I LOVE Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi action movie Children of Men. I’ve watched maybe six times and every time, the ending always almost brings me to tears. So when I learned it was adapted from P.D. James’ book of the same name, it was a no-brainer deciding what my next book would be.
After finishing the book, it wasn’t difficult to reach to the conclusion that I enjoyed the movie better.
While James’ book gives a more in-depth look at how human infertility and humanity’s slow death march towards extinction affects the sexual dynamic between men and women and almost demented ways humans try to cope with a world without children or a race of dead men walking, I feel the book dedicates WAY too much time describing the failing of human civilization and the Regrets and guilt of Theo Faron. It’s not even until after 2/3 through the book where it feels like the plot and story are properly paced and stuff of consequence actually begin to happen.
The film’s adaptation by, comparison, feels consistent in its pacing and the world building and woe-is-mes of Theo feel more compact a take up less of the audience’s time.
What books do you feel were worse than its film adaptation and why?
Not exactly a movie, but I watched Wicked on Broadway and I thought it was such an amazing twist to see the "Wicked" Witch's side of the story. So I got the book and boy, all the charm and wit and heart that I enjoyed from the musical just dragged down with politics and depressing thoughts about social hierarchy...It was really trying to do something hyper-intellectual. So whoever read that book and made a lovely broadway show - hats off to you!
Agreed, and that’s what I was expecting of them book (more entertainment). Instead it’s just incredibly bleak. And frankly, boring.
The musical is also about politics and social hierarchy. Not saying you’re wrong to enjoy one over the other, I absolutely adore the musical, but it does have the same type of themes.