7 Book-to-Screen Adaptations You Can Read and Stream Now

It's always fun for us to compare and contrast books with their screen versions. But right now, lots of upcoming theater releases are being postponed due to coronavirus concerns. So, we've rounded up a selection of great book-to-screen adaptations you can read and stream right now! If you're anything like us, you make a point to read (or even reread) before watching, so be sure to pick up the book before you press play.

All The Bright Places

Streaming on Netflix, this romantic drama of the same name stays true to its source, a YA bestseller by Jennifer Niven, who also cowrote the screenplay. It is the story of two teens connecting over some very heavy emotions. Theodore struggles with suicidal thoughts, while Violet can only look ahead as she grieves the death of her sister. Can they save each other?

Codename Villanelle

This taut thriller from Luke Jennings gets a sleek, sexy treatment with Killing Eve, a Hulu series. The story centers on a cat and mouse game between psychopathic assassin Villanelle and Eve, the M15 officer who becomes obsessed with catching her. But things get wild when Eve realizes that Villanelle is infatuated with her as well.

Olive Kitteridge

Elizabeth Strout's Pulitzer Prize-winner binds together thirteen rich, luminous narratives to create the complex emotional world of the titular Olive Kitteridge. We love this book on its own, but we have to say that the brilliant casting of Frances McDormand as the curmudgeonly, middle-aged schoolteacher kicks the HBO miniseries up a notch.

I Am Not Okay With This

By Charles Forsman, this dark graphic novel tells the story of Syd, a teenaged girl who suddenly develops telekinesis amidst other confusing life changes. The Netflix series will appeal to anyone who loves a good angsty teen drama with a superheroic twist.

Looking For Alaska

John Green's debut YA novel is a timeless story of youth, friendship, and tragedy. Hulu's subsequent miniseries firmly roots the story in time with a soundtrack and style perfect for the mid-aughts era. The result adeptly captures what it feels to be young, clever, and touched by an unknowable sadness.

Alias Grace

Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale may be the most popular Margaret Atwood adaptation on record, but this Netflix miniseries perfectly captures the author's tone and style. While the former presents a dystopian future, Alias Grace offers a fascinating fictional take on a true crime story from the 1800s.

Normal People

The bestselling second novel from Irish author Sally Rooney offers brilliant psychological acuity and elegant, spare prose in a story exploring the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship. See how the Hulu series measures up (premiering on April 29).

We're sure there are lots more adaptations of great books available for immediate viewing so let us know what we've missed! What are your current favorites?

Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon