Carrie Fisher will break your heart and make you laugh at the same time in “The Princess Diarist.” While the book is about Fisher’s affair with Harrison Ford during the first “Star Wars” movie, it is more about the insecurities, criticisms and inner demons rooted deep in her childhood that she was facing during that time. Fisher looks back on the diaries she kept throughout the creation of the original “Star Wars” movie and reflects upon the person she was at the time and how she has come to appreciate who she was in her youth. As a “Star Wars” fan, I found it hard to read about the inner battles our beloved Princess Leia was having while shooting one of the most iconic movies ever made. Although depressing, Fisher’s self-loathing is written about in such a brutally honest and sometimes poetic way that it is much more relatable than one would expect. With her charming dialogue, riddles and bizarre metaphors, Fisher makes you laugh through consistent themes of heartbreak and worthlessness right along with her. Throughout the book, she speaks directly to the audience, making you feel as if you are her friend going through these horrible experiences with her, desperately wanting to change the course. With Fisher’s recent death on Dec. 27, reading about her low self-esteem offers no closure for readers who will miss their princess dearly. The book leaves a bitter-sweet taste of appreciation and longing for a lost friend.
