Five favorite romance books whose movie adaptions did them justice
The Feb Five Romantic Books - and Movies!
Stories have been a part of people’s lives for time immemorable. No matter if the stories take the form of spoken words, books, or movies, they are nearly impossible to resist. This month we bring you stories from the romance genre. Following are five romance books, or books focused on love, that have movie adaptions that won’t let even the die-hard readers down. These books are geared towards a younger audience but can be enjoyed by all.
Brooklyn by Colm Tóbín
A calm and meandering romance to the borough of Brooklyn, Tóbín takes you through the life of a 1950s immigrant. When sent to America to better her life, Eilis Lacey begins to take charge of herself, growing up and becoming an educated woman who learns as much about love as she does about America. Though the pace of the movie is much quicker than the book, the details are still there, and for the duration of the movie you’re truly in 1950s Brooklyn alongside Eilis.
Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes
Mayes beautifully retells her journey of buying a Tuscan villa in the ‘90s. Both book and movie are filled with charming bits of Italian life and people, the book even including multiple Italian recipes! It was very fun to see how the movie makers turned the true memoir of the book into a fictionalized story of the same nature. Get ready to fall in love with falling in love, and for falling hard for Italy.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
This book has become a well-loved story for many people, and it’s a crowd-pleaser for booklovers and moviegoers alike. Though we don’t know what happens to Hazel Grace after the time in this story, we’re gifted with a wonderful glimpse into a romance that burns true and bright for the short time that it can. Hilarious and serious in all the right places, The Fault in Our Stars is a fantastic quick-read and is worth the two hours and thirteen minutes of the movie, both leaving you in tears with a smile on your face.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Though not exactly a romance book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is truly a book about love, following Charlie as he gets through his first dreaded year of high school. It’s about friends and family and the people who leave a mark on you for your whole life, and – most importantly – it’s a book about someone who gets through life during a time he wasn’t sure he could. In the book and the movie, you peek into his mind and his heart, into the rawest parts of his conscience, learning a bit about romance and whole lot more about how strong true love can be.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
A story that hardly needs a summary, this cult-classic movie is at times verbatim to the book, which is as equally full of banter and quirky characters. Though the book does not seem to be as well-known as the movie is, even those who have grown up just knowing the movie version can enjoy the book’s original telling version. The Princess Bride is an overwhelmingly entertaining piece of storytelling.
Emily Whitcomb is an IUPUI sophomore intern who is majoring in English. She enjoys reading, writing, baking, and watching movies with friends and family.
