1. Jane Eyre (2011), based on Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. It packs a lot into its limited running time, and manages to capture the emotions and feel of Bronte's classic beautifully. Plus Michael Fassbender.
2. The Princess Bride (1987), based on The Princess Bride by William Goldman. It's so faithful to the book and just plain awesome.
3. The Notebook (2004), based on The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. One of those rare movie adaptations that's actually better than the book. Much, much better.
4. Never Let Me Go (2010), based on Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Gorgeous, heartbreaking movie to fit a gorgeous, heartbreaking book.
5. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), based on To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The acting is a highlight of this classic adaptation.
6. The Secret Garden (1993), based on The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It may not always be faithful to the letter but it is very faithful to the spirit of the book, filled with the same whimsy and magic that's present in the original.
7. The Last Unicorn (1982), based on The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. Sure, the animation isn't exactly high-tech, but it does manage to convey a lot of the same beautiful imagery that's in Beagle's book. Such a strange, kinda creepy but magical tale.
8. Clueless (1995), based on Emma by Jane Austen. It says a lot about both the movie and the novel that studying them in high school didn't forever sap my enjoyment of them. On a superficial level Clueless doesn't have a lot in common with Emma, but below the surface they are clearly kindred spirits.
9. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It's just not Christmas without this book or movie. And Gonzo as Dickens? Pure genius.
10. Little Women (1994), based on Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. A gorgeous movie that hits all the right emotional notes. Which means a few laughs and a helluva lot of tears.
When I saw this topic I knew I just had to
participate in Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) this week.
I love me some literary man candy. I used to do a meme called My Book Boyfriend
so I have whole posts devoted to my many fictional crushes, but I managed to
get the list down my faves…
4. Etienne St Claire from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I know he’s not
everyone’s cup of tea
because of the whole, er, cheating thing, but he sure got my heart beating. He
has great chemistry with Anna, is obsessed with history and does things like
give books with hidden messages as gifts. Sigh.
5. Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. He’s so broody but still has a great sense of humour. I adore the way he
treats Jane with respect and meets her as an equal. Let’s just not mention the whole crazy wife in the attic, though…
1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Need I say more? OK, I will anyway. It's Darcy and Lizzy. Two of the greatest literary characters ever, combined in the romance to end all romances. Or the romance to start all romances, rather, given the thousands of remakes, rejigs and rip-offs.
2. Persuasion by Jane Austen. Another Jane Austen, I know. But if Pride and Prejudice is the Greatest Romance of All Time(which it is), then Persuasion is a very close second. The tale of Captain Wentworth and Anne Eliot's reconnection is bittersweet and beautiful.Don't even get me started on the letter.
3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I adore how passionate and strong Rochester and Jane's love is, and the way they respect each other and value one another as equals.
4. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Thornton and Margaret's love reminds me a little of Darcy and Lizzy, in that they can't stand each other at first but eventually see each other in a new light. Their story is filled with a lot more heartbreak than Austen's novel, but that just makes the happier moments all the more meaningful.
5. The Anne of Green Gables series by L. M. Montgomery. Anne is my hero, and I worship her almost as much as Gilbert does. The only downside of their romance is that in the later books Anne goes all wifey and motherly and forgets her own creative dreams and ambitions, which might be historically accurate but is disappointing nonetheless.
7. The Princess Bride by William Goldman. "This is True Love. You think that happens every day?" No, Westley, no it doesn't. Which is what makes this book so special.
8. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. Set in the Soviet Union during World War II, there's only one word to describe Tatiana and Alexander's love story: Epic.
9. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. This book made me ugly cry for a good half an hour after I finished it. Now that is a strong romance.
10. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. This one is extremely cheesy but totally addictive. I devoured it and was left wanting so much more. Pure, trashtastic fun.
1. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games trilogy. If you looked up kick-ass in the dictionary, there'd be a picture of Katniss.
2. Lisbeth Salander from the Millenium trilogy. She may be socially inept, but she's intelligent, feisty and sure knows how to get revenge.
3. Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series. Without Hermione, I'm pretty sure Voldemort would still be around... and Harry probably wouldn't be. The boys wouldn't have gotten anywhere without her.
4. Anne Shirley from the Anne of Green Gables series. Oh, Anne-girl. I have a special place in my heart for the little ginger. She belongs on this list purely for the moment she broke her slate over Gilbert Blythe's head - although she's all other kinds of awesome, too.
