21 Brilliant Novels That Were Turned Into Equally Amazing Movies

"The fact that the author then wrote the screenplay is probably why both are so good. You don’t miss anything important from the swap, but when you do read the book, the insight you get into the characters and their backstories is amazing and really completes the whole picture."

—xanniej

Get it from Amazon for $4.49+, Barnes & Noble for $8.95+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"I remember thinking the movie was not going to do the book justice, but honestly the movie was done so well. Everything I pictured as I read Room was how it appeared in the movie."

—nicolehayleyr

Get it from Amazon for $7.99+, Barnes & Noble for $13.83+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

“I was pleased with how relatively faithful Hitchcock was to the book (especially considering the liberties he took with The Birds)."

—Elizabeth McSpencer, Facebook

Get it from Amazon for $7.23+, Barnes & Noble for $7.99+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"Steven Chbosky, the author of the book, also wrote the screenplay and directed the film, so it's no surprise that the film gets the book's tone perfectly. It's somehow really sincere and honest with teenage life's real issues while also being nostalgic, inviting, and somewhat escapist as well. Aside from Harry Potter, this single novel has probably influenced me the most."

—totalfangirl11

Get it from Amazon for $8.39+, Barnes & Noble for $9.44+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"The book was amazing, and I thought the movie was so visually stunning! I loved watching people who hadn't seen the movie react to the shocking twists."

—@erinbyrnes

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+, Barnes & Noble for $10.45+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"The film represented the book so well, paired with beautiful music and scenery! Also I thought Keira Knightly was a brilliant Anna Karenina. Truly great book and movie."

—b4b8e02bbe

Get it from Amazon for $10+, Barnes & Noble for $5+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"The movies captured the novels' conflicts and the characters perfectly. I couldn’t have asked for a better cast, tbh."

—lilbug

Get the complete set from Amazon for $35.43+, Barnes & Noble for $26.03+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"The movie really brought the book to life. The actors who played each character were perfectly suited for the roles, and they portrayed the serious yet light-hearted book so well."

—polinashprintzan

Get it from Amazon for $5.30+, Barnes & Noble for $9.99+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"The Help is one of my favorites because it inspires me. It shows no matter what age you are, what skin color, what sexuality, whatever, you can make a difference and every difference counts, big or small."

—yellowfinch1

Get it from Amazon for $11.06+, Barnes & Noble for $11.15+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"It's one of Stephen King's best and I think Frank Darabont did a great job directing the movie!"

—Tatiana Kalmykova, Facebook

Get it from Amazon for $7.59+, Barnes & Noble for $7.82+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"I’m a huge Cormac McCarthy fan and read this book in just a couple days — it’s that good. When I heard the Coen Brothers were turning it into a movie I figured I’d give it a shot, and it was fantastic. Both Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem took on their respective roles so perfectly. Great book, great movie."

—michellecarpentierp

Get it from Amazon for $10.29+, Barnes & Noble for $10.29+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"I loved the book and the movie adaptation didn’t fail. It was beautiful, heartfelt, and made me laugh, smile, and cry from beginning to end."

—SarahRoze

Get it from Amazon for $7.49+, Barnes & Noble for $8.18+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"The best movie ever and the only movie in history to be better than the original book it was based on."

—label7

Get it from Amazon for $11.99+, Barnes & Noble for $12.86+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"It’s about a suicidal teen who checks himself into a hospital. The book was absolutely amazing and while the movie isn’t as good as the book, it is still amazing. I saw the movie and read the book while I was hospitalized and it helped me so much! A great book for those suffering and for those who aren’t."

—sophier4be7a0cf0

Get it from Amazon for $6.99+, Barnes & Noble for $6.99+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"Emma Thompson’s script for Sense and Sensibility captures the book’s essence so completely on all accounts: all major (and funny minor) plot points are there, the wistful pacing of the story, the dialogue is equally sharp, and the changes made to the story are minimal and only serve to help the audience understand 19th century England better."

—baesjling

Get it from Amazon for $7.44+, Barnes & Noble for $5+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"I read the book before I had the pleasure of watching the film, and they are both unbelievably beautiful."

—morganc4373f1f4b

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+, Barnes & Noble for $12.12+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"I read all the books growing up and completely fell in love with everything about them. You can imagine how excited I was when the movies came out. I’ve probably seen them 100 times each."

—caseye4ac848818

Get the complete set from Amazon for $25.99+, Barnes & Noble for $26.57+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"Not only was it one of my very favorite books when I was a kid (and it does a great job of lightly exploring the justice system and the way it plays against minorities and poor people), but the movie is, hands down, one of the best page-to-screen adaptations I've ever seen."

—elyssam3

Get it from Amazon for $6.04+, Barnes & Noble for $7.99, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"It's my favorite book, and hangs heavily on themes about the power of writing. Hearing it was going to be turned into a movie made me want to weep, but from the moment the soundtrack started with that typewriter, through to the beautiful cinematography and gorgeous acting, I knew they had managed to distill a lot of the magic of that book into the movie. Still, the book is definitely worth the read."

—Michelle Simone, Facebook

Get it from Amazon for $8.41+, Barnes & Noble for $10.07+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"It was a great book and a great movie, and the movie didn’t leave out any important parts of the book. Both will definitely make you cry and fall in love with the characters!"

—emilyj4a009f891

Get it from Amazon for $7.59+, Barnes & Noble for $7.71+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.

"To watch, on screen, every little bit of magic that I've read about come to life was brilliant. To be able to watch each and every character from the book come to life in the movie with all their magic and splendor is amazing! Every time I watch Harry Potter I have the urge to read the books all over again. "

–Taranya SKumar

Get the complete set from Amazon for $52.99+, Barnes & Noble for $55.26+, or a local bookseller through IndieBound here.