I love consuming stories: books, movies, TV shows — it doesn’t matter what form. I love examining how storytelling tactics differ and how each medium utilizes its strengths to create new and exciting art. Because of this, I also love watching book-to-movie adaptations. Reading a book is a very personal experience for me. I like to immerse myself in my imagining of the world. But when a book gets made into a movie or TV show, I love that I get to share that experience with others and examine how the creatives transferred the story from the page to the screen. So, that said, here are four books I would recommend reading before the film adaptations come out:
- “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Published in 2012, “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” follows the lives of two young teens who meet at a swimming pool in El Paso, Texas and become fast friends. At its core, this is a coming of age story that deals with themes of friendship, sexuality, anger, and family. The film adaptation, which is produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda and stars Eva Longoria, does not yet have a release date, so there is still plenty of time to read this book and its sequel, “Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World,” which I somehow loved even more than the first.
- “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle
“Untamed” was released in 2020 and unpacks what it means to live as a woman in a world that is constantly trying to tame you. By telling her own story about her journey with her sexuality, divorce, body image, and spirituality, Doyle inspires readers to examine the ways they have been tamed in their lives and what they can do to truly set themselves free. A TV adaptation is currently in the works, and it was just announced that Sarah Paulson is set to play Doyle.
- “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa, in collaboration with Hulu, are adapting this horror novel into a limited series. “Mexican Gothic,” published in 2020, tells the story of Noemí, who travels to a spooky, remote mansion to visit her cousin who recently married. This book is a true page-turner and is perfectly suited to be adapted into a thrilling series.
- “One True Loves” by Taylor Jenkins-Reid
One of Taylor Jenkins-Reid’s lesser known books is headed to the big screen and will be starring Phillipa Soo, Simu Liu, and Luke Bracey. I don’t want to give away too much, but I would recommend this book if you like romance or stories that deal with themes of love, grief, growth, and identity. The film adaptation is set to be released some time in 2022, and with a cast like this, it’s one you won’t want to miss!
