From Page to Screen; Book Adaptations

There are many books transformed into movies and television shows. Renowned literary tales such as _Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, _and Pride and Prejudice have all gone from the page to the big screen. Fans have rejoiced at the chance to see their favorite stories in another form; however, sometimes the necessary differences are a little too different. Here are some of my favorites.

Little Women is one of my favorite classics. It’s a wonderful tale of four sisters who love each other more than anything else in the world. They live with their mother, Marmie, and wait for their father to return from the war. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy struggle with achieving their dreams despite their poverty and limited situation.

Jo leads her sisters in original plays and daring adventures. Meg keeps them all respectable, Beth comforts them with endless compassion, and Amy makes them laugh with her antics. Eventually, they all grow up and go their separate ways, which breaks Jo’s heart. But she discovers that change can be good, even if it means growing up. 

The Host is a book by the same author as Twilight, but it’s infinitely better. It’s a science fiction story about how aliens take over the planet and possess humans in an effort to make Earth a peaceful place. Wanderer is a soul that has traveled to eight of twelve planets, searching for a true home.

She inhabits the body of Melanie, who is desperate to reunite with her family. Melanie teaches Wanderer what it’s like to truly be human. I love how meticulous Saoirse Ronan is in differentiating between the two characters, she manages to portray two people living in the same head in a very sane way. I really wish they’d included a little more about the other planets and the science behind it all because it’s really fascinating, especially Wanderer’s fame as Rides the Beast. She’s had so many amazing adventures as a bear, bat, flower, and seaweed, among other creatures.

Stardust is an off beat fairy tale by Neil Gaiman that was turned into a quirky comedy. The book is much darker and richer but I still enjoy the light hearted silliness of the movie. Tristan is raised without knowing his mother, in a village on the edge of a magical forest.

He embarks on a quest to find a fallen star but the star manifests in the form of a woman, Yvaine, who is not what he expects. Together, they are chased by witches, pirates, and unknown relatives as he tries to return to his home. The best scene is by far the pirate ship and their closet pirate captain. Robert Di Nero is truly a sight to behold. 

The Giver is a classic about a young man in a dystopian society who trains with the Giver, holding all the memories of a flawed and uncontrolled world. Jonas discovers love, family, loss, pain, and free will. He realizes how flat and sterile his life is and becomes determined to experience more.

It’s a beautiful story about the importance of agency and appreciating the goodness of life, even if it means accepting the bad. It’s a short novel but they embellish the story to fit a feature film really well.

_A Walk to Remember i_s the only Nicolas Sparks story that I can stomach. It shares the story of how a young and very unlikely couple fall in love, with a little help from detention, musicals, and scriptures.

Landon is an angry teenager who takes the fall for his friends and ends up in detention, alongside the Reverend’s daughter as she volunteers to improve the community. They end up participating in a musical together and as Jamie helps Landon improve, he discovers that there’s more to Jamie Sullivan than he realized. He ends up standing up for her to the rest of the school and taking her on adventures to check off her wish list.

It’s a heartfelt story about falling in love and discovering yourself.

There are always going to be changes. Taking words on a page and creating a visual story with them is not an exact science. Some people will be offended or disappointed or choose to ignore the adaption. But it’s good to appreciate the new perspective on beloved tales of adventure and discovery… even if they’re different from your imagination.