Actually, that same concept was analysed and critiqued in The Carrie Diaries and for that I'm appreciative.
The book had a unique voice and well-rounded host of characters which I felt really fleshed it out and made it more than just a contemporary high-school romance. Carrie's voice was domineering, but she was not flawless. I liked that she was challenged by both friend and foe for her behaviours and that she was not presented as being ultimately errorless. It was really refreshing, especially in this genre which I think typically has bland protagonists who possess little or no faults.
The plot was fast moving, and it was easy reading - but not absorbing. The problems of the characters were really, really trivial. The characters issues were very white, fairly wealthy teenage which was fine, but not particularly engaging. It did deal with the topics it tackled well, though I felt it left the lgbt storyline hanging a bit which was disappointing - I would have liked to see it go alot more places. But other stories, including feminism, the repression of female sexuality and slut-shaming and the challenge between femininity and agency were well written. It was clear Candace Bushell places a great importance on writing gender politics and explorations and I suppose it is what she did best here.
It's a shame the writing is basic and bland, because if it'd been a bit more exciting, maybe a little more rich this book would have been better. I also which the characters had been fleshed out alot more, especially some of the central supporting characters.
Overall, this was a really fun read and I liked it, but it wasn't outstanding. I think for a contemporary romance though, it was really well done. Contemp. romance is a genre I usually actively avoid so that I liked this at all is amazing.
ANYWAY ! I'm guessing the show and the book are reaaally different. Because everyone who watches the show LOVES Sebastian, but in the book he's ? not nice and he's not portrayed to be a good person sooo.
I've never seen one episode of Sex and the City ?? And I have only seen one or two of The Carrie Diaries but it didn't really matter. This stands alone without those other influences.
It basically follows Carrie Bradshaw, a school senior who's dealing with typical teenage drama - boyfriends, school prom, mean friends, dysfunctional families and the looming, uncertain future. When she starts school, a blast from the past in the form of Sebastian Kydd ( the HOTTEST boy in senior year ) turns up to ruin her life, and that's basically the story
One thing I think really stood out is that, even though the drama was ridiculous and cliche, the dynamics and the aesthetic of the school and how the people and the groups interacted felt realistic. I liked that it transcended typical teenage / highschool stereotypes generally portrayed within books such as these and insisted upon the integrity and value of each person - it did not victimise or vilify one group or clique, but rather highlighted the hypocrisy and flaws of each. I liked that the faults of the protagonist and her friends were pointed out, alongside those of the "popular girls". I often find it disappointing how contemporary books dehumanise and vilify "pretty girls" generally because they are. Actually, that same concept was analysed and critiqued in The Carrie Diaries and for that I'm appreciative.
The book had a unique voice and well-rounded host of characters which I felt really fleshed it out and made it more than just a contemporary high-school romance. Carrie's voice was domineering, but she was not flawless. I liked that she was challenged by both friend and foe for her behaviours and that she was not presented as being ultimately errorless. It was really refreshing, especially in this genre which I think typically has bland protagonists who possess little or no faults.
The plot was fast moving, and it was easy reading - but not absorbing. The problems of the characters were really, really trivial. The characters issues were very white, fairly wealthy teenage which was fine, but not particularly engaging. It did deal with the topics it tackled well, though I felt it left the lgbt storyline hanging a bit which was disappointing - I would have liked to see it go alot more places. But other stories, including feminism, the repression of female sexuality and slut-shaming and the challenge between femininity and agency were well written. It was clear Candace Bushell places a great importance on writing gender politics and explorations and I suppose it is what she did best here.
It's a shame the writing is basic and bland, because if it'd been a bit more exciting, maybe a little more rich this book would have been better. I also which the characters had been fleshed out alot more, especially some of the central supporting characters.
Overall, this was a really fun read and I liked it, but it wasn't outstanding. I think for a contemporary romance though, it was really well done. Contemp. romance is a genre I usually actively avoid so that I liked this at all is amazing.
ANYWAY ! I'm guessing the show and the book are reaaally different. Because everyone who watches the show LOVES Sebastian, but in the book he's ? not nice and he's not portrayed to be a good person sooo.
July 12, 2024
Honesty is key in book reviewing.
I hated the writing style. There, I said it. I didn't enjoy this book, and I really wanted to! I've heard so many good things about The Carrie Diaries from fans of the books and television series but man... It wasn't for me.
