‘The book is always better than the film’ is an old adage that gets trotted out whenever a well-known novel gets adapted for the screen. But is it always true? Some of the best-regarded films of all time were based on books, and far outstrip their originals in terms of popularity and critical acclaim: The Godfather, Jaws, Psycho, The Wizard of Oz. The James Bond books have nearly all been turned into films, to varying degrees of success, but the 2006 version of the very first – Casino Royale – is seen as one of the best, with a 94% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8/10 on IMDB. So how does the book compare, and does it fit the rule or is it an exception?
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I love it when a book surprises me. I was sure I would like Hank Green’s debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, but I wasn’t expecting to find it quite so compelling. Hank shares with his brother – YA author John Green – a nerdy sensibility and quirky sense of humour, and those were certainly present in the book, but along with them came political engagement, a sharp critique of social media, and a real anger at the stupidity and violence that we as humans all too often give into.
Everybody knows the name of Jack the Ripper. The notorious serial killer who terrorised the East End of London in 1888 has lived in infamy ever since, in part because he was never caught. But what about his victims? The five women – Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly – have historically been dismissed and ignored, even blamed for their deaths. What Hallie Rubenhold shows in this book is that these women were more than footnotes in the story of a murderer; they were people, and their names deserve to be remembered more than his.
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Atticus Book ReviewsBook reviews and reading recommendations written by volunteers and friends of the shop! |
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