How Rom-Coms Are Changing Viewers Into Readers | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Arts Entertainment

Netflix's Rom-Com Renaissance Encourages Viewers To Become Readers

Based-on-book stories are being turned into movies left, right, center!

70
Netflix's Rom-Com Renaissance Encourages Viewers To Become Readers
Digital Asset Management

After watching Netflix's film-version of To All the Boys I've Loved Before the entirety of the Internet lost their marbles over the adorable relationship between Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinsky. Reasonably so. I have watched said movie, and to be entirely truthful, I may have watched it again immediately afterward.

What's not to love? A beautiful story with equally gorgeous characters, all set in a romantic, East-coast town spells big love for the movie and sequels to come.

Netflix has been remarkably on-point with the novel-to-film creations it has been spewing out over the last few years. TATBILB is no exception to the success that Netflix has garnered because of its production of these films. Besides this film, Netflix produced 13 Reason Why, Girlboss, Anne with an E, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and most recently they announced the creation of a movie and TV series based on The Chronicles of Narnia. With all these heavily-received and, in some cases, viral productions released in the last few years, it is no surprise that these same viewers are heading back to bookstores to grab copies of the novels that inspired the visual works.

When I first watched TATBILB I adventured through the painstaking journey of trying to order the book trilogy by Jenny Han only to find scarcely few copies left. Physical bookstores were looted and wiped clean. Even on Amazon, I was able to order all three books with the condition that the second book (which is currently the highest in demand) would arrive two weeks after the first and third.

Now, what should surprise those who are unfamiliar with the storyline and fandom is that the first book was actually released in 2014, four years ago. Therefore, both the book and the movie were not simultaneously let out into the world. I can conclude that generally people watched TATBILB and felt an overwhelming urge, as I did, to read the books. This makes sense as the films had wonderful writing themselves, and all the actors worked together to craft a compelling story. However, this craze to read the books immediately after watching the movie rendered book-sellers and publishers, alike, to lose their minds over providing enough copies.

This is an incredibly heartening phenomenon to me. If you've read some of my blogs before, you know that not only did I study English in college, but that I consume books in a way not dissimilar to starving wolves finally eating in the middle of winter. A lovely image, yes, but I do truly love this sense of urgency in reading. I especially get excited to see the debates and conversations that are sparked in-person or on the Internet -- in forums, Goodreads, and Tumblr. If Netflix is somehow encouraging a new generation of readers to consume and deliberate about media in various forms, I can definitely get behind them. As if I don't already obsessively binge-watch Netflix shows every night to prove otherwise.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

589597
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

478859
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments