If you loved this show...

[jo]

You may love this book!

We've had a few discussions concerning various aspects of book-to-screen adaptations. However, an article from The Guardian puts a different twist on that: books to read if you loved a certain show. Or as the blurb says: 

Want to watch less and read more this summer? Let your favourite series be a guide to clever, funny, moving titles you won’t be able to put down

Are any of your fave shows on this list? Does the recommended book appeal to you?

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

I question some of these matchups. At first I was thinking of books that series were drawn from (as it seems so many TV shows and films these days are based on books). But the matchup for Derry Girls, for example, doesn't sound much like the series (which was seriously funny). I think it might be difficult for any book to capture that show well, since there was a certain immediacy and physicality in the televised version that wouldn't come across the same in text.

I can kind of see the connection for Halt and Catch Fire, but you'd think they'd recommend some good nonfiction about those years, given they do make nonfiction recommendations for some other shows.

Also regarding Mrs. Maisel, Funny Girl is also a TV series (just called Funny Woman)!

I can kind of see House of Usher and Mrs. Westaway, but it seems to me the tone is different.

[jo]

I don't think the book recs are meant to be "like the series", but maybe offer an alternative side/different perspective of themes or aspects of the shows. I only watched a few eps of Derry Girls, so I don't know if they ever really dealt with the horribleness of The Troubles, so maybe by recommending a book that more accurately reflects that reality, the aim is to provide the viewer/watcher with a better sense of Northern Ireland's complex history. Or something.

[author_by_night]

That would make more sense.

The thing with Derry Girls is that it deals with The Troubles in a very specific way, which is where I think we have a disconnect. It stares at The Troubles right in the face and goes, "but what if we had a bit of a laugh, too? What if we just try to live our lives, even with all of the violence going on around us?" Whereas the recommended book very much does not do that, from the sounds of it.

I will say that Derry Girls does get serious at times. It's not all a joke. But there'll be instances where they have to change their plans because there was a bomb on a bridge, and they'll complain about the inconvenience.

I do think if you're interested in learning more about The Troubles, that book sounds like a good start. There's actually a few books I want to read, which take much more serious looks at The Troubles. So it's not the worst pair at all, IMHO, it's just a little off-kilter.

[feurioo]

Also regarding Mrs. Maisel, Funny Girl is also a TV series (just called Funny Woman)!

The same goes for Naomi Alderman's The Power. The show came out last year.

[feurioo]

None of the recommended books really appealed to me because they didn't seem to capture what I liked about the shows in the first place. Also not sure about recommending a feminist book to The Boys fans, even if it involves superheroes.

[author_by_night]

In general, I think "if you like this, you'll love that" articles are difficult because they often focus on one element of a show, which may not be what others liked about them. I think you need multiple recommendations.

[luvbarryfefe]

All the books sound great (I'm a voracious reader) and TBH I've never seen any of these shows. I am always late to the viewing party lol

[jo]

From that list, the shows I've seen are:

Slow Horses -- I have read the first 2 novels in the Mick Herron series. Oddly, I'm not a huge fan of spy fiction, but the recommended book sounds potentially interesting. I may add it to my wishlist for future consideration.

Douglas Is Cancelled -- I liked the miniseries, but not sure I'm interested enough in the general topic to want to read more in that area.

White Lotus (season 1 only, however) -- the first season was OK but I didn't love it the way critics did, which is why I've not bothered with it since. Might check out the recommended novel, however.

Blue Lights -- Love this series and I've read all of Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad books.

Halt and Catch Fire (but again, I think only the first season. Might have started the 2nd, but not sure) -- not sure why I never finished the series, I found it enjoyable enough. The book also sounds interesting.

Severance -- Love Severance (season 2 starts January 17, 2025!!!) and I already own Annie Bot. Haven't started it yet, however.

The Boys (but only seasons 1 and 2 -- kind of got bored with it) It's funny that they recommend The Power -- which has been adapted into a series. Anyway, I'm not really interested enough to bother with either series or book.

The Wire -- The book sounds interesting. May check it out.

The Last of Us (most of it -- didn't finish it as again, kind of got bored with it -- not hugely into zombie stuff) -- The recommended book sounds potentially interesting, even though it's not the sort of thing I usually read.

Three Body Problem (but still have 2 eps to go) -- I've come close to buying Sea of Tranquility many times, because I really loved Station Eleven. Maybe I should just go ahead and get it.

[author_by_night]

The SC pair could be good, but I'd like to know more. What I personally loved about the show was its strong family and found family themes, and having a queer relationship front and center. I'd love more of that. (I actually find a lot of SC comparisons miss the importance of queer relationships entirely.)

For what it's worth, I would recommend Red, White & Royal Blue. It's primarily a queer romance, but also features a flawed family and found family.

The Derry Girls one... it's about The Troubles, but seems to take a much darker approach, going by the description.