This felt like it should have been a New Adult book with the spicy language at the start, but the first 100 pages also felt so... random. I didn't get the plot, other than there's a new hot guy and Carrie clearly knows him.
I'm not sure what about Candace Bushnell's writing pushed me away, but I just couldn't get into it or connect with the characters. I'll try to watch the t.v. adaption instead, because that might be a better option for me.
One out of five stars.
I hated the writing style. There, I said it. I didn't enjoy this book, and I really wanted to! I've heard so many good things about The Carrie Diaries from fans of the books and television series but man... It wasn't for me.
This felt like it should have been a New Adult book with the spicy language at the start, but the first 100 pages also felt so... random. I didn't get the plot, other than there's a new hot guy and Carrie clearly knows him.
I'm not sure what about Candace Bushnell's writing pushed me away, but I just couldn't get into it or connect with the characters. I'll try to watch the t.v. adaption instead, because that might be a better option for me.
One out of five stars.
October 18, 2023
Drink, smoke, vomit!
Make jokes, most of them bad.
Make/or make not sex.
Steal your friend's boyfriends.
Be as hypocrite as you can.
Make a fool of yourself ...
That was the shortest resume of one of the poorest books I've met in recent times and only the fact that there are some even worse (not too many...) gained it the second star. And, of course, my effort...
Make jokes, most of them bad.
Make/or make not sex.
Steal your friend's boyfriends.
Be as hypocrite as you can.
Make a fool of yourself ...
That was the shortest resume of one of the poorest books I've met in recent times and only the fact that there are some even worse (not too many...) gained it the second star. And, of course, my effort...
July 10, 2011
I have plenty of guilty pleasures and even though I call them that, I try not to feel too guilty about them. (Life's too short, right?) One of my biggest pleasures is reading teen and pre-teen literature. Another is the ridiculous joy that is Sex and the City. So reading The Carrie Diaries was like combining the two in one ultimate dream!
Well, not quite. But it was fun.
There are a few oddly glaring inconsistencies between the book and the TV series, however. In the series, she re-dates her high school boyfriend who she went to prom with... she doesn't actually go to the prom in the book. I'm sure there's stuff mentioned about how Carrie in the series is an only child raised by a single mother yet in the book her mum has died and left her dad to raise her and her two sisters (!!) Also, she's bizarrely an excellent cook, whereas in the show it's often mentioned how she never cooks and uses her oven to store sweaters.
It's a teen book, really, despite the peppering of expletives. Don't read it expecting it to be a grown up novel! You can probably already tell whether you'll like this or not: it's more or less what you're expecting. I enjoyed it, though.
And I especially liked the very last sentence.
Well, not quite. But it was fun.
There are a few oddly glaring inconsistencies between the book and the TV series, however. In the series, she re-dates her high school boyfriend who she went to prom with... she doesn't actually go to the prom in the book. I'm sure there's stuff mentioned about how Carrie in the series is an only child raised by a single mother yet in the book her mum has died and left her dad to raise her and her two sisters (!!) Also, she's bizarrely an excellent cook, whereas in the show it's often mentioned how she never cooks and uses her oven to store sweaters.
It's a teen book, really, despite the peppering of expletives. Don't read it expecting it to be a grown up novel! You can probably already tell whether you'll like this or not: it's more or less what you're expecting. I enjoyed it, though.
And I especially liked the very last sentence.
June 3, 2014
Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation?
Even though I'm a woman in her very late 20s I still enjoy YA books. And I LOVE the show Sex and the City, I grew up watching that show with dreams of living in the city like them and being a fashionista. So, I enjoyed learning how Carrie became the goddess she was in my eyes. I recommend this series for any fans of the show.
Even though I'm a woman in her very late 20s I still enjoy YA books. And I LOVE the show Sex and the City, I grew up watching that show with dreams of living in the city like them and being a fashionista. So, I enjoyed learning how Carrie became the goddess she was in my eyes. I recommend this series for any fans of the show.
May 27, 2010
So far, this is not the Carrie I know...
Indeed, these are not the droids you're looking for. If you were a fan of the TV series (which, let's face it, is the only reason this book got published), this book is not going to introduce you to socialite and writer Carrie Bradshaw: The Early Years.
What exists here is either a massive retcon of the tv series, or author Candace Bushnell decided that the Carrie she wrote the original Sex and the City had a very different past that she'[d never covered. Mind, I never got through the entirety of the original book, as the writing was pretty much sub-par and not as fun as the series, so I could be wrong.