5. Lizzie Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Lizzie doesn't have to be a zombie slayer to kick butt: she does it classic-style, with her sharp tongue and fine eyes.
6. Josie Alibrandi from Looking for Alibrandi. I love all of Melina Marchetta's heroines, but Josie is special to me because I grew up with her. Sure, she's kinda annoying at times, but I adore Josie for her passion and her ability to fight for what she believes in.
7. Jane Eyre from Jane Eyre. C'mon, the freaking book is named for her. How kick-ass is that? What's even more kick-ass is Jane's self respect: She demands to be treated as an equal, and won't compromise herself or her values for anyone (even the swoony Rochester).
8. Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout is everything I wasn't as a kid: tomboyish, brave, unafraid to speak her mind... but I think she's amazeballs. She packs such a big punch (in more ways than one) for someone so small.
9.Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy series. I read this series straight after Twilight, and it's safe to say Rose is the antithesis to Bella Swan. Forget falling for vampires - she stakes them! And, uh, just falls in love with her teacher instead... moving on.
10. Matilda from Matilda. Look at that, another title-worthy character. Matilda is intelligent, brave, cheeky, strong-minded and magical - and her favourite thing in the world is books. What's not to love?
I'm kind of in love with all of the products at Out of Print. They use iconic book covers to make really cool tees and stationery. PLUS for every product purchased, they donate a book to a community in need through their partnership with Books for Africa. Amazing! These are some of my fave items (a.k.a. WANTS!):
I saw these on Reading Teen and just had to post about them. Babylit is a range of books that are, well, baby versions of classic literature. They are board books for ages one and up. I think it's a wonderful idea and the books themselves are so freaking adorable. The only one I'm not sure about is Romeo & Juliet - I'm guessing the original ending is absent, but still, I don't know that it's a story I'd want to introduce kids to at a young age. I love the others though - especially Pride and Prejudice, of course!
Check out previews of the books - and/or purchase them - here.
It's My Book Boyfriend time! This is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely Missie at The Unread Reader, focusing on fictional boys that we wish were not so fictional. This week my book boyfriend is Edward Fairfax Rochester from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I love him for his passion, intelligence and general sexiness as well as the way he respects Jane and treats her like an equal. He's her perfect match and they're connected in a powerful, almost supernatural way. It's one of my favourite love stories. When I first read the book I was still in my Ever After phase, so my Rochester ended up looking a lot like Dougray Scott. But since then I've fallen in love with Toby Stephens as Rochester and, even more recently, Michael Fassbender. Now I'm torn between the two - they're both brilliant and different in the role - though my new obsession with Fassbender makes me lean slightly towards him. I think I'll have to reread the book and test who comes to mind. In the meantime, I've included pics of all three guys...
Swoon-worthy Quotes
"'I knew, you would do me good, in some way, at some time; - I saw it in your eyes when I first beheld you: their expression and smile did not - (again he stopped) - did not (he proceeded hastily) strike delight to my very inmost heart so for nothing.'"
"'I have for the first time found what I can truly love - I have found you. You are my sympathy - my better self - my good angel; I am bound to you with a strong attachment. I think you good, gifted, lovely: a fervent, a solemn passion is conceived in my heart; it leans to you, draws you to my center and spring of life, wraps my existence about you - and, kindling in pure, powerful flame, fuses you and me in one.'"
"'Every atom of your flesh is as dear to me as my own: in pain and sickness it would still be dear. Your mind is my treasure; and if it were broken, it would be my treasure still.'"
“'My bride is here,' he said, again drawing me to him, 'because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?'”
As promised, here is my top five book-to-mini-series adaptations! There are so many amazing mini-series out there (especially by the BBC!), so it's hard to pick favourites, but these are the ones I enjoy - and rewatch - the most...
1. Pride and Prejudice BBC (1995)
This one is a given. No mini-series list would be complete without it. It's the first one I remember watching, and, like the book, it never fails to make me happy. It's so comforting, so fun and just such a great adaptation. Of course, it's not perfect, but it's pretty damn close. While Jennifer Ehle is good as Lizzie, her portrayal is not how I see the character in looks or personality. But Colin Firth as Mr Darcy - I don't really need to say how spectacular that is, do I? He IS Mr Darcy.
