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This is something of a companion post to yesterday’s post in which I admitted that I’ve finally decided to reread a series of books for the first time ever. I think the timing is perfect with Mockingjay Part 1 fast approaching release.
See, I’ve never had to answer this question myself. I just started the Harry Potter series this year, so obviously I never had to go back and read any books. And I’m not interested in all the YA adaptations released each year. Cause I’ve never read them anyway. So this is the first time that I’m kind of having to answer this question. I’d just read The Hunger Games before the release of the first movie and then read the other two books in the series shortly thereafter. But I didn’t reread Catching Fire last year, though I did think about it.
Now we’re here. 2014. And I AM going to reread a book before its movie adaptation is released. Why? Maybe this is a normal thing that people do all the time and I’m just catching up. Or maybe I just want to read SOMETHING.
Also, I’ve never had to ask myself this question because I never go to the movies. Ever. I saw one move in theaters in 2013. And two in 2012. The one and only this year comes out on November 21. The tickets are over $10 here. Forget that.
So tell me, do you reread books before the movie adaptation is released?
Johnny Reads 
Yes.
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I guess it depends on how recently I’ve read the book. Or how well I know it. Since I re-read books fairly frequently, I usually know them pretty well. For instance, I didn’t re-read Lord of the Rings before it came out because I’m so familiar with the books. Same with Harry Potter. But if it’s been a while since I’ve read the book, I will take some time to familiarize myself with the story again.
However, it can ruin the movies for me sometimes because I know the book so well that the movie adaptation doesn’t measure up to the book. Then I have to separate them in my mind and just enjoy the movie for what it is. Entertainment.
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I’m with phantomwriter143, if I know it very well I probably won’t re-read the book, but if it’s a book I’ve only read once then more often than not I’ll re-read it.
This question made me wonder if readers will ever see the movie before they’ve read the book.
Curiosity.
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I always re-read ALL my books fav. or not. The thing is not all movies are how we see them in our minds. Some are worse or sometimes even better than hoped for! 😀
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Nope, it really bugs me when the movie diverges from the book so the movie is much more enjoyable when I haven’t read the book recently. Apart from Hogfather of course, that adaptation was amazing.
I can quite happily reread the books after seeing the movie though.
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I try to read the book before I see the movie IF I think the movie actually looks any good. But if I read a book and 3 years later they make a movie, I probably won’t re-read the book right away. I don’t typically watch movie adaptations of books I enjoy though, unless the movie looks excellent, because most book-movies just don’t cut it for me.
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I like to reread it before I go to the movie to remind myself of the plot and characters. However, I don’t go to movies a whole lot anymore, so mostly I reread now just to reread.
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I miss the days of $10 movie tickets…
I guess it depends on how recently I read the book. I’m not bothering to go watch Gone Girl but if I was, I wouldn’t read it again, as I read it in July.
If it was something I read a really long time ago… say a new version of Anne of Green Gables or something, I’d re-read just to make sure I have my facts straight!
If I really love a book, I’ll re-read it! Even if it’s a series… I’ll re-read my favourite books and skip bits I don’t like etc etc
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I try to reread the books if I can, because the end characters are much more alive in the books. Sometimes though, I’ll see a movie and then I NEED to read the book.
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The problem with reading a book before watching the movie adaptation is that you might remember a part you’ve fallen in love with that doesn’t get put into the script (or worse, it gets butchered). And then you walk away from the movie disappointed that it wasn’t a faithful adaptation.
But… if you read the book *after* you watch the movie then you get to enjoy the story again (without having to pay for another ten dollar ticket… until it comes out on DVD). And then, regardless of whether the movie was good, you enjoy the book again.
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I do, and then I end up ticked off because the movie never, ever lives up to the book (usually my attitude at the time, not necessarily the truth, or anyone else’s opinion for that matter).
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