I will always be one of those people who insist on reading the book before the movie comes out. Most people can agree that the books are almost always better, although I will concede there are exceptions occasionally. However, nothing compares to the feeling you get when a book you love is done proper justice on the big screen.
- “Normal People”
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“Normal People” by Sally Rooney is a book that I absolutely adore and will go down as one of my all-time favorites. I was actually quite nervous when I started the series, but I’d heard they stayed very true to the book, and sure enough, I was not disappointed. The show is on Hulu, and there are 12 episodes, which are all fairly short, being roughly half an hour each. Of course, in the show, there are certain things you don’t get to see, such as the inner dialogue of the characters, which played a big part in the book by allowing us to understand their thoughts. I know it’s basically impossible to include all the details from the book into a movie or show, but “Normal People” did a pretty good job. The cast was almost exactly how I’d pictured the characters, and I truly don’t think I could’ve imagined a better adaptation if I tried.
- “Little Women”
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“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott has been adapted for film many times throughout the years, but the most recent movie came out in 2019. “Little Women” is a classic story that has been passed on for generations, with the first volume being published back in 1868. The story is based on Louisa May Alcott’s own life, and the character Jo is a fictionalization of herself. The cast for the movie was wonderful, and the writing was perfectly fit and adapted for the big screen. This movie was great in every aspect and absolutely did the book justice while conveying the core values of the story: family, friendship and love. There was even a twist at the end of the movie that differed from the book as a nod to Louisa May Alcott and the events that took place in her life.
- “Big Little Lies”
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“Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty absolutely stunned me when I finished reading it, and I couldn’t pick up another book for a good week or two after. I, being protective over my favorite books, wanted to watch the TV series but was scared it would be ruined if they didn’t follow the book. Many elements from the book were consistent with the show. However, a lot of things, some big and some small were also changed. Despite this, I was surprised to find that the changes made in the story for the show didn’t frustrate me as much as I anticipated. Overall, the heart of the story stayed the same and projected the same energy as the book, so the changes made still resulted in a great TV show.
- “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before”
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The first two books in the “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” series by Jenny Han have been turned into Netflix movies. When reading the books, there was a certain feeling I got that made me feel at home and warm inside. The movies gave me that same feeling and did a good job of replicating the true essence of the story within the movies. The films overall were true to the books and followed the same events as the written story, with minor changes.
When adapting books, it will never be 100 percent accurate because it’s impossible to include every tiny detail from the writing. However, these movies and shows prevented disappointment among fans by keeping the quality and main story consistent between the book and the adaptation.