I am such an avid book reader, but I also love movies. I show up early to movies, and wait in line, get my favorite seat, and relax with my big box of popcorn. Seeing a book I love come to life on screen is always amazing. However, there will never been something better than the actual thing itself. Books always draw you back in. Here’s why:
The Smell
Okay. I might sound crazy…but I promise there is just something about a new book that smells so good. The pages haven’t been touched and crinkled…it’s a thing.
Imagination
There is nothing worse than imagining a scene in your head, rereading it a hundred times, and then watching the movie and they completely destroy everything you ever loved. Example? Spoiler for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two" below
Voldemort’s Death. I get it. It was a great visualization that "He Who Must Not Be Named" was “not human” as his skin shriveled up and was blown away…great cinematic change…just no. I needed to see the dead body to show that he was nothing more than a mortal.
Characterization
We all have this idea of what a character looks like while we read the book. Then the trailer for the movie comes out….and your once perfect heroine or hero is no longer what you pictured in your head. Once you see the actor as that character, you can never go back.
Example of this betrayal: Tris Prior in “Divergent”
Shailene Woodley is a great actress…but she is not small like Tris was. Granted, the whole "Divergent" movie series was absolutely nothing like the books….Tris was nothing like the described character.
Example of a good portrayal: Effie trinket in “The Hunger Games”
The Relationships
More often than not I am talking to my best friend about a book, and I completely expect her to understand that I care way too much about the life of many fictional characters. People make such deep connections with books…they become a part of you.
The Feel
Basically, books are just always better. There’s nothing better than cozying up to a good book. There always is that feeling of complete disappoint when you finish a book because you can never reread it the same way again.
