15 Storylines, Characters, And More That Ruined These Book Adaptations And 15 That Made These Adaptations Even Better

"Caroline's character was infinitely better in the TV series than in the books. She actually ended up becoming one of my favorite characters as the show went on."

—WarriorintheSun

"The final battle with Harry and Voldemort is a millions time better in the book. They get to have it out in front of everyone, and Harry gets to call out Tom and basically takes him apart verbally, and so many people get to see him die a 'normal' death, so there are plenty of witnesses who see he's actually dead this time. In the movie, it's just the two of them, and Voldy turns to dust and floats away, but no one gets to see it. Why would anyone believe he was finally, truly gone?!"

—Michelle

"The added battle in the final Twilight film was much needed. The book was like a roller-coaster ride to the top of a hill that then just stops. Completely anticlimactic. I literally threw that book across the room, it annoyed me so much."

—meganeileen1000

"The pearl-fetch quest was the stupidest shit ever. In the book, Percy and his friends are traveling from New York to California to get to the entrance to the Underworld to question Hades. Everything that happens in the book is a stop between these two points. The fight with Echidna, the fight with Medusa, the Lotus Casino, the fight with Ares. All obstacles between points A and B. The movie made the plot into a fetch quest where they chose three of these locations and stuck a pearl in each one for Percy & Co. to fetch to take them into the underworld. They made it feel like a damn video game."

—cristiandelgado

"He’s not in the comics at all; they added him into the show, and his character fits PERFECTLY. His character development is amazing, and his addition to the group seems very natural and not forced."

—lumpyflamingo

"I didn't like that Daisy and Billy acted on their chemistry. I think it should have been left like it was in the book, with the possibility of them getting together after (spoiler ahead) Camila dies. Not every TV show needs to have the leads hook up."

—A_Panda

"In the book series, he dies at the end of the first book."

—Jamie Dal Cero

"I honestly wish Shadow and Bone had been adapted properly without mixing both book series into one show. Six of Crows absolutely deserved its own show, and I don't like how the Crows' story has been changed around. I'm still watching the show, but I'm a little disappointed."

—monikap6

"Arya and Tywin's interactions in the second season were some of my favorite scenes in the entire show, and they didn't exist in the books! They deftly demonstrated both characters' intelligence and fleshed out Tywin superbly."

—Femkat

"The movie has Cho give up D.A. to Umbridge rather than her friend. I didn't like that."

—knr8269

"Cho Chang and Ginny Weasley! In the books, they’re both strong, independent, spunky young women, but the movies turn them into no more than blobby love interests. It’s really disappointing."

—msfranzke

"I loved how the show was able to expand past the documentary that is presented in Taylor Jenkins Reid's novel. This allowed for more characters to be fleshed out, like Simone. I love that we got to see her life (and career) outside of just being Daisy's best friend."

—Nora Dominick

"Her entire existence was as a pointless love interest rather than being a kickass elf. Also, the fact that a dwarf and an elf could be in love totally throws off the wholesomeness of the friendship between Legolas and Gimli in the Lord of the Rings (their friendship was the first time in a long time that dwarfs and elves got along). She could have been so cool, but she was just blah."

—e48f37d83e

"I thought the decision to bypass the Tom Bombadil side plot in Fellowship of the Ring was smart. That part of the original book is so different in tone and content from the rest of the book/series and would have felt doubly odd as part of a movie."

—AXJ66

"It already has an animated series, and a perfectly fine Japanese live-action adaptation, but the American live-action was awful! They changed the setting from Japan to the US, which doesn't make sense for a work like Death Note, which has heavy themes based on Japanese culture and setting."

—SenpaiNoticedU

"Adding in the parents to the first season was a great plot device! I loved the books growing up, and I was convinced (hopelessly naive) that they were the Baudelaires' parents. I was desperate to find out where that plotline went, and was relieved, and heartbroken, in equal measure when it turned out they were the Quagmire parents."

—kateelizabethi

"If Roald Dahl watched the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and saw the sappy, cheesy backstory with Wonka’s dad that they added to his book, he would be rolling over in his grave like a cat in a tumble dryer."

—limabean

"I love how in the series, Justin Foley is much more than a one-dimensional, classic playboy character. And his bromance with Clay was one of the biggest surprises and, in general, best things about this show. It was such a highlight. Moreover, I think the show did a much better job addressing the topic of sexual assault, mainly focusing on the recovery journey and also including sexual assault against men."

—[deleted]

"My biggest issue, besides deviating from the plot, was that they aged the kids. They are supposed to be preteens figuring it out."

—Kristen

"The book This Is Where I Leave You was phenomenal. The movie was even better! The casting was PERFECT, and the way they trimmed the story was amazing. The movie hit all the high spots of the book and made it feel like a real family going through things."

—ccjohn0331

"Okay, the second Princess Diaries movie makes me so mad!! I read all the books and loved them, and I can tolerate the first movie, but the second movie...they just threw out the plot of the whole book series!! In the second book, Mia's still in her first year of college and starts having a crush on Michael, but in the second movie she just moves to Genovia and almost gets married?!! Like, what?!"

—28wamsleyg

"The Maze Runner movies were good, and the first one was pretty close to the books. But the second one was completely different! To be honest, I didn’t hate it! The second book was kinda boring to me at times, and the movie made it way more fun."

—foragoodtimenotalongtime

"I read the book in one sitting and was completely enthralled. The movie was infuriating. They completely stripped the side characters down to caricatures of themselves and took away any character bonding. In the movie, there is zero reason why they all decide to work together. I could give a TED Talk on how badly the movie adaptation was handled."

—Dankstermcgriff

"I like the Netflix version of Firefly Lane better (so far). I just finished the book, and while it's great and I cried like a baby during the last 60 pages or so, the series just provided more stories between the two main characters. There were some changes from text to screen, but not any that I think really take away from the theme of friendship throughout their story."

—MakeThingsGood

"Some books are 'live-action' and some books are 'animated.' Think about it for a minute and you'll know exactly what I mean. The Chronicles of Narnia are definitely 'animated' novels. The live-action movies just didn't do them justice."

—dexm1981

"He’s not in the book at all, but adding his character in the film gives Coraline another kid to relate to, and the relationship he created with the Pink Palace really ties the story together. Plus, his character's design is adorable!"

—Caroline Cameron

"The TV show for Pretty Little Liars was all over the place, and they obviously didn't know what they were doing when it came to the ending. The mystery in the books is much more compelling."

—luucyolivia

"Love, love, love all the adaptation changes in Stardust, especially Captain Shakespeare! The movie ending was more satisfying than the book too."

—lovethebard

"Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was a terrible movie adaptation in general. One thing specifically was that they changed Emma’s powers, which in turn completely changed her personality. I guess the directors didn’t want to see a strong and fiery female lead and preferred a simpering and sweet one. Big surprise."

—DWinchestersflannel

"The half-hour cold open in Good Omens, where they went through Crowley and Aziraphale’s interactions throughout the millennia. It was never in the book, but it really did improve the show overall."

—SquidSquad

"In the book: Anna dies in a car accident, resulting in Kate getting the kidney she needed. She is healthy and now without a sister. In the film: Kate passes away in her sleep, and Anna wins her case and is emancipated, therefore relieving her of her 'duties.' She won what she was fighting for but now has no sister. This is a story of family and medical ethics. Changing the ending to something more kind is not ethical, in my opinion LOL. This was over two decades ago and I’m still mad about it!! The book was better."

—barriv