Honestly I love your style of reviewing. I WISH I WAS a reader bc then I could listen to to more of your videos and have an idea what’s in store like “OH I heard of that book! I want to see her opinion!” But I really don’t know much about books-but like I said I REALLY like your style of reviewing. Makes me want to pick up a book and start reading which is saying a lot
That's so very kind of you to say, I'm all warm and fuzzy now :) Even though I'm a writer I grew up reading very little (didn't want to spoil myself or something) so I know where you're coming from. Comparing books to movies is super fun but hard to find the time for. I like watching a lot of booktube and analysis from people talking about things I haven't read too, it's like eating one of those book candies from Jimmy Neutron xD I'm glad you like my content! I hope to get better production quality as I go so thank for watching as it is now
Seeing the film inspired me to get the novel, which was impossible to put down! 6:35 Agreed: Eva’s letters worked narratively & gradually built tension ✉️😰📖
I'm so glad you were inspired to read the book too! Although all the acting was great, I don't think I'd mind if they remade the movie, just to incorporate the letters. Heck, it might even be a good mini series!
@@The_Open_Book I’d say mini series, there’s enough material for it! The film excluded some *very* important details about Kevin, particularly his little lackey friend (can’t remember his name). That relationship showed just how devious he really was 💯😈
I totally agree! I know you can't have *every* scene in a book translate to a movie, but I think that if it'd been longer maybe it could have relied less on the viewer to relate to Eva on their own? Alas, of course I want great movies to just be longer lol
It's a great movie, hard not to like! I liked it so much I read the book (which is a huge investment for someone like me) and loved it even more! It's quite long but very narrative, perhaps you'd enjoy the audiobook version?
I don’t read books-but I love to know about them.-I love to see the difference from the book to the movie or what the book is actually about on its own
Whenever I'm comparing a film adaptation of a book I've already read to the source material I 100% of the time prefer the book. I don't know what it is, I guess it's because I become more engaged in the book, almost as if I'm actually there. With a movie/TV show I never get that same level of engagement. For example, I've read every book from the series "A Song Of Ice And Fire" that Game of Thrones is based off of (Game of Thrones was the title of the 1st book in the series) multiple times and I absolutely love it! I've been patiently waiting for George R.R. Martin to finish it; it's been over a decade since the last book was published (2011) and there are supposedly 2 more books which initially it was supposed to be one but he's said it's so much that the 1 book will have to be split. Anyway, I've caught a few scenes and minutes of the Game of Thrones TV show and I just couldn't get into it. Not to mention from what I've heard the show changed some things from the books, some minor and others not so much. When I heard everyone complaining about the final season as well as how it eventually ended I checked out a summary and watched the final 15 minutes or so of the last episode. I *COMPLETELY* understand why people were so upset! *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* Bran (The crippled Stark boy that Jaimie Lannister threw out the window when he saw Jaimie and His Sister Cersei making the Beast With 2 Backs) ends up being The King of Westeros and sitting upon the Iron Throne!!! Like I said I haven't watched the show but in the book you don't get the feeling that's what's going to happen. He's not a throw away side character by any means but making Him King just seems ludicrous. He's a crippled Pre-Teen boy that has never been in battle, never groomed to be an heir to His Father's throne in The North since He had older siblings, and He's reliant on a regarded mongoloid that can only say His own name (Hodor) to get Him around. Hodor is basically like a Human mount for this kid. In my humble Caucasian opinion it just doesn't make sense from a narrative perspective. I *HIGHLY* doubt this was Martin's original idea for the ending of the books and I think if He ever gets around to finishing it the series will have a much different finale on paper. Sorry for the rant I just wanted to give an example of why I prefer written stories over their film counterparts.
I also LOVE the GoT books and it pains me every time George works on something else instead of finishing the last ones because I need them in my life so bad lol I (unfortunately) also watched the entirety of the show too though. It was certainly nice seeing some of the characters you know and love come to life on screen, and the first couple seasons were quite accurate to the book, but after that it all went downhill. It's probably better that you don't ever watch the show, because the disappointment of what an amazing story A Song and Ice and Fire becomes can be kind of devastating... The divergence of the show from what the book set down was inevitable I guess. Not just because they ran out of source material but because they excluded some really minor plots/characters from the very start, that when their plotline would have picked up and become important, they just couldn't. It's interesting you could watch the very end and still get that sense of "this is nothing like what the book was heading towards" because it's so true. What it ended up doing with almost ALL the characters felt so unnatural to the progression the books had them on. Don't worry about the rant, I'm right there with you! lol Honestly, I can't think of a single time I've preferred the movie to the book either, they are just so much more engaging and can harness so much more investment in its readers. Viewing is a passive thing whereas reading is active, we can't really find that same level of investment in an adaptation because the medium itself is flawed that way, I think.
