Day 19 – Favourite book turned into a movie
I actually saw the movie of Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer before I read the book, and I have to say, the movie was better. It cut out a lot of unneeded waffling, keeping only the best bits of the film, and the art direction was absolutely stunning. Elijah Wood was extraordinary as a shy young man who comes to Eastern Europe to find the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis, and the ‘translator’ who helps him is just quite simply HILARIOUS.

I also really enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden - Ziyi Zhang was a very convincing shy young girl who became a celebrated geisha and Ken Watanabe a lovely contrast to all the other characters as the sympathetic and anonymous benefactor who makes sure that she isn’t left penniless.

Day 20 – Book turned into a movie and completely desecrated
There are so many, unfortunately, but the one that gets at me the most was the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Where do I begin? Keira Knightley is fairly wooden as Elizabeth Bennet and the Bennet family apparently raise LIVESTOCK. There is unnecessary waffling and romanticising of certain points and it just doesn’t sit right with me. Grr!

Day 21 – Favourite book from your childhood
This is an EASY one, simply because I’ve been thinking about what book I would want to introduce to my littlest cousin when she gets a bit older (she’s two) and I came across The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch. Written in the early 80s, it’s a charming tale about a princess who is destined to marry a prince until a dragon comes along and burns down her castle (as well as her wardrobe) and kidnaps the prince. She dons a paper bag and sets out after the dragon, to rescue the prince so they can live happily ever after. Long story short - she slays the dragon and the prince looks at her (dirty, wearing a paper bag) and basically says he wouldn’t want to marry her like that. So she walks off into the sunset, knowing he’s stupid and that now she’s free to do whatever she pleases and meet someone more worthwhile.