The Notebook
When a book is adapted into a film, there are usually mixed reviews. While fans of the original work claim that the book is better, moviegoers say otherwise and become apprehensive about reading the book since they already know what happens.
However, there are a handful of adaptations that do the books justice and are as good played out on the screen as they are in the pages of a novel.
Check out our top 10 picks below that are worth both reading and watching.
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
If you’re looking for a good cry, you’ll want to pick up this novel ASAP — there’s something so magical about reading about Allie and Noah’s love story on paper. But if you want to watch Ryan Gosling for two hours, the movie is just about as good as the book.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Vying for something a little more suspenseful? Try out this thriller the next time you pick up a book. The movie differs slightly from the novel, but we still think the adaptation is worth watching. It definitely gave us a fright!
The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann
This New York Times best-selling book came out in 2010, but the movie just hit theaters this year. If you want a classic adventure tale, this book and film set are the ones for you.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
While we wait for the film adaption to hit theaters in November, we’ll reread this mystery classic in the meantime. We can’t wait to see this story play out on the big screen, especially with a cast that includes Penelope Cruz, Johnny Depp, and Michelle Pfeiffer.
The Martian by Andy Weir
If science fiction is more your scene, you might want to give this book a shot. With a 91 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this adaptation took Weir’s story and brought it to life without killing the essence of the book. Matt Damon even won a Golden Globe for his acting.
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
This novel (and movie of the same name) is about a woman who suffers early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The story is compelling, heartbreaking, yet inspiring — we loved watching Julianne Moore tackle this role.
The Shining by Stephen King
If you’re in the mood for something downright terrifying, pick up a copy of this book. This is the novel that cemented Stephen King’s spot as the king of horror, and the movie adaption just about proves it (we’re sleeping with the lights on tonight).
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson
Mystery, suspense, and plenty of thrilling scenes make this book one of our favorites. The 2011 film adaption with Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig is almost as good, earning a well-deserved spot on this list.
The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
Do we even need to explain? If you’ve only seen the eight Harry Potter films, it’s time to order the books and get ready to binge-read. There are so many scenes that never made it to the screen that deserve your outright attention.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
If The Notebook didn’t rob you of all of your tears, this book will. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry (we aren’t kidding), and fall in love with the main characters. The movie takes this book to the next level — we’re big fans of both.
xx, The FabFitFun Team