I have to just agree I think though movie didn’t tell dumb it down for you. It presented imagery and they acted in such a way were you understood what was going on
Yeah, totally! It's a very respectable and moving movie in its own right. It definitely didn't dumb the content down, but it may have made it mildly less accessible to some people, just like, not understanding the meaning of unexplained actions/symbolism. As much as I thought an added inner monologue from the book could have enhanced it, the movie is still a cinematic stand alone!
Eva is certainly an unreliable narrator. :) She is very opinionated and the entire novel is written as a form of her trying to find reasoning for things, so it has an inherent bias: her need for self-justification. You could assume the novel is twisted to suit *her* narrative, but that would make the entire thing not worth reading--what's the point if it is *all* a lie? The value of it comes from the grey area of what happens: how much was her fault, and whether *any* of it was unavoidable if she was a better parent? Eva was a bad mother to Kevin :P That's for certain! haha. It's likely Eva interpreted many of the things Kevin did as intentional when they were not, which fed into the image of him being evil and beyond her help. It very well could be a malicious cycle of the two interpreting each other wrong, but it's hard to boil down to him being abused as an excuse for becoming a killer. I would highly recommend reading or watching the movie to see what you think of their relationship! :)
Don’t worry about how old you seem. If the movie’s music selections weren’t to your taste, that proves you’re still too young to appreciate good music😉 Great comparative review, though😊
I read the book first and felt exactly the same way about the movie. I was actually sad watching it, because the construction of each scene on the book is sooooo much better. I was always saying to myself "oh no, I can't believe this amazing chapter turned out to be this lame scene"
Its truly a shame. You know going in with your predetermined love some things will not be as good, and sometimes you can shrug it off if the adaptation is actually bad, but this was just so... Meh. What do we do with that? Lol
I see your points, but narration in movies can fall even more flat. In the medium of novels, narration/1st person POV does serve to give insight into characters' thoughts and feelings because thorough description is something that translates well through text. In a mainly visual medium, such as movies, narration is not processed as well because it is only taking advantage of 1 aspect of the medium (sound). It often feels ham-handed, like a lecture or monologue, if it is carried on for too long, whereas in novels it fits into the natural storytelling because everything is in text format.
There is certainly the possibility narration would have made the experience worse. I definitely agree, it can make a whole movie a total flop if it's done poorly or heavy handedly. You're probably right, and it would have made the movie less nuanced for the people who did get it on their own. I know getting Eva's perspective could never be fully captured or appreciated in the same way as the book, and I think a large part of my desire for it, was that I think I'm far too close to her perspective (even as a teen watching it the first time). Ha ha, now that I think about it, I'm just a little on edge that the movie validates my worries/opposition to the norm which WNTK addresses, in a world where I'm constantly asked "oh, why *don't* you want to have kids" like it's just a casual decision. I'd like to just sit people down, wave at this movie and go "that's why" without the potential for them to miss the point lol.
I feel like the book could convince you to empathize with Eva even if you're of a very different mindset, but the movie put a lot on the ability of viewers to be compassionate regardless because yeah, there was so much empty space in her development.
I hope you pick up the book and love it just as much! You'll get such a better look at Eva and Kevin's relationship, he's ten times more unsettling as a kid and she's got so much personality. Thanks for watching :)
I just finished the book. I liked the movie well enough, but I didnt realize just how much it was forced to leave out until I read the book. Theres a whole other layer to the story that goes untold. So much context left out. I absolutely recommend the book for a whole new experience.