2. North and South BBC 2004
Elizabeth Gaskell's hate-at-first-sight-turned-love story has a lot in common with Pride and Prejudice, but unlike Jane Austen, Gaskell doesn't shy away from the, er, grittier aspects of life, such as extreme poverty and death. While this means watching this adaptation is perhaps less "fun", it's definitely not less enjoyable. Emotions such as grief are portrayed in a completely raw and real way, making for a rich viewing experience that is enhanced by the amazing acting and stunning visuals. But I'm making it sound kinda morbid, aren't I? It's actually not - sure, there are heaps of sad parts, but there's also plenty to smile about and a super romantic love story. Plus, Richard Armitage as Mr Thornton definitely gives Mr Darcy a run for his money.
3. The Forsyte Saga ITV 2002
Spanning decades and generations of the massive Forsyte family, The Forsyte Saga, based on the series by John Galsworthy, is dramatic, beautiful and completely addictive. I know the original mini-series from 1967 is supposed to be fantastic, but I've never seen it, mainly because I've got such a soft spot for the 2002 version. It aired here when I was in the middle of one helluva hectic semester of uni. Loser Nerd that I was, I'd spend many a Saturday night studying until 11.30pm, when I gave myself a break and treated myself to The Forsyte Saga. Yep. But even post-uni, I still love it, and still find it gripping to watch, even though I've seen it a bajillion times.
4. Wives and Daughters BBC 1999
Telling the story of Molly, a doctor's daughter, and her relationships with her new step-mother and -sister as well as the rich Hamley family, Wives and Daughters is another adaptation based on an Elizabeth Gaskell novel. Although it's much lighter and frothier than North and South, it's not without its sadness - in fact, one of my favourite scenes involves a character's death. Sounds strange, I know, but it's so powerful and wonderfully acted, it's hard not to love it, even though it's totally heartbreaking. While I think one or two characters are perhaps slightly miscast, mainly for superficial reasons (Tom Hollander isn't my idea of the "beautiful" Osbourne, for instance), overall the cast is excellent, and Michael Gambon's performance is a particular standout.
5. Jane Eyre BBC 2006
I adored the new movie version of Jane Eyre, but you can't really beat the mini-series - if only for its ability to explore the full story and characters in a way a time-restricted movie can't. Still, that doesn't mean it keeps everything from the book, and actually, there are a couple of changes that I know many fans don't like. But I don't really have any complaints on that front - I quite like the scenes that are added/altered. The acting is, once again, awesome, and Toby Stephens as Mr Rochester puts the swoon in swoon-worthy.
Do you agree with my list? What's your fave mini-series?
1. The Princess Bride. It's my favourite movie of all time. And it's based on one of my favourite books. It's awesome as a movie in itself, but it's also a fantastic adaptation. It really captures the whimsicality and humour of the novel, as it should - author William Goldman wrote the screenplay! On top of that, the casting is perfect, the costumes are great and the sets - well, they're kinda crappy, but that only adds to the charm.
2. The Notebook.This is one of those rare movie adaptations that's actually better than the book. While Nicholas Sparks' novel focuses mainly on the reunion of Noah and Ally, and refers to their teen romance briefly in flashbacks, the movie takes the time to build up their relationship before finally tearing them apart. Which makes their reunion all the more powerful - and, of course, romantic! Oh, and Ryan Gosling + Rachel McAdams = Total perfection.
3. Adaptation.This is based on Susan Orleans' The Orchid Thief, a book which I had to read for uni and which I hated. It's totally nuts and kinda boring. The movie, too, is totally nuts, but it's most definitely not boring. It takes a non-fiction, non-linear ramble and turns it into a fictional, non-linear ramble - completely changing the story but staying true to the essence and themes of the book and making it 100 times more entertaining in the process. Plus, it gets bonus points for Meryl Streep.
4. The Secret Garden. The movie isn't the most faithful adaptation ever, but, like Adaptation, it stays true to the spirit of its source material (Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel). Mary's blossoming (garden puns FTW!) from a churlish, selfish loner into a caring, lively girl is as magical to watch as it is to read. And Andrew Knott's Dickon was, like, my third love (after Prince Eric and Westley. I was eight by this stage).
5. Jane Eyre. The latest version of Charlotte Bronte's classic romance is ah-mazing. Inevitably, big chunks of plot are left out, but it does a fantastic job of condensing hundreds of pages of story into a couple of hours of film. The important stuff is there, and then some. Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska are brilliant as Rochester and Jane, and their chemistry is crazy-hot. The passion which is so central to their story - and is sometimes missing in adaptations - sizzles and leaps off the screen. Swoon!
Coming soon: my top five mini-series/TV adaptations!
