5 Favourite Book to Movie/TV Adaptations
With the Shadow and Bone Netflix adaptation dropping imminently, I started thinking about other adaptations that have been done in the past. It’s every book lovers dream… and nightmare. I love a good adaptation and I always get super excited for them. However, after seeing them I do nothing but complain about them. There are a few however, that I am very fond of and in rare cases, enjoy them more than their origin material. This post is going to be controversial as there are some adaptations on this list that get a lot of hate… but I love them. Just hear me out!
1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Book to Movie
Of course The Hunger Games had to be on this list. I absolutely love both the books and the movies of this series. This is actually one of the only series where I truly feel like they did a fantastic job. I loved Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and I felt like the majority of the cast were fantastic.
Yes, they left a few things out, such as Katniss’ friend who gives her the Mockingjay pin, but what adaptation doesn’t leave some things out? I felt like it was a very faithful adaptation. I love it and it’s only one of two on this list where I will happily re-read and re-watch the books/movies. I love these ones and it’s definitely a comfort series. I’m hoping that they decide to make the new prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, into a movie as that would be perfect!
2. The Host by Stephanie Meyer – Book to Movie
Now, I know this is going to be a controversial one. The Host is, in my opinion, Stephanie Meyer’s far superior work. I’m not a huge Twilight lover but The Host is one of my all time favourite books. I actually loved the movie as well. I always see The Host pop up on lists of ‘terrible adaptations’ but I absolutely loved it. I thought the cast did an absolutely fantastic job of bringing the characters to life. Yes, it was different to the book, but I just love the movie so much. This was my first array into sci-fi and it secured me as a sci-fi fan. Like The Hunger Games, I would happily re-read and re-watch The Host over and over again. I love everything about it!
3. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken – Book to Movie
This is a more recent adaptation. I know The Darkest Minds gets a lot of hate, both the books and the movie but I really enjoyed both. I listened to the audiobooks of this series and I was completely obsessed with the narrator. She did such an amazing job and I really loved the full trilogy. I haven’t read the more recent addition to the series just yet. The Darkest Minds isn’t one of my favourite book series in the world. I enjoyed it, I really enjoyed it but it’s not right up there with my favourites. However, I loved the movie. I thought they did a really great job bringing this story to life. It was great! I’m actually pretty sad that the movie didn’t do well and they didn’t continue to bring the rest of the books to life. It would have been awesome to see them.
4. The Vampire Diaries by LJ Smith – Book to TV Show
Now… here comes the controversial part. The Vampire Diaries is a very, very rare instance for me. I actually preferred the TV show to the books. This never usually happens but that’s how it is with me. I read the books before the TV show aired and honestly… they’re nothing alike really. I would say this TV show is very, very loosely based on the books. Honestly, if you’re looking for a faithful adaptation… this is not it! They change pretty much everything. But I do feel like that’s more likely to occur when it’s a TV show than a movie. They have more screen time to fill and more chances to go off script (‘off book?’) but I adored the TV show. The books were just okay for me. Maybe due to them being wrote in the 80s and me reading them in the early 2000’s along with more recent paranormal romance novels. This one is one of those rare instances where I will always prefer the TV show. I will happily rewatch the show over and over…. will I re-read the books? No, I won’t. I don’t feel the need to when I know I will get more enjoyment out of the TV show than I would the books.
5. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare – Book to TV Series
Here we are, the final one. We are ending it with another controversial one. I know so many people who have major major love with this book series. And I was 100% one of them. I remember rating them all 5 stars and loving them when I read them. I will not sit here and pretend the TV show Shadowhunters is a true and faithful adaptation… it is absolutely not. However, I find the TV show so much more enjoyable than the books. The books, while I loved them back in 2011-ish, when I first read them, my reading tastes have changed and I’m not longer a major TMI fan. I loved the world and characters a lot more than the writing. I discovered I am not such a big Cassie Clare lover. I feel like if I re-read these books now, I would not love them the way that I did.
Now when I first watched Shadowhunters, I really disliked it. They changed so much for the TV show. Like Vampire Diaries I would say it is very loosely based on the books. But honestly, the more I watched it, the more I loved it. I thought the cast were brilliant and to me, they made the Shadowhunters story even more likeable. The Malec love story was utter perfection and I loved each and every second of it. I was absolutely heartbroken when they cancelled the show. Where I’m at now, I wouldn’t re-read the books but I will always rewatch the TV show. I love it and find it so enjoyable. And that’s why it’s one of my favourite adaptations. It may not be a faithful one, but it is an enjoyable one.
What are your favourite adaptations?
K-Books
I’m Kayleigh, a teacher and blogger who is obsessed with all things bookish. I love reading YA books of all genres and I am happiest when sharing my love and passion for books.
One Comment
Kim
OMg I agree with everything you said. TVD show was better than the book and I LOVED the hunger games movies, also Malec is EVERYTHING.