Which do you prefer, the book or the movie? With the rise in streaming services and thus the commonality of adaptations, this debate resurfaces quite frequently. Often, fans have strong opinions: maybe the movie skips over too much of the plot or perhaps the book just didn’t hit the mark. People love comparing the two and there’s no better place to do so than on TikTok, one of the most popular social media platforms.
Lately Book-Tok has become a space where creators eagerly share their thoughts, praises, and critiques on popular books- and their adaptations- including It Ends With Us, Daisy Jones and the Six, Red White & Royal Blue, and Normal People. From exposing behind the scenes drama, to commending a cast’s raw emotion, Book-Tok certainly doesn’t hold back.
It Ends With Us:
It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover instantly took the internet by storm. Becoming the most sold book in the United States in 2023 and having over 1 billion hashtags on Tik Tok, it’s no surprise that book-tokers had many things to say. Inspired by her mothers escape from domestic abuse, Colleen Hover portrays the meaningful and multifaceted story of Lily Bloom.
Over the course of the novel Bloom moves to Boston to open up her own business and meets Ryle, a charming love interest. As she falls deeper and deeper into her relationship with Ryle she begins to see sides of him that remind her of her parents’ abusive relationship. All while this is occuring she runs into Atlas, her first love. The book concludes with an emotional and empowering ending shedding light on the complexities of abusive relationships.
When Colleen Hoover announced that “It Ends with Us” would be turned into a film fans were both excited and skeptical to see if the story would really be as good on the big screen as it is on paper. Despite its booming box office numbers, many critics feel that It Ends With Us did not live up to their expectations.
Because “It Ends With Us” includes a myriad of difficult topics ranging from acohol abuse and mental illness to domestic violence and rape, people expected the film and its promotional material to raise awareness. But fans were saddened to see that this was not the case. Critics argue that although the movie had intentions to raise awareness many scenes were portrayed in a tone-deaf way that glosses over the real issues within the storyline.
The same goes for its press tour. When promoting “It Ends With Us” Blake Lively, the well known actress portraying Lily Bloom, specifically said “Grab your friends, wear your florals and head out to see it”, treating a potentially triggering and complex story like a light-hearted romance.
Although It Ends With Us achieved soaring success as a novel reaching all different people across Book-Tok, fans were sad to admit that the movie adaptation unfortunately couldn’t deliver its important message effectively, diluting the story’s meaning.
Daisy Jones and the Six:
Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Best Selling Novel, Daisy Jones and the Six, is celebrated for her nuanced portrayal of characters and her ability to enhance her characters personalities and experiences without it being too overwhelming for the reader. Reid’s storytelling is the driving force behind Daisy Jones and the Six, a captivating tale of a passionate band’s rise and fall in the 1970s music scene . Written as a series of Interview transcripts, Daisy Jones and the Six reveals the characters hidden emotions and takes readers on a vivid journey through time.
Given the book’s success and its raving reviews, Amazon Prime adapted Daisy Jones and the Six into a 10-episode series, exciting fans of the book and lovers of 1970s music alike. Although the series was lauded for its diverse and incredibly talented casting, authentic wardrobe, and original songs, critics feel it fell short of their high expectations.
One of the novel’s defining strengths is Reids emphasis on the power, courage, and emotional-depth of her female characters, which is evident within the novel. Daisy Jones, Camilla Alverez , Karen Sirko, and Simone Jackson all have complex layered relationships that are central to the story.
However, fans argue that the TV series diminishes the independence and strong connections these women share. On the page, their characters and relationships are rich and empowering, but the series fails to fully capture the intensity and importance of them. In addition, the novel’s intricate plot is filled with complex dynamics and significant moments that resonate deeply with readers. Unfortunately the adaptation compresses and rushes the story, reducing pivotal moments to mere plot points.
While the Daisy Jones & The Six Amazon Prime series is undeniably an entertaining and visually stunning show, it doesn’t quite live up to the richness and emotional complexity of the book. Fans of Reid’s novel will likely find themselves yearning for the depth and intensity that made the story on paper so unforgettable.
Red White and Royal Blue:
Written by Casey McQuiston, Red White & Royal Blue captivated readers with its irresistible enemies-to-lovers trope, centering on the secret romance between Alex Claremont-Diaz, the first son of the United States, and Prince Henry. Since its release in 2019 the book has quickly garnered widespread praise for its LGBTQ+ representation, standing out in a market where queer centered novels were still relatively scarce, setting a new standard amongst romance novels.
When Amazon Prime announced a film adaptation there was initial apprehension among fans over whether or not the movie would be able to capture the novel’s depth. Fortunately those concerns were put to rest after the movie’s release in 2023.
Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galzentine delivered great on-screen, making their love story both swoon worthy and engaging. While some viewers found a few scenes to be “corny” or inconsistent, shifting from PG moments to R-rated content, many fans felt the film’s strong character development and the genuine connection between the leads, overshadowed the film’s minor flaws. With a script that stayed true to its source and outstanding performances by the lead characters, people feel that “Red White & Royal Blue” adaptation meets its novel’s greatness.
Normal People:
Normal People, by Sally Rooney beautifully explores the intricacies of young love through the evolving relationship between Marianne and Connel, starting in their small town school and continuing through their undergraduate years at Trinity College. The novel exposes traumas, memories, love, and insecurities as they repeatedly find themselves drawn together at different points in their lives. Readers were captivated by the novel’s deep emotional pull and relatable moments of vulnerability and connection that Rooney so skillfully portrays.
After Normal People became a New York Times Bestselling Novel, fans were thrilled when Hulu and BBC Three announced plans for a TV adaptation. However initial excitement was met with skepticism when the casting was revealed.
With Daisy Edgar Jones And Paul Mescal, still relatively small in the acting-world, some fans questioned whether they could embody such a weighty relationship. But when the series premiered in April of 2020, it exceeded all expectations.
BBC Three reported its best week ever with 16.2 million streaming requests, as viewers were swept away by Edgar-Jones’ and Mescal’s emotionally charged performances. People instantly fell in love with their on screen chemistry.
The adaptation was also praised for its dreamy, tactile visual style, making viewers feel as if they were walking through the main character’s memories. While the novel’s third person narrative could sometimes feel isolating, the show was able to bring unsaid emotions to ife, adding layers of depth to Marianne and Connel’s relationship, and in some ways making the story even more resonate on screen than it was on the page.
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