This Carrie Bradshaw has sisters (three, and one's a delinquent), a father (but no mother), and likes to cook (elaborate Julia Child meals, at that!) And (perhaps sadly), I can tell you where all of these things are refuted in the tv show.
This isn't a BAD book by any means, but take out the last chapter, and/or change some names, and it could be any book about any girl in Connecticut in the 80s.
Indeed, these are not the droids you're looking for. If you were a fan of the TV series (which, let's face it, is the only reason this book got published), this book is not going to introduce you to socialite and writer Carrie Bradshaw: The Early Years.
What exists here is either a massive retcon of the tv series, or author Candace Bushnell decided that the Carrie she wrote the original Sex and the City had a very different past that she'[d never covered. Mind, I never got through the entirety of the original book, as the writing was pretty much sub-par and not as fun as the series, so I could be wrong.
This Carrie Bradshaw has sisters (three, and one's a delinquent), a father (but no mother), and likes to cook (elaborate Julia Child meals, at that!) And (perhaps sadly), I can tell you where all of these things are refuted in the tv show.
This isn't a BAD book by any means, but take out the last chapter, and/or change some names, and it could be any book about any girl in Connecticut in the 80s.
March 22, 2015
So i picked up this book for a bit of a laugh thinking it was going to be trashy fun. SURPRISE: It was actually really good?
Disclaimer: I haven’t seen an episode of Sex in the City. I’ve seen the first movie but that’s pretty much it. I’ve also seen the first few episodes from when they adapted this book into a show and barring a few things, this book is nothing like that.
Carrie is an amazing character. Sure she’s a teenager and sometimes she screws up, but she’s all about girl power and doesn’t take shit from boys about how girls are “boring” or “stupid”. While sometimes she drops the ball when she’s told she’s “not like other girls”, overall she’s fab.
I pretty much hated Sebastian from the get go. He was just too slick and perfect. He pretty much had a neon “douchebag” sign floating over his head. But sometimes smart girls fall for the wrong guys. Sebastian wasn’t the only character I wanted to slap silly, especially towards the end.
Overall, this book was a lot better than I expected.
Disclaimer: I haven’t seen an episode of Sex in the City. I’ve seen the first movie but that’s pretty much it. I’ve also seen the first few episodes from when they adapted this book into a show and barring a few things, this book is nothing like that.
Carrie is an amazing character. Sure she’s a teenager and sometimes she screws up, but she’s all about girl power and doesn’t take shit from boys about how girls are “boring” or “stupid”. While sometimes she drops the ball when she’s told she’s “not like other girls”, overall she’s fab.
I pretty much hated Sebastian from the get go. He was just too slick and perfect. He pretty much had a neon “douchebag” sign floating over his head. But sometimes smart girls fall for the wrong guys. Sebastian wasn’t the only character I wanted to slap silly, especially towards the end.
Overall, this book was a lot better than I expected.
November 18, 2017
I hated this book so much I destroyed it after reading.
April 21, 2020
Enjoyed it! Would I re-read it? Probably not :P It's very "highschool" well actually it literally is :P It's when Carrie was in her senior year, right before she goes to New York and Brown. It's the beginning, if you will.
It has mostly all the highschool themes, cliques, fitting in, girls being mean to eachother, shitty friends, shitty boyfriends, coming out of the closet, being back stabbed by a friend, jealousy, figuring out what you want to be in life, finding out who you are, self identity, loyalty to friendships, being cheated on, trying different courses seeing what you like, wondering if a boy likes you or not.
Carrie is very annoying at times and to me unrelatable and way too forgiving and naive lol but hey she's in high school. If I had to identify with a character it probably would have been The Mouse because she actually thinks rationally, scratch that, she actually thinks properly lol
Maggie is unbelievably annoying, dumb, and emotional. I've actually known girls like Maggie though.
It has mostly all the highschool themes, cliques, fitting in, girls being mean to eachother, shitty friends, shitty boyfriends, coming out of the closet, being back stabbed by a friend, jealousy, figuring out what you want to be in life, finding out who you are, self identity, loyalty to friendships, being cheated on, trying different courses seeing what you like, wondering if a boy likes you or not.
Carrie is very annoying at times and to me unrelatable and way too forgiving and naive lol but hey she's in high school. If I had to identify with a character it probably would have been The Mouse because she actually thinks rationally, scratch that, she actually thinks properly lol
Maggie is unbelievably annoying, dumb, and emotional. I've actually known girls like Maggie though.
