As this blog is becoming more and more book-related and less publishing news-related, I thought I’d start participating in some of the themes bloggers are incorporating into their blogs lately. First is Top Ten Tuesday, a concept started by The Broke and the Bookish. Every Tuesday is a theme, and this Tuesday is Top Ten Books I Would Love to See as a Movie or TV Show, in no particular order.
1. Defiance by C.J. Redwine — I will die of happiness if this happens. I love it more than Hunger Games, more than Divergent. And if I love a dystopian more than Hunger Games, it’s…mind-blowing. To see such a fierce, stubborn, independent female character grace the screens (similar to Katniss) in this futuristic yet medieval fantasy would make my heart stop.
2. Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell — This would make for a great television show. History buffs, Anglophiles, Games of Thrones, and The White Queen fans would love it. Emma of Normandy, later the great-aunt of William the Conqueror, is a nearly forgotten queen in British history who truly turned the tides of time.
3. The Likeness by Tana French — I have a feeling I’d watch this movie so many times my disc would somehow be destroyed. The slow pace, suspenseful plot, and academic Irish setting would pull me in just like the book and never let me go.
4. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness — But only if it starred Richard Armitage as Matthew Clairmont. I mean, I’m sure the movie (or TV show, the trilogy is quite packed with information, plot development, and characters) would be great regardless, but…I’m not the only one in this Richard for Matthew movement.
5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern — I wonder what this confection would be like if Baz Luhrmann directed the film…
6. House Rules by Jodi Picoult — Although Picoult’s books are always a tear-jerker, it wouldn’t be like My Sister’s Keeper (which, by the way, still very angry about the movie ending). As someone with a psychology degree and deep interest in the autism spectrum, I think this as a movie would be an excellent opportunity to shed light on what it’s like with autism and the way these people are treated. The casting and acting would need to be handled with care (ha, catch the unintentional pun, Picoult fans?).
7. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor — I’m not sure if it would be better as a movie or as a TV show, but it would be incredible to see all the fantastic creatures roaming the streets of Prague! Not to mention the actors can proudly wear their tattoos on screen this time around.
8. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen — A great, light-hearted summer beach movie, I predict…
9. The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan — I can see a screenwriter making this a very suspenseful boarding school story. Make it far more chilling and shocking. Not that LaBan did a poor job with the book — the book is great — but that the slow build in plot would be difficult to capture on film without the right lighting, artistic shots, and pensive looks.
10. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons — Easily a three-season TV show, with the other books in the trilogy. Who wouldn’t want to learn more about Russia during WWII? So much was kept hidden from the West until very recently.
Most of my favorite books have been turned into movies, shows, and mini-series, or will be soon, so this was actually quite difficult!
What books would you like to see as movies?
3 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: Books as Movies”
caitlinstern
I loved A Discovery of Witches–and I agree it would do better as a show. Those are some pretty hefty books.
Charleen
Oh wow, Baz Luhrmann doing The Night Circus… that would be a sight to see, for sure.
Laura
Wouldn’t it? I feel like he would fit well. Maybe Joe Wright, too, but I’m not sure how “magical” he can get