I’ve recently sat down and made a decent sized list of adaptations to talk about and I’ve realised I need to get a move on with this series. I’m also working on a list of adaptations to watch/read, so if you have any recommendations feel free to either leave a comment or drop me a message.
His Dark Materials (BBC) – His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman
His Dark Materials is probably one of the best book to screen adaptations I have ever seen. I’m yet to watch season three, so that opinion may change, however, they have really done an amazing job converting the source material into a show.
I think we all remember The Golden Compass film from when we were younger and at the time it seemed great, but it doesn’t even hold a light to the TV show. The show feels more magical and is definitely more mature than the film.
The casting was also done very well in this and all of the special effects and CGI are amazing. I may not like the BBC very much, but they do know how to make a great show.
Plotwise the first season is a mix of books one and two, however, if you have never read the series before then you don’t need to worry. Everything is well explained and the pacing is set really well.
Synopsis: Lyra, a young orphan from an alternate world, stays with the scholars in a college in Oxford. During a quest to find her missing friend, she discovers a secret that involves several kidnappings.
Beautiful Creatures (film) – Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Now this is a bit of a rogue one as I know a lot of people didn’t like this film. However, I loved it. I read the book when I was a young teen and that’s also when the film came out. There’s quite a bit of nostalgia involved in it for me and I actually just think it’s great.
The casting was done very well and surprisingly the pacing was ok. If you haven’t read the rest of the books, the end of the film is quite unsatisfying (but does work to an extent for a standalone film) and is it different to the books. I got partway through the second book, but never finished it, so I have no idea where this story goes.
Synopsis: Ethan awaits the day he can leave his small town and go to college. When he falls in love with Lena, a girl shunned by everyone, he learns a dark secret about her but wants to protect their love.
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Like this post? Why not read this one too: To Be Read: ARC Update // August 2023