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?
Stardust. Couldn’t finish it. Loads of extraneous detail, getting lost in the weeds.
I like them both but they’re very different experiences and have surprisingly different tones. I do think I prefer the movie.
I love love the book and just finished it for the probably tenth time. I turned off the movie at Robert DeNiro’s part. I thought it made a farce of one of my favorite books.
I am a NG fan girl though.
Robert De Niro’s part was so lovely though. His arc and how his crew responds is genuinely one of the most wholesome and touching parts of the film.
I’m a Neil Gaiman fan too (my favorite is still Neverwhere) but I think the Stardust movie is definitely better than the book.
Stardust was an incredible movie
The book is meant to be more of a classic fairy tale type of story. The movie is an amazing adventure story with action and romance. A spiritual successor to Princess Bride of another generation.
The book is fine on its own when you read it in the same manner as famous fairy tales like Cinderella or Jack and the Beanstalk. But if you’ve already seen the movie, the book’s a total disappointment.
I could get onboard with the book being more of a classic fairy tale type story, except that Gaiman just butchers it in the end. You’re telling me that after all this time, the witch finally catches up to the star and just goes eh, I’m just not up to the task anymore. It’s not just anti-climatic, but it’s very bland even for a fairytale.
Not to mention that Tristran (I just can’t even with that name) and Evaine just… magically fall in love. For no reason. She literally is like “Eh, I guess hate is close enough to love that I probably just confused to the two.”
Ok then.
I used to really like NG but his books honestly kinda suck. The movie and TV versions are always way better.