Most of us have strong feelings about movies and TV shows made from books we've read, and opinions are as wide-ranging as ever. Today we're sharing our choices of the bad, the meh, the good, and the even better adaptations than books.
Streaming info will need verification because it changes so often. We recommend the website JustWatch to see where you can find a movie to stream; check with your local library.
Bad:
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty -- Big Little Lies
All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness -- Discovery of Witches
Monster by Walter Dean Myers -- Monster
Lost Girls by Robert Kolker -- Lost Girls
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance -- Hillybilly Elegy
Meh:
Coraline by Neil Gaiman -- Coraline
Harry Potter by JK Rowling -- Harry Potter
Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin -- Game of Thrones
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay -- Sarah's Key
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris -- Manhunter/Red Dragon
Good:
Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson -- Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Swedish)
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer -- Into the Wild
Book Thief by Markus Zusak -- Book Thief
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay -- Dexter
Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman -- Man Called Ove
Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris -- Silence of the Lambs
Color Purple by Alice Walker -- Color Purple
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier -- Rebecca
Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell -- Wallander
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan -- Brain on Fire
Call the Midwife Jennifer Worth -- Call the Midwife
Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- Sherlock
Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves -- Vera
Harlan Coben books/screenplays on Netflix
News of the World by Pauline Jiles -- News of the World
Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan -- Crazy Rich Asians
Hate U Give by Angie Thomas -- Hate U Give
Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín -- Brooklyn
Better-than-the-book:
Princess Bride by William Goldman -- Princess Bride
Different Seasons by Stephen King -- Stand By Me; Shawshank Redemption; Apt Pupil
Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton -- Thirteenth Warrior
Upcoming:
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - Netflix
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson - Hulu
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Prime
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - Hulu
Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix - HBOMax
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley - Netflix
Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews - Lifetime
Grendel (graphic novel) by Matt Wagner - Netflix
Guncle by Steven Rowley - Lionsgate
Henna Artist by Alki Joshi - Netflix
Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell - TBA
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann - Paramount
Kinsey Millhouse series by Sue Grafton - A&E
Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman - AppleTV
Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave - AppleTV
Lily & the Octopus by Steven Rowley - Prime
Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connolley - Netflix
Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner - Fox
Maidens by Alex Michaelides - Miramax
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo - Prime
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore - Prime
Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead - HBOMax
Seven ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton - Netflix
Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides - TBA
Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix - Prime
Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali - HBO
Strange Planet by Nathan Pyle - AppleTV
Three Pines by Louise Penny - Prime
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - Sony
