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?
OH MY GOD! I clicked on this post because I’m so adamant about Children of Men but I thought no one else would say that. And then it turns out the very post is about it!
The book was so off-kilter. It didn’t at all have a grasp on how people would react to the youngest generation. The film was absolutely perfect.
I’m so happy I have kindred out there who experienced the same book letdown.
I read the book before the movie was even released and absolutely loved it. I couldn’t quite get on board with the changes made to the story in the movie, so I wasn’t a big fan of it initially. But I recognise it’s a decent film in its own right. I’m surprised that some people going the other way - movie to book - feel so negatively about the book. I was a teenager when I read it, so I want to reread it now.