October 13, 2022
Lo siento, pero esa Carrie no es la Carrie que queremos!!!
October 25, 2010
Finally Candace Bushnell answers the questions that have plagued diehard Sex in the City fans ever since Carrie Bradshaw sipped her first pink cosmo: How did Carrie hit the big time as a newspaper columnist in New York City? What spurred her fascination with bad boys and high fashion? And most importantly – how did she meet her fabulous trio of gal pals?
Considering this book is classified as young adult, many Sex in the City fans will dismiss it as a dumbed-down “little Carrie” story filled with high school hijinks and insipid mean-girl melodrama. But don’t be fooled, this book runs much deeper than – gasp! – the plotlines in the TV series and the movies.
Before donning Monolos and hobnobbing with A-listers at trendy Manhattan hotspots, Carrie Bradshaw was a small town girl who dreamed of being a writer and jumping on a train toward the bright lights of Manhattan. Detailing the hardships young Carrie encountered after her mother’s death – a back-story barely touched upon in the series – Bushnell reveals how the insecure teen depended more on her friends than her widowed father to maneuver her way through the emotional minefield of adolescence.
In this much-anticipated prequel, Bushnell offers a glimpse into the origins of Carrie’s outlandish fashion sense and penchant for tall, dark and dangerous men. Sebastian Kydd, a James Dean kind of bad boy, most certainly foreshadows Carrie’s rocky road ahead with the notorious Mr. Big.
A refreshing departure from shallow plotlines surrounding product placement, over-the-top weddings and decadent trips to Abu Dhabi, “The Carrie Diaries” offers a coming-of-age story that gives “our girl” a bit more substance. Fans in need of a Sex in the City fix will love seeing Carrie evolve from an awkward teen into a quick-witted, insightful writer.
Although I was hoping Bushnell would give readers a taste of Carrie’s early beginnings with Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte, she does reveal the young fashonista’s road to New York City and serendipitous encounter with a certain PR bad girl. Oh Candace, please tell me you’re writing a sequal!
Considering this book is classified as young adult, many Sex in the City fans will dismiss it as a dumbed-down “little Carrie” story filled with high school hijinks and insipid mean-girl melodrama. But don’t be fooled, this book runs much deeper than – gasp! – the plotlines in the TV series and the movies.
Before donning Monolos and hobnobbing with A-listers at trendy Manhattan hotspots, Carrie Bradshaw was a small town girl who dreamed of being a writer and jumping on a train toward the bright lights of Manhattan. Detailing the hardships young Carrie encountered after her mother’s death – a back-story barely touched upon in the series – Bushnell reveals how the insecure teen depended more on her friends than her widowed father to maneuver her way through the emotional minefield of adolescence.
In this much-anticipated prequel, Bushnell offers a glimpse into the origins of Carrie’s outlandish fashion sense and penchant for tall, dark and dangerous men. Sebastian Kydd, a James Dean kind of bad boy, most certainly foreshadows Carrie’s rocky road ahead with the notorious Mr. Big.
A refreshing departure from shallow plotlines surrounding product placement, over-the-top weddings and decadent trips to Abu Dhabi, “The Carrie Diaries” offers a coming-of-age story that gives “our girl” a bit more substance. Fans in need of a Sex in the City fix will love seeing Carrie evolve from an awkward teen into a quick-witted, insightful writer.
Although I was hoping Bushnell would give readers a taste of Carrie’s early beginnings with Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte, she does reveal the young fashonista’s road to New York City and serendipitous encounter with a certain PR bad girl. Oh Candace, please tell me you’re writing a sequal!
January 8, 2013
Making the decision of picking a book to read during the Christmas break was not easy although in the end, basing myself on other people’s recommendations, I ended up reading this novel by Candace Bushnell, The Carrie Diaries. This novel is all about Carrie’s coming of age and the course of the twelfth grade with its ups and downs.
Throughout the book, the protagonist, Carrie encounters many obstacles. These issues vary from having a problematic sister to an unfaithful boyfriend that at points make her life a living hell.
In my opinion, I think this book is very recommendable to any girl in high school mainly because the things Carrie goes through are things that I’ve seen amongst my friends or people from the grades above and when reading the book, I could sometimes relate. For example, Carrie fights a lot with her younger sister and so do I. Also, it’s very amusing to read the issues she has between friends because that’s something almost everybody goes through.
What I liked the most about the book is being able to completely get to know the protagonist, Carrie and imagine her in my mind. I guess that if there had been a movie about the book, it would have been harder to make up the faces of the characters in my mind. While reading it, the conclusions I drew from Carrie’s character is that she’s just a girl like any other. I liked that a lot because in some books, the characters are somewhat fictional and it makes it hard to relate but this time it was different and it made me enjoy the reading a lot more. On the other hand, it was also really interesting to see how well written and realistic is the betrayal of her best friend because it’s basically the bomb that you’re waiting for to explode all along the novel.
Overall, I think this is a very interesting book and personally, I don’t enjoy reading but I surely did enjoy this book. I recommend it to every teenage girl and I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
Throughout the book, the protagonist, Carrie encounters many obstacles. These issues vary from having a problematic sister to an unfaithful boyfriend that at points make her life a living hell.
In my opinion, I think this book is very recommendable to any girl in high school mainly because the things Carrie goes through are things that I’ve seen amongst my friends or people from the grades above and when reading the book, I could sometimes relate. For example, Carrie fights a lot with her younger sister and so do I. Also, it’s very amusing to read the issues she has between friends because that’s something almost everybody goes through.
What I liked the most about the book is being able to completely get to know the protagonist, Carrie and imagine her in my mind. I guess that if there had been a movie about the book, it would have been harder to make up the faces of the characters in my mind. While reading it, the conclusions I drew from Carrie’s character is that she’s just a girl like any other. I liked that a lot because in some books, the characters are somewhat fictional and it makes it hard to relate but this time it was different and it made me enjoy the reading a lot more. On the other hand, it was also really interesting to see how well written and realistic is the betrayal of her best friend because it’s basically the bomb that you’re waiting for to explode all along the novel.
Overall, I think this is a very interesting book and personally, I don’t enjoy reading but I surely did enjoy this book. I recommend it to every teenage girl and I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
June 20, 2010
At least 100 pages too long and exceedingly pointless. I have no idea what Bushnell was trying to do with this. It's too slow and inwardly-focused for the Sweet Valley High crowd, and as a teen novel for adults (Secret History, Prep, etc.), it fails miserably, with the fact that there is almost no character development whatsoever being one of numerous flaws. All of the characters are 2-dimensional, nearly interchangeable. I kept comparing the Carrie in this book to the Carrie of the show (which I'm a big fan of), then having to remind myself that Bushnell has almost nothing to do w/ the tv series (which was "loosely" based on Bushnell's original SATC book), and that the Carrie in this book should be viewed as a stand-alone character. But as such, there is basically nothing to her. She's likeable - smart, witty, courageous - but her strengths only make it all the more improbable that she would end up in some of the situations that we find her in. I was hoping for a guilty pleasure in reading this, but it was more like a total waste of time.
March 20, 2013
I'm a really big Sex and the City fan...but I am from Jamaica (the Caribbean) and our cultures being so different and smaller societies being so much more conservative, and I hadnt done as much travelling to really understand half of what the show was really about....I wasn't allowed to watch HBO (or cable fro that matter..with its profanity, nudity and explicit sexual contents) until well into my late teens. By the time I really got into watching these 4 girls and know about their many dating and life troubles...I had already had too many Miss Adventures of my own!! Now I'm old enough to appreciate how in my life I could identify with each of the characters and their life changes (even in both Movies/Motion Pictures) and I began to wonder what was/would Carrie's teenage years look like (I identify most with her than the other 3...).
The writing was entertaining and I'm glad it was done somewhat in similar fashion to the show's narrative musing...It was clever and amusing but serious when it needed to be, albeit a bit obsessive on some points (just like a teenage girl right???lol). It did do the necessary introductions to Carrie's very fullsome all inclusive lifestyle...I enjoyed it fully!!
The writing was entertaining and I'm glad it was done somewhat in similar fashion to the show's narrative musing...It was clever and amusing but serious when it needed to be, albeit a bit obsessive on some points (just like a teenage girl right???lol). It did do the necessary introductions to Carrie's very fullsome all inclusive lifestyle...I enjoyed it fully!!
to-read-i-own-it
November 6, 2012Reviewed by Angela S. for TeensReadToo.com
THE CARRIE DIARIES follows Carrie Bradshaw pre-Sex and the City.
Seventeen-year-old Carrie is just beginning her senior year in high school, and like all girls she falls for the gorgeous bad boy, Sebastian Kydd. Before long, Carrie and Sebastian are a couple - and the envy of the popular girls, who harass Carrie and make her life harder than it needs to be.
Besides Carrie's hot-and-cold relationship with Sebastian, she also has to deal with a huge secret her best friend, Walt, is keeping, and a betrayal that threatens to ruin a lifelong friendship in an instant.
Fans of Sex and the City will enjoy this novel, as it gives a lot of information on Carrie's family life and what inspired her to become a writer. It also recounts how it is that Carrie arrived in New York all those years ago, which ties it in nicely with both Candace Bushnell's adult novels and the show.
THE CARRIE DIARIES follows Carrie Bradshaw pre-Sex and the City.
Seventeen-year-old Carrie is just beginning her senior year in high school, and like all girls she falls for the gorgeous bad boy, Sebastian Kydd. Before long, Carrie and Sebastian are a couple - and the envy of the popular girls, who harass Carrie and make her life harder than it needs to be.
Besides Carrie's hot-and-cold relationship with Sebastian, she also has to deal with a huge secret her best friend, Walt, is keeping, and a betrayal that threatens to ruin a lifelong friendship in an instant.
Fans of Sex and the City will enjoy this novel, as it gives a lot of information on Carrie's family life and what inspired her to become a writer. It also recounts how it is that Carrie arrived in New York all those years ago, which ties it in nicely with both Candace Bushnell's adult novels and the show.
March 11, 2014
Ι am a major SATC fan and so it seemed natural for me to pick up this book. What didn't feel so natural was reading it.
The Carrie Diaries is a sad attempt to keep the SATC era going and for Candace Bushnell to make a profit out of the YA hype.
The story follows Carrie before she was a New York sociallite, when she still lived in the suburbs with her father and sister after her mother's death, and instead of Miranda, Sam and Charlotte hang out with a closet-gay, his cheating girlfriend and an asian nerd (really Bushnell? really?). Everything was normal until a new hot kid arrives at their school and of course every single girl drools over him.
I haven't read the sex and the city book, but I'd like to think it had nothing to do with this dull, predictable piece of garbage.
The Carrie Diaries is a sad attempt to keep the SATC era going and for Candace Bushnell to make a profit out of the YA hype.
The story follows Carrie before she was a New York sociallite, when she still lived in the suburbs with her father and sister after her mother's death, and instead of Miranda, Sam and Charlotte hang out with a closet-gay, his cheating girlfriend and an asian nerd (really Bushnell? really?). Everything was normal until a new hot kid arrives at their school and of course every single girl drools over him.
I haven't read the sex and the city book, but I'd like to think it had nothing to do with this dull, predictable piece of garbage.
September 15, 2017
Pur și simplu nu pot citi cartea asta! E prea mult pentru mine. Chiar am încercat de multe ori și am vrut să-mi placă, dar nu pot duce cartea asta până la capăt!
Stilul de scriere este plăcut, lejer, ușor de citit, însă povestea în sine este groaznic de fadă și plictisitoare, un mare clișeu american. Este așa de previzibilă că am ghicit de fiecare dată ce se va întâmpla. Nici protagonista nu face povestea mai acceptabilă, deoarece mă enervează și plictisește concomitent.
Cred că este prima carte chik-lit (nu că aș fi citit prea multe până acum) care nu mi-a plăcut. Cum ar fi In Her Shoes mi-a plăcut foarte mult și mi-a făcut plăcere să o citesc vara trecută.
Stilul de scriere este plăcut, lejer, ușor de citit, însă povestea în sine este groaznic de fadă și plictisitoare, un mare clișeu american. Este așa de previzibilă că am ghicit de fiecare dată ce se va întâmpla. Nici protagonista nu face povestea mai acceptabilă, deoarece mă enervează și plictisește concomitent.
Cred că este prima carte chik-lit (nu că aș fi citit prea multe până acum) care nu mi-a plăcut. Cum ar fi In Her Shoes mi-a plăcut foarte mult și mi-a făcut plăcere să o citesc vara trecută.
January 31, 2023
4/5 (could've been a 5 if all this cheating wasn't there)
Starting this book on an exam week wasn't a brilliant idea, but i reaallllly loved it maybe it's just because am still a teenage girl who wants to have all this High-school drama and obviously wants to live in NYC and again wants to be a writer so this book was really personal for me.
Actually am not a fan of this girly pop type of books cause most of the time they be the cringiest but this one was a catch.
