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?
The girl on the train. The movie was bad but man the book was x10 slower
i have read the book and thinking on it, yer it just isnt great. fundamental the main character is both unlikable and uninteresting
I was going to get this through the library might have to reevaluate that one
It’s just kinda boring, honestly. Probably the worst sin a book can commit.
I had heard badly of it before. Makes me doubt picking it up
I don’t think it’s bad, there is something mildly interesting, the writing is fine, but as I mentione… Just boring.
I can see it being decent book if you really haven’t read any mysteries or haven’t seen those kind of movies, but it’s miles below Gone Girl in quality. Not even in the same realm.
I liked the movie.
I liked it. It was a fun, easy read. I didn’t really like the way alcoholism was depicted though. The MC seems to drink and then an alter ego takes over, very Jekyll and Hyde. Bit odd really.
I’ve seen this book recommended in a lot of lists about “page turners” and such, but I absolutely agree, the book was completely whatever.
If not for the movie I actually would not even remember the plot of the book.
Though the movie wasn’t exactly a masterpiece, it is somewhat memorable.
It was also one of those books where you just get annoyed by the protagonist and not in a good way.
Paula Hawkins other books are so much better.
The casting for that movie was really strange. Like, i couldn’t tell apart most of female characters cause they looked so similar.
I didn’t see the movie but wow the book is overrated.
I bought into the hype cos it was billed as the next “Gone Girl” and I was craving more after finishing it. Big fat meh to me and took way too long to have the main plot actually start progressing.
I hate the book so much I didn’t even care to see the film. Despise that book.