Honestly I love your style of reviewing. I WISH I WAS a reader bc then I could listen to to more of your videos and have an idea what’s in store like “OH I heard of that book! I want to see her opinion!” But I really don’t know much about books-but like I said I REALLY like your style of reviewing. Makes me want to pick up a book and start reading which is saying a lot
That's so very kind of you to say, I'm all warm and fuzzy now :) Even though I'm a writer I grew up reading very little (didn't want to spoil myself or something) so I know where you're coming from. Comparing books to movies is super fun but hard to find the time for. I like watching a lot of booktube and analysis from people talking about things I haven't read too, it's like eating one of those book candies from Jimmy Neutron xD I'm glad you like my content! I hope to get better production quality as I go so thank for watching as it is now
Slaidey Valheim YEAH! That’s exactly what I want lol I just want to know the book instantly lol
Seeing the film inspired me to get the novel, which was impossible to put down! 6:35 Agreed: Eva’s letters worked narratively & gradually built tension ✉️😰📖
I'm so glad you were inspired to read the book too! Although all the acting was great, I don't think I'd mind if they remade the movie, just to incorporate the letters. Heck, it might even be a good mini series!
@@The_Open_Book I’d say mini series, there’s enough material for it! The film excluded some *very* important details about Kevin, particularly his little lackey friend (can’t remember his name). That relationship showed just how devious he really was 💯😈
The book is wonderful. I'm so glad I decided to read it. The movie leaves a lot to be desired. But the casting for Eva and Kevin are spot on
I totally agree! I know you can't have *every* scene in a book translate to a movie, but I think that if it'd been longer maybe it could have relied less on the viewer to relate to Eva on their own? Alas, of course I want great movies to just be longer lol
Hi Slaidy just discovered your channel and really like your analysis of books and films really looking forward to exploring your cataloge of work.
Thanks, hope I've got more to interest you!
I’ve only seen the movie and I don’t know why I love it so much
It's a great movie, hard not to like! I liked it so much I read the book (which is a huge investment for someone like me) and loved it even more! It's quite long but very narrative, perhaps you'd enjoy the audiobook version?
It’s a good movie but the book was so much more detailed.
I don’t read books-but I love to know about them.-I love to see the difference from the book to the movie or what the book is actually about on its own
Whenever I'm comparing a film adaptation of a book I've already read to the source material I 100% of the time prefer the book. I don't know what it is, I guess it's because I become more engaged in the book, almost as if I'm actually there. With a movie/TV show I never get that same level of engagement. For example, I've read every book from the series "A Song Of Ice And Fire" that Game of Thrones is based off of (Game of Thrones was the title of the 1st book in the series) multiple times and I absolutely love it! I've been patiently waiting for George R.R. Martin to finish it; it's been over a decade since the last book was published (2011) and there are supposedly 2 more books which initially it was supposed to be one but he's said it's so much that the 1 book will have to be split. Anyway, I've caught a few scenes and minutes of the Game of Thrones TV show and I just couldn't get into it. Not to mention from what I've heard the show changed some things from the books, some minor and others not so much. When I heard everyone complaining about the final season as well as how it eventually ended I checked out a summary and watched the final 15 minutes or so of the last episode. I *COMPLETELY* understand why people were so upset!
*SPOILERS*
*SPOILERS*
*SPOILERS*
Bran (The crippled Stark boy that Jaimie Lannister threw out the window when he saw Jaimie and His Sister Cersei making the Beast With 2 Backs) ends up being The King of Westeros and sitting upon the Iron Throne!!! Like I said I haven't watched the show but in the book you don't get the feeling that's what's going to happen. He's not a throw away side character by any means but making Him King just seems ludicrous. He's a crippled Pre-Teen boy that has never been in battle, never groomed to be an heir to His Father's throne in The North since He had older siblings, and He's reliant on a regarded mongoloid that can only say His own name (Hodor) to get Him around. Hodor is basically like a Human mount for this kid. In my humble Caucasian opinion it just doesn't make sense from a narrative perspective. I *HIGHLY* doubt this was Martin's original idea for the ending of the books and I think if He ever gets around to finishing it the series will have a much different finale on paper. Sorry for the rant I just wanted to give an example of why I prefer written stories over their film counterparts.
I also LOVE the GoT books and it pains me every time George works on something else instead of finishing the last ones because I need them in my life so bad lol I (unfortunately) also watched the entirety of the show too though. It was certainly nice seeing some of the characters you know and love come to life on screen, and the first couple seasons were quite accurate to the book, but after that it all went downhill. It's probably better that you don't ever watch the show, because the disappointment of what an amazing story A Song and Ice and Fire becomes can be kind of devastating...
The divergence of the show from what the book set down was inevitable I guess. Not just because they ran out of source material but because they excluded some really minor plots/characters from the very start, that when their plotline would have picked up and become important, they just couldn't. It's interesting you could watch the very end and still get that sense of "this is nothing like what the book was heading towards" because it's so true. What it ended up doing with almost ALL the characters felt so unnatural to the progression the books had them on.
