JagWire reporters and students give their opinions on popular book to screen adaptations

The adaptations may be in some ways different from the books, but they are still entertaining

Emma Clement, Maddie Martin, and Ian Weatherman

February 14, 2024

By Avery Clement

Beyond the Pages

(By Avery Clement)

Review: The Color Purple

By JagWire reporter Maddie Martin

Alice Walker's “The Color Purple” is about two sisters, Celie and Nettie, who are separated for most of their lives but share stories with each other sometimes through their letters and sometimes just through their faith in each other. They both question their faith and what it means to be black women in the early 1900’s.

Every character is displayed in a beautifully real way, praised not only for their wonderful traits but also their mistakes. That is what makes the book so compelling, it’s real, it’s not always glamorous but it appreciates the complex beauty of the world.

The movie however with the musical aspect puts a brighter spin on the book. While the plot stays true to the book the overall tone differs from that of the book. My favorite part of the book was the characters who accompany the sisters. The movie does a great job of staying true to each character’s personalities in the book. While reading the book I struggled to picture the setting but the movie does a good job of transporting you to the time and place the book is set in.

The movie is definitely worth the watch but is 100% more enjoyable if you have also read the book.

(By Avery Clement)

Review: All the Light We Cannot See

By guest reporter Ian Weatherman

Anthony Doerr’s “All the Light We Cannot See” is a great book that explores World War II from perspectives that don’t often get spotlighted. It’s told from the point of view of two children affected by the war: Marie-Laure, a blind girl who lives with her father in Paris and must escape to the French coast during the German occupation, and Werner, a German boy who leaves his sister in their poor neighborhood to study at a Nazi training facility.

As the story progresses, the direction of their lives is shaped by the war. Each chapter is only two to three pages, so it’s very easy to stop and start reading with each free moment. Unfortunately, this makes the book seem really long even for active readers because finishing a few chapters only gets readers through a few pages. It felt like it took a long time to read but the story was never too slow.

Overall, I liked the story and would recommend it to anyone interested in World War II history. I haven’t heard much about the Netflix show but I hope it stays true to the book and portrays the events well, which is especially promising given they cast a blind actress to play Marie-Laure.

(By Avery Clement)

Review: Percy Jackson and The Olympians

By JagWire Editor-in-chief Emma Clement

Our generation grew up on Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series. Reading about the pre-teen demigods had us all theorizing about who our own godly parents would be. So when it was announced that Disney+ would be creating a live action series (a much needed redemption after the failure of the movies), I was ecstatic. After viewing the eight-episode first season, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

One of the most controversial aspects of the show was the casting, which was actually one of my favorite things about the adaptation. Casting a Black actress, Leah Sava Jeffries, to play the fandom’s beloved Annabeth Chase (depicted in the book as having blonde hair and gray eyes) created a lot of online discourse.

However, in my opinion, one of the few faults of the original book was the lack of racial diversity among main characters, so I believe Jeffries’ casting was long-awaited. Riordan confirmed this in a behind-the-scenes video for Disney+ saying that he wanted all kids to be able “look at this series and see themselves.” Aside from the additional diversity, the casting as a whole was exceptional and made the series come to life.

Separate from casting, the series mostly followed the same structure as the book, keeping the original iconic moments in. However, there were some changes to smaller plot developments which might disappoint some viewers. I personally enjoyed these changes, but I know nine-year-old me would have loved to see a more book-accurate adaptation.

The biggest complaint I had in terms of changes was the trio’s knowledge of what they were walking into. Whether it be Medusa or the Lotus Casino, Percy, Annabeth and Grover always seemed to know when they were walking into a trap. This erased some of the tension from the original books, and made the group feel more experienced than originally.

Its at-times choppy pacing and its downplaying of the toxicity of Gabe and Sally Jackson’s relationship were a few other small issues I had while watching. However, these issues were minor compared to the overall success of the show. Despite the slight qualms I had, the Percy Jackson series was wonderfully executed. It put a great spin on the book series of our childhoods and reminded us why we fell in love with Percy, Annabeth and Grover to begin with.

The Hunger Games

Senior Abigail Warren

“[The Hunger Games Movies] are really accurate to the books and they did a really good job of bringing the characters to life."

Ready Player One

Sophomore Jack Thomas

“[Ready Player One] is a fun movie in general, but it doesn’t really have the same feel that the book does."

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Senior Ellee Wheelock

“I think the actors portrayed the characters in the book like really well which isn’t always the case."

(Visited 162 times, 1 visits today)

About the Contributors

Emma Clement, JagWire editor-in-chief, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief

This is senior Emma Clement’s third year on the JagWire staff. This year she is JagWire and Mill Valley News editor-in-chief, in addition to being a writer and designer for the newspaper. When she is not working on journalism, Emma enjoys reading, drawing, painting, watching TV shows and spending time with friends and family. She is also involved at Mill Valley as NHS president, Spanish NHS vice president, Youth for Refugees president, Model UN president, NAHS vice president and is a member of NEHS, Scholar’s Bowl and Women’s Empowerment Club. Outside of school, Emma works at Pinnacle Gymnastics as a gymnastics coach and is on the editorial board for elementia, the Johnson County Library’s teen literary magazine.

Maddie Martin, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief and JagWire copy editor

This is junior Maddie Martin’s second year on the JagWire staff, she is excited to be taking on the role of Mill Valley News editor-in-chief as well as working for the JagWire as copy editor. Along with journalism she is a member of the Mill Valley golf team, as well as, NHS, French Club and is an ELT for Relay for Life. Outside of school she volunteers as a part of the National Charity League and works at Pinnacle Gymnastics as a coach. On her weekends she can be found reading a new romance book, listening to Zach Bryan or hanging out with her friends.

Avery Clement, JagWire editor-in-chief

This is junior Avery Clement’s second year on the JagWire staff and this year she will be one of the JagWire editor-in-chiefs. Avery is also involved in Youth for Refugees club, Kansas Association for Youth club, Model United Nations, Knit and Crochet club, NHS, NEHS and Spanish NHS. Outside of school Avery works as a gymnastics coach and enjoys watching movies, listening to music, reading and hanging out with her friends and family.

Comments (0)

Mill Valley News intends for this area to be used to foster healthy, thought-provoking discussion. Comments are expected to adhere to our standards and to be respectful and constructive. As such, we do not permit the use of profanity, foul language, personal attacks, or the use of language that might be interpreted as libelous. Comments are reviewed and must be approved by a moderator to ensure that they meet these standards. Mill Valley News does not allow anonymous comments, and Mill Valley News requires a valid email address. The email address will not be displayed but will be used to confirm your comments.

Share your thoughts...

All Mill Valley News Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest