There have been so many amazing book-to-movie adaptations this year! As a huge reader myself, it’ so exciting to see some of my favorite books portrayed on the big screen. It’s also amazing to see many diverse voices represented in these feature films! Here’s a list of a few of these adaptations that have either already been released this year or are coming out soon!
1. Love, Simon
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli is a hilarious, contemporary novel about Simon, a gay high school student who finds himself as the subject of blackmail while attempting to hide his secret relationship with a classmate. The film, Love Simon, which came out in March this year, was an amazing high school dramedy recounting Simon’s engaging experiences.
2. Ready Player One
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline has become a modern classic, detailing the life of Wade Watts, a poor teenage boy in a near-future, who becomes an influential player in a virtual reality game that shapes the world. The movie adaptation, which was also released in March 2018, was rife with fun pop culture references. While the key details in the book and movie diverged greatly, both stories were entertaining in their own way.
3. Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is the first in a three-book series that tells the glamorous story of Asian-American Rachel Chu who goes to Singapore with her boyfriend for his best friend’s wedding, only to discover that his family is rich beyond imagination. The film, which hit theaters this August, was a massive hit. Not only is it the first movie to feature an entirely Asian main cast in 25 years, but it quickly became a phenomenon. I can’t wait to see it again!
4. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han is the first book in a trilogy following Lara Jean, a hopeless romantic high school student who writes love letters to each of the boys with whom she falls in love. One day, she finds her letters have been mailed out, and she is pushed way out of her comfort zone. Netflix adapted this adorable high school romance into a film which was released in August 2018. The movie exploded with praise (and memes) from all generations who loved the chemistry between the lead couple and the timelessness of their sweet coming-of-age romance.
5. The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a bestselling debut novel inspired by the Black Lives Matter Movement. Starr Carter is split between two lives: the one she lives in her poor neighborhood and the one she lives while at her wealthy private school. When one of her friends is fatally shot by a police officer, Starr must become the voice against the injustice she witnessed. The movie releases in October 2018 and looks like it will be just as powerful and motivating as this amazing book.
6. Ashes in the Snow
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys is a World War II-era novel following 15-year-old Lina who is forced from her home in Lithuania into a Siberian work camp under Stalin’s influence. This harrowing tale has been transformed into film and retitled Ashes in the Snow. It was released in film festivals in September 2018 and should be hitting theaters by January 2019.