Book versus movie. For most book lovers, hearing that a favorite book is being adapted into a movie or, more often, a television show is cringe-worthy. And let's face it, some REALLY BAD adaptations are floating around out there, ruining excellent books for potential readers. My perfect example of this is The Help. Hey Hollywood, this story isn’t meant to make people feel good!
And now for something controversial- sometimes the movie (or show) is better than the book. *I'm ducking in case someone throws a shoe at me.* This topic has come up several times at the Palatka Campus Vikings Read More book club meetings (join us!). These discussions motivated me to put a recent read to the test- book versus movie!
The first contender:
The book trilogy is known as "Area X" or "The Southern Reach." The three titles of the trilogy are Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance. Author Jeff VanderMeer published the sci-fi trilogy around 2014. Here’s a quick synopsis provided by GoodReads:
Area X has been cut off from the rest of the world for decades, explored only in a series of expeditions dispatched by a secret government agency called the Southern Reach. So far these expeditions have returned -- when they have returned -- with more questions than answers.
At the beginning of the Southern Reach Trilogy, we join the twelfth expedition. What unfolds in Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance is an exhilarating, disturbing, and all but unbearably suspenseful story of humanity engaged in what might be an existential confrontation with nature. The series is destined to become a classic of its kind.
This series has been on my radar for a while so when I was able to score a set of the books, I was eager to jump right in! I consumed the first book like a fiend! I couldn't get enough of it. The writing style was a bit dense, as it is written from the point of view of a very scientific-minded biologist. But, I was dying to know more about Area X!
I finished Annihilation in just a few days and immediately continued to Authority. This book offers new characters, a new narrator, and a shift in perspective. My eagerness to learn more didn't waiver, but I had to adjust to a new way of learning about the phenomenon of Area X. It’s difficult to offer much more of a review because I’m trying to limit spoilers. Let’s just say that I enjoyed book two but not as much as book one. As for book three, Acceptance, it ended with nothing but disappointment for me and spoiled my overall experience.
Enter the next contender:
A film adaptation of VanderMeer’s Area X trilogy, titled Annihilation, was released in 2018. I managed to avoid the film until I finished the books. I was reeling from disappointment and hoped that the film would give me what I felt the books lacked (again, not going into detail because I'm not a spoiler)! Natalie Portman plays the lead and is joined by a strong cast, including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Issac. The film was written and directed by Alex Garland, known for Ex Machina and 28 Days Later. Film rights to Annihilation were acquired before the publication of the trilogy's first book, and the adaptation is solely based on that novel. Before watching the film I read online, Garland referred to his adaptation as "a memory of the book" rather than a strict book-referenced screenwriting. I found this promising and looked forward to his creative freedom and imagination.
Around the time I watched the film (recently), it had a strong approval rating of around 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. But then again, the books got relatively good reviews, so I only took that information with a grain of salt. I could only hope that the film adaptation had the goods.
After viewing the film, I was very pleased. I felt that a lot of the good stuff from the book was used, and a lot of unnecessary stuff was left out (purposely vague to avoid spoilers). I also think Garland offered more character development in the film (not something you'll often hear about a film adaptation). Much of the phenomenon of Area X was beautifully rendered on screen, and I loved comparing what I imagined to what I saw. The majority female cast did a fantastic job. And most importantly, Garland offered an alternative ending, which I enjoyed much more than what the book gave me.
I hope you take this as an opportunity to review the books and the movie. I'd love to hear your thoughts once you've finished. All three books and the film are available via your SJR State Library!
Annihilation
Annihilation by
Authority by
Acceptance by