GUEST COLUMN: 9 Great Novels That Have Never Been Made into A Movie

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9 Great Novels That Have Never Been Made into A Movie

by Dorian Martin

Books are a true goldmine of creative ideas, life-changing stories, memorable lines, and emotional experiences. Reading a great book is almost like watching a great movie. You can imagine the characters, hear their voices, and see the colorful pictures being painted in front of your eyes. But, when a book you love is adapted into a movie, you can truly experience the story with all your senses. Unfortunately, not all great novels have been made into a movie.

There's a whole list of brilliant novels waiting to be adapted into a movie. We've created our list of the 9 novels we believe deserve to be on the movie screen. Let’s take a closer look at our top picks.

1. The Invisible Bridge (2010) by Julie Orringer 

The Invisible Bridge is a brilliant novel by the contemporary American writer Julie Orringer. It tells a heartbreaking story of a family shattered to pieces by the horrors of World War II.

The story follows Andras Lévi, a Hungarian-Jewish architecture student, and his road from an innocent boy falling in love to a man trying to survive the labor camps. It’s got everything a movie needs- brilliant characters, relatable stories, and human destinies explored.

2. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry (2013) by Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman became world-famous for his novel A Man Call Ove, which was actually made into a movie. But, his novel My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry also deserves a chance to hit the movie screens.

The novel is a funny but touching story of a little girl's love for her silly, eccentric, and somewhat crazy grandmother. Elsa, the seven-year-old, will head onto an adventurous mission to fulfill her grandma’s wish to apologize to everyone she’s done wrong. 

3. Death with Interruptions (2008) by José Saramago

What happens when Death suddenly decides to take a break from taking people’s lives away? The novel Death with Interruptions is a brilliant story about life without death. 

When nobody dies on the first day of the new year, people begin to celebrate only to realize new problems are appearing every day. This novel could be a hit in your movie night if it only had the chance.

4. And the Mountains Echoed (2013) by Khaled Hosseini

And the Mountains Echoed is the third novel by the Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. It's a story of a family living in the small village of Shadbagh. While they’re struggling with poverty and the cold, their love is something unique and unbreakable.

But, when the brother and sister set out on a journey across the desert with their father, things really start to get complicated. It's a story about love, difficult choices, and the surprises life doesn’t stop throwing at us.

5. Conversation in the Cathedral (1969) by Mario Vargas Llosa

The Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa is one of the greatest contemporary writers, whose novels have been read by people all over the globe. And, his novel Conversations in the Cathedral truly deserves to be turned into a movie.

The focus of the novel is the conversation between Santiago and Ambrosia, who talk of their tormented lives. But, through historical references and a series of secrets, Llosa explores the importance of personal freedom, identity, and the role of individuals in their own lives.

6. One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967) by Gabriel García Márquez

One of the greatest literary achievements of all time, One Hundred Years of Solitude, has never been made into a movie. The novel is a story of the isolated town of Macondo and of the family who founded it, the Buendías.

The story explores the never-ending conflict between the desire for solitude and the need for love. The book covers more than a century in the story of this family and the events happening on the island.

7. All the Light We Cannot See (2014) by Anthony Doerr

Another memorable and beautiful war story is explored in the novel All the Light We Cannot See by the American novelist Anthony Doerr.

The novel is a story about a blind French girl Marie-Laure and a German orphan Werner, whose lives collide in occupied France as they both try to survive the terrible things happening during World War II. It's a story about the good in people and how it manages to survive even in the darkest hours.

8. Eleanor & Park (2012) by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park is the first young adult novel written by Rainbow Rowell. It was published in 2012, but it explores a story set in 1986, Nebraska.

 This is a story about young love and all the ups and downs that come with it. Eleanor is an eccentric girl that sticks out with her red hair and chaotic personal life. Park tries to stay invisible to everyone, but Eleanor changes this forever. 

Mariah Pearson, a movie critic and editor at Get Good Grade, says: ”The novel Eleanor and Park would make a great movie. It's diverse, heartwarming, and sweet. It would be a movie for all generations."

9. The Whisperer (2009) by Donato Carrisi

The thriller The Whisperer by the Italian novelist Donato Carrisi made international success overnight. It's a mind-blowing story of the investigator Mila Vasquez, who struggles to solve a case while facing her own demons from the past. 

The story is full of twists, mystery, and surprises, just like a thriller should be. And, since the writer Donato Carisi is also a director and screenwriter, we can’t help but hope that this novel will be turned into a movie we’d enjoy watching with friends.  

Final Thoughts

Novels are still a great source of inspiration for moviemakers, and we see them being adapted into movies constantly. Still, there are those novels that have been around for a while, waiting for their chance to hit the big screens.

The list we've composed offers insight into the novels we feel would be great on the big screens. Hopefully, we’ll inspire you to read the novels see if you agree with us.

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