Starting this book on an exam week wasn't a brilliant idea, but i reaallllly loved it maybe it's just because am still a teenage girl who wants to have all this High-school drama and obviously wants to live in NYC and again wants to be a writer so this book was really personal for me.
Actually am not a fan of this girly pop type of books cause most of the time they be the cringiest but this one was a catch.
May 23, 2010
I didn't expect much from this book but, hey! it was actually good! I mean, I never read or watch Sex and The City before. And I actually think, "A book about Carrie Bradshaw? Really?" Boy, I was wrong!
The book tells us about Carrie Bradshaw's final year of school, how she desperately want to be a writer, how she faced boyfriend problems, friendship problems & family problems. Written in Carrie's perspective, I think Carrie is a very likeable & down to earth character.
Carrie's life may seemed perfect -good grades, beautiful, strong friendships, etc. But actually, it's not. I like how Bushnell portrayed the father-daughter relationship here -it's very real! Besides, she didn't forget to put it. Teenagers life wasn't all about boys & friendship, they could be about family. And Bushnell mixed all those. Oh! And not to forget, about the future. In this book, Carrie was rejected by the New School - her favourite school and yes, many of us faced that too.
I also like how Carrie solved things up in this book. And how she ended up to be friends with her nemesis.
Sebastian's really a jerk - I know it from the start. He reminds me of Daniel Cleaver from Bridget Jones's Diary. And George does reminds of Mark Darcy. I don't know how, but they just do.
Anyway, this book is hilarious and fun to read. I might give 4 stars here if I read it in one sitting. But I couldn't. Whenever I want to finish this book, something important just came up. *sigh*
The book tells us about Carrie Bradshaw's final year of school, how she desperately want to be a writer, how she faced boyfriend problems, friendship problems & family problems. Written in Carrie's perspective, I think Carrie is a very likeable & down to earth character.
Carrie's life may seemed perfect -good grades, beautiful, strong friendships, etc. But actually, it's not. I like how Bushnell portrayed the father-daughter relationship here -it's very real! Besides, she didn't forget to put it. Teenagers life wasn't all about boys & friendship, they could be about family. And Bushnell mixed all those. Oh! And not to forget, about the future. In this book, Carrie was rejected by the New School - her favourite school and yes, many of us faced that too.
I also like how Carrie solved things up in this book. And how she ended up to be friends with her nemesis.
Sebastian's really a jerk - I know it from the start. He reminds me of Daniel Cleaver from Bridget Jones's Diary. And George does reminds of Mark Darcy. I don't know how, but they just do.
Anyway, this book is hilarious and fun to read. I might give 4 stars here if I read it in one sitting. But I couldn't. Whenever I want to finish this book, something important just came up. *sigh*
August 4, 2012
THE CARRIE DIARIES is a coming of age novel regarding a young, small town girl with big dreams. Meet Carrie Bradshaw, before the glamour, before the glitz and before Sex and the City. Carrie starts out as an eager adolescent, mesmerized by pop culture, fashion and literature. However, with her senior year looming over her and her youngest sister constantly acting out, she finds it hard to find the perfect balance between her passions, boyfriend, and the expectations of her father. With the hunch that her boyfriend and best friend together are untrustworthy when she is not around, the stress seems to crack down on Carrie. She has dreams of becoming a world renowned writer, but her father has different plans. He is certain that his daughter will be attending Brown in the fall, following in his footsteps to become a scientist. As she formulates a plan to get into a summer writing program, and persuade her father to let her attend, a continuous flow of hurdles present themselves. Her friends change, and through events that happen, she finally see’s who her real friends are, and who are pleased in her social and mental downfall. And as she tries to conquer all her problems, not everyone is left happy with her decisions. The characters and the story line show relevance to a teenage audience, making it a interesting and recommended read for those in a similar place. ‘The Carrie Diaries’ is an excellent read and perfect fro those who loved Sex and the City.
Read
November 3, 2014The Carrie Diaries, is the prequel to the epic book series, Sex and the City. This book takes place during the iconic 1980's, following Carrie as she tries to juggle her aspirations, dreams, and the social burdens that accompany high school. Carrie is very strong willed. She isn't afraid to go after what she wants, but she has her weak moments, as every high schooler does. What I enjoyed most about this book, is that it doesn't lie to the readers. It doesn't paint this beautiful picture of high school life, and it doesn't paint a cliché one either. This book doesn't skimp on the traditional adventures of high school. There are the catty girls. There are best friends that stab each other in the back. There are boys that make a girl believe that they'll be together forever, only to betray her in the end. It deals with the real issues of growing up, and getting hurt, and this book was so brilliant because how Carrie deals with all these problems, can be an inspiration to all struggling high schoolers. She lets her emotions rule her and reacts in ways not unlike how girls do today, which makes this book relatable. But Carrie's ability to pick herself up, brush herself off, and keep on smiling despite the dark clouds above her head, makes her a role model for women, young and old, to look up to.