Don't worry about the rant, I'm right there with you! lol Honestly, I can't think of a single time I've preferred the movie to the book either, they are just so much more engaging and can harness so much more investment in its readers. Viewing is a passive thing whereas reading is active, we can't really find that same level of investment in an adaptation because the medium itself is flawed that way, I think.
I have to just agree I think though movie didn’t tell dumb it down for you. It presented imagery and they acted in such a way were you understood what was going on
Yeah, totally! It's a very respectable and moving movie in its own right. It definitely didn't dumb the content down, but it may have made it mildly less accessible to some people, just like, not understanding the meaning of unexplained actions/symbolism.
As much as I thought an added inner monologue from the book could have enhanced it, the movie is still a cinematic stand alone!
Will try the book. Thanks!
It seems the style is a bit much for some readers but if you can get into it I'm sure you'll love the more personal reminiscent letters by Eva
Someone told me the mom was an unreliable narrator and Kevin was really abused.
Eva is certainly an unreliable narrator. :) She is very opinionated and the entire novel is written as a form of her trying to find reasoning for things, so it has an inherent bias: her need for self-justification.
You could assume the novel is twisted to suit *her* narrative, but that would make the entire thing not worth reading--what's the point if it is *all* a lie? The value of it comes from the grey area of what happens: how much was her fault, and whether *any* of it was unavoidable if she was a better parent?
Eva was a bad mother to Kevin :P That's for certain! haha. It's likely Eva interpreted many of the things Kevin did as intentional when they were not, which fed into the image of him being evil and beyond her help. It very well could be a malicious cycle of the two interpreting each other wrong, but it's hard to boil down to him being abused as an excuse for becoming a killer.
I would highly recommend reading or watching the movie to see what you think of their relationship! :)
Don’t worry about how old you seem. If the movie’s music selections weren’t to your taste, that proves you’re still too young to appreciate good music😉
Great comparative review, though😊
Haha, thanks ;P
I read the book first and felt exactly the same way about the movie. I was actually sad watching it, because the construction of each scene on the book is sooooo much better. I was always saying to myself "oh no, I can't believe this amazing chapter turned out to be this lame scene"
Its truly a shame. You know going in with your predetermined love some things will not be as good, and sometimes you can shrug it off if the adaptation is actually bad, but this was just so... Meh. What do we do with that? Lol
I see your points, but narration in movies can fall even more flat. In the medium of novels, narration/1st person POV does serve to give insight into characters' thoughts and feelings because thorough description is something that translates well through text. In a mainly visual medium, such as movies, narration is not processed as well because it is only taking advantage of 1 aspect of the medium (sound). It often feels ham-handed, like a lecture or monologue, if it is carried on for too long, whereas in novels it fits into the natural storytelling because everything is in text format.
There is certainly the possibility narration would have made the experience worse. I definitely agree, it can make a whole movie a total flop if it's done poorly or heavy handedly. You're probably right, and it would have made the movie less nuanced for the people who did get it on their own.
I know getting Eva's perspective could never be fully captured or appreciated in the same way as the book, and I think a large part of my desire for it, was that I think I'm far too close to her perspective (even as a teen watching it the first time).
Ha ha, now that I think about it, I'm just a little on edge that the movie validates my worries/opposition to the norm which WNTK addresses, in a world where I'm constantly asked "oh, why *don't* you want to have kids" like it's just a casual decision. I'd like to just sit people down, wave at this movie and go "that's why" without the potential for them to miss the point lol.
I was disappointed with the movie. It left so much out.
I feel like the book could convince you to empathize with Eva even if you're of a very different mindset, but the movie put a lot on the ability of viewers to be compassionate regardless because yeah, there was so much empty space in her development.
Best comparsion that i found in the internet! I loved the movie and by what you said i will probably enjoy the book even more. Thanks.
I hope you pick up the book and love it just as much! You'll get such a better look at Eva and Kevin's relationship, he's ten times more unsettling as a kid and she's got so much personality. Thanks for watching :)
I just finished the book. I liked the movie well enough, but I didnt realize just how much it was forced to leave out until I read the book. Theres a whole other layer to the story that goes untold. So much context left out. I absolutely recommend the book for a whole new experience.
Eve
Humans? No ladies and gentlemen?
Back in the day, I didn't have to account for all the AI watching too ':)