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?
Arrival.
The book goes much more into the concepts but the presentation of the aliens is pretty lackluster. The movie is much better at conveying a sense of awe.
I’m not sure if that’s a fair judgment. The story is actually pretty brief. There’s not much time for anything. It’s really only about the central concept.
That actually might get me to read the book, lol. The movie was great but I always want more worldbuilding and conceptual stuff so if the book has a lot of that it sounds like a great compliment to the movie.
Couldn’t possibly disagree more with this one. Story Of Your Life is one of the best novellas ever written IMO
Strong agree on this. I suspect only people who read the novella second like the movie better.
I was surprised by how well the movie was done though. I had serious doubts about anyone being able to adapt the story for the screen, but they did a really good job.
I think they’re just doing different things. Story of Your Life is more impactful and meditative over time, but Arrival has a more movie-style pacing and although I find the whole ‘international drama!! war!!’ plot irritating, the fact you don’t realise ‘ah she had the kid with him who’s doomed to die and now she has to grapple with fate and understanding that’ until the very end and it just leaves you on that note - I think that’s really well done.