June 4, 2010
I'm not gonna lie - I LOVED this book!
Of course I also loved the HBO series "Sex and the City" (I own all 6.5 seasons of the show), both film versions, as well subsequent companion "Sex and the City" books. Carrie Bradshaw is one of my all-time favorite literary and television characters, fashion icons, and "every" woman.
This novel is actually a prequel to "Sex and the City", and introduces us to Carrie as she begins her senior year of high school. We see Carrie as she struggles to find her writing voice, gently experiments with fashion, and questions her own place in the small town where she has grown up. Friends, dating, family drama, peer pressure, you name it - Carrie experiences it all (and with her usual candor, optimism, and sensitivity).
A fabulous coming-of-age story about a girl on the brink of becoming a woman, and doing it on her own terms.
**warning**
Although it is marked as YA Fiction, this book contains strong language, sexual references, and drug/alcohol use.
Of course I also loved the HBO series "Sex and the City" (I own all 6.5 seasons of the show), both film versions, as well subsequent companion "Sex and the City" books. Carrie Bradshaw is one of my all-time favorite literary and television characters, fashion icons, and "every" woman.
This novel is actually a prequel to "Sex and the City", and introduces us to Carrie as she begins her senior year of high school. We see Carrie as she struggles to find her writing voice, gently experiments with fashion, and questions her own place in the small town where she has grown up. Friends, dating, family drama, peer pressure, you name it - Carrie experiences it all (and with her usual candor, optimism, and sensitivity).
A fabulous coming-of-age story about a girl on the brink of becoming a woman, and doing it on her own terms.
**warning**
Although it is marked as YA Fiction, this book contains strong language, sexual references, and drug/alcohol use.
May 27, 2016
I've never seen sex in the city, but my sister was addicted to the Carrie Diaries show so I put this on my to read list.
2 stars is for "it's okay". This book is definitely a juvenile read, though I won't suggest you let your kids read this as the main protagonist, Carrie smokes. And as everybody knows, "smoking is dangerous to your health".
Usually books come with moral lessons, I'm not so sure if this book had one. Though we get to see how high school is, and I'm almost 99% certain that nobody wants to go back to that point of their lives. It was entertaining at some times and at those few moments of entertainment, I had to sacrifice a few brain cells.
Oh well, at least I scratched off a book off my to-be-read mountain.
2 stars is for "it's okay". This book is definitely a juvenile read, though I won't suggest you let your kids read this as the main protagonist, Carrie smokes. And as everybody knows, "smoking is dangerous to your health".
Usually books come with moral lessons, I'm not so sure if this book had one. Though we get to see how high school is, and I'm almost 99% certain that nobody wants to go back to that point of their lives. It was entertaining at some times and at those few moments of entertainment, I had to sacrifice a few brain cells.
Oh well, at least I scratched off a book off my to-be-read mountain.
March 20, 2017
I love Sex and the City TV Series so naturally this should appeal to me! First love, First betrayal, growing up, you want it all so bad but when it's all done kinda of want it to all disappear or you could!What irritates me as would every reader is the inconsistency between books and film; the teen Carrie is so much more independent, strong and carefree than that of the adult Carrie who lives, eats, sleeps breaths NY (which would make you think she is all independent...) but is constantly seeking out a man to help... confusing!
The book helped me relate more to teen Carrie growing from teen to adult; but made me watch the adult Carrie go through every drama, make out, girl chat and stiletto purchase all again - I do love it
The book helped me relate more to teen Carrie growing from teen to adult; but made me watch the adult Carrie go through every drama, make out, girl chat and stiletto purchase all again - I do love it
October 29, 2016
I basically hate 80% of the characters. The plot is just your typical HS drama. I honestly don't how this mess was adapted into one of my favorite series.
June 27, 2017
I read this book when I was way to young, so don't blame me when I say: THIS BOOK KILLED MY DREAMS! I was seriously depressed for awhile after I finished it.
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