Ink to Image [3] - The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Did I read the book or watch the movie first?
I read this book back in 2011. If you saw my review (which you can find here), you know I wasn't that impressed with it.

Which was better?
For me, the movie is better, hands down. Since I read the book so long ago, I wasn't caught up in all tiny changes from the story to the screen, but I still knew where some of the more major differences were. I thought the movie did a good job of streamlining and simplifying the narrative while still keeping the most important aspects intact. There were also some hat-tips to the readers (and one at the end was especially cool).

What made me read/watch?
Back when I read the book, I'd heard about the series, but it still wasn't quite the huge fandom it is today. I thought I would like the book because it had a lot of elements I look for in paranormal YA, but it fell flat for me. However, the movie previews looked really good, so despite not being part of the fandom, I still wanted to see the film and I'm glad I did.

Will I read/watch more if available?
I've already read the second and third books in the series (my reviews can be found here and here) and I plan to read the last three books eventually, but I will definitely be seeing future TMI films. The actors did a great job of embodying the characters and I connected with them a lot faster than I did in the novels. The effects and action scenes were fantastic, and I liked how everything played out on screen. Clary and Jace's first kiss was pretty epic, and I definitely liked movie-Jace better than book-Jace. There were some awkward parts where the music came in and took over scenes and made them feel a bit cheesy, but overall it was a fun and entertaining movie that I thought did the book justice.

That's it quirks! I hope you enjoyed my assessment. Have you gotten to see the City of Bones movie yet? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments!?

*Click on a book's cover to be taken to the book's Goodreads page, click on the movie poster to be taken to the movie's website, and click on the movie banner to be taken to the TMI Facebook page.

Ink to Image [2] - Beautiful Creatures

Did I read the book or watch the movie first?
Seeing that the movie just hit theaters on Valentine's Day, I definitely read the book first, but I was there on the 14th to see the movie (what can I say, I was excited!).

Which was better?
This is tough. The screenplay was much altered from the story in the book, but the movie was so good you guys. Still, I really missed all the things they left out and changed, so I'm going to go with the book. To me, the lore, details, and some events were really important and they made more sense to me than the direction the movie took. But the movie is a very close second because it was funny and quirky and I adored Ethan and Lena all over again.

What made me read/watch?
From the first time I heard about Beautiful Creatures, I wanted to read it. The southern setting, magic, and mystery were right in my wheelhouse. Reading and loving the book is what made me want to see the film. (The phenomenal casting didn't hurt either.)

Will I read/watch more if available?
I will definitely be reading more. I've currently read the first two books in the series plus the available novella, and I have the third book on my TBR shelf just waiting for me. I will also be watching the movie again, and will watch any more movies they make for the series so long as the actors stay put (because, again, Ethan and Lena were amazing!).

That's it quirks! I hope you enjoyed my assessment. Have you gotten to see the Beautiful Creatures movie yet? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments!?

*Click on a book's cover to be taken to the book's Goodreads page, click on the movie poster to be taken to the movie's IMDB page, and click on the movie banner to be taken to the movie's website.

Ink to Image [1] - The Twilight Saga

Hey quirks! I've decided to do a new feature that focuses on books that have been adapted for the silver or small screen. Rather than just reviewing the books/movies/shows, I plan to discuss what makes one or the other better, why I chose to read the book or watch the movie/show, and my plans, if any, on continuing to read or watch. I kind of want to give you an idea of how this will work, so for my introductory post, I decided to use a franchise that is well-known, well-loved, and well-hated: The Twilight Saga*.

I'll begin with 'Which came first, the chicken or the egg?' question: Did I read the books or watch the movies first?
I had just started reading the first novel, Twilight, when I watched the movie, so I say I watched the movie first. But for the rest of the series, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn, I read the books first.

Which was better?
Neither the movie franchise nor the book series is the best of what each medium has to offer and the pitfalls of both have been well-documented. Still, I found both forms of the story to be entertaining, and each had some great aspects. I liked some of the additions in the films, specifically the twist in Breaking Dawn Part 2 and the higher level of action throughout the series, but overall I think I enjoyed the books more because of all the details that were in the books but ultimately left out of the movies. (This is a common issue with book adaptations and will likely be mentioned frequently in my Ink to Image posts.)

What made me read/watch?
The Twilight movie buzz was just a hum when I became aware of it, but then some of my friends who had already read the first book invited me to come along when they went to see the movie. Having been informed by them that it was based on a book, I decided to read the story as well. I was more interested after seeing the movie, and then became enthralled (like pretty much everyone else) after finishing the first book, so I completed the series.

Will I read/watch more if available?
I do not think the world of Twilight needs to be revisited on screen for a very long time. That is not to say I wouldn't eventually watch a related film or show, but I would do so reluctantly if they appear within the next decade or two. However, if Stephenie Meyer wrote more Twilight stories/books, I would definitely read them. Not only do I want to know more about what happens to certain characters (not the main two) but I enjoy the lore. I read the novella that came out a while back (The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner) and loved it. I think not only does Meyer have some good story foundation to go with but she is also getting better as a writer, so it would be great to see her do something else with it beyond the scope of Bella and Edward.

That's it quirks, short and sweet! I hope you enjoyed my first foray into this feature. What are your thoughts on this book to movie comparison? Let me know in the comments! ^_^

*Click on a book's cover to be taken to the book's Goodreads page and click on a movie poster to be taken to the movie's IMDB page.