Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The story follows a boy who steals a painting from the Metropolitan Museum of Art during a terrorist bombing. His mother dies during the bombing, and he essentially falls apart throughout the rest of the novel. The film will feature Nicole Kidman, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson and Ansel Elgort. Look for it in theatres in October. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot Did you know that the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Cats, is based on a book of poems by T. S. Eliot? Pick up a copy and read about Jellicle Cats and Mr. Mistoffelees before the musical’s film version comes out in early December.
Bernadette disappears, and her precocious 15-year-old tries to track her down. This quirky novel consists of journal entry, email, and letter snippets. The story is quite silly, and a great parody of modern parenting. Richard Linklater is directing the film version, starring Cate Blanchett, Kristen Wiig, and Laurence Fishburne. The book takes place in (and berates) Seattle, but the film is shot entirely in Vancouver. Linklater has had success adapting novels before ( A Scanner Darkly, adapted from Philip K. Dick’s book of the same name), and there is much buzz about this one online. The theatrical release is slated for late March 2019. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett An angel and devil share laughs and a raucous good time while watching the apocalypse begin. Michael Sheen and David Tennant play the angel/devil duo, with Jon Hamm as Gabriel. Look for this six- part series, titled Good Omens , on Amazon Prime in the first half of the year.
It seems to be the year to remake classic children’s fiction. The Secret Garden is a lovely, mysterious story about a young girl who finds a magical garden in her uncle’s yard. This is one of the first books I remember being enthralled with as a child. No release date is set for this film, but it is slated for 2019, and will feature Colin Firth as Lord Archibald Craven.
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
I was floored when I heard that this horror novella was being turned into a film. It is just so good, and so creepy, that I questioned why I hadn’t seen an adaptation before (there are loads of them). Steven Spielberg is producing the film, titled The Turning , and starring Canadian actress Mackenzie Davis. IMDB reports that this is a “modern take” on the novella, so don’t hold your breath for an accurate representation. No official release date is set, but the film should hit theatres sometime this year.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
First, if you haven’t read Little Women, now is the time. If you have read it before, consider reading it again while waiting for the Christmas release of the film version, starring Emma Watson as Meg.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Another children’s classic is also coming out Christmas Day 2019. The latest version of Call of the Wild will feature live action with CGI, and star Harrison Ford. Filmmakers have adapted this adventure story several times over the last 80 years, with some versions straying quite far from the novel. We will have to wait to see if the upcoming film stays true to the narrative.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
I didn’t think this book lived up to the hype when I read it last year, I’ll admit. Despite that, it is quite popular, and I think the film version could be redeeming. This is one of the rare occasions when a film might be better than the novel it’s based on because of cuts and edits.
Kristen Johnson is a homeschool mom and bookseller who loves to talk about books.
WINTER 2019 www.pei-living.ca
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