Reading and Watching Wednesday

For this week's Wednesday post I am going to compare the television/book versions of The Vampire Diaries (not a movie, but still something you watch!)

I didn't read The Vampire Diaries Books when they first came out (I still haven't finished The Return books). I only started reading them because I wanted to watch this show. So, its important to put the books into perspective when you read them if you do it as late as I did. These books were written awhile ago for YA's and it really shows. Things aren't as shocking or risque as they are in today's literature, and Smith's writting style is much more descriptive then I find today's authors writing styles to be. But, I mean it hasn't been that long, and the books are still good. I read Book 1 and started watching the show. This, in hindsight was probably not the best idea. Book 1 was decent, but then I started watching the show, and I like it a lot more. Book 2 seems boring. Then Book 3, 4 and The Return series as sooo drastically different from the show they are almost incomparable, but I'll try :)

This photo sums up one of the main differences in the two, Elena:

The book Elena is also very superficial in the beginning, slightly malicious, and very into herself. I never really got that sense from the show Elena.

For the show, they almost COMPLETELY change Elena's family and friends as well. In the book, Elena has a little sister. She has an Aunt Judith (who is oldish) and a Uncle Robert. She has a redhead, pale friend named Bonnie, who is a wimp, and a strong willed friend Meredith. Her frenemy is Caroline. Not really like the show, hey?

Another biggie is that the show and the book don't even take place in the same town?! What is the point of that?! What was wrong with Fell's Church?!

And, Stefan and Damon are actually Italian in the books, the Katherine bit is very different (although she is in there) and some other things were just changed for no real reason as well, some better, some pointless, some worse. Like Caroline's last name, making Vicki Matt's sister, etc.

The verdict: I like each of them for their own reasons. At first I didn't think the books were going to live up to the TV series, because I love that, but again, they are SO different that it's like the books are just as good as the TV show in a completely different way. So, I feel like I can't even decide! What do you guys who have read/seen both think??

Although, one huge bonus the books can't provide: VISUAL STIMULATION!!

Vampire Diaries 2, 3, & 4 by L.J. Smith

Goodreads Summaries: 
Book 2 The Struggle: 

Torn between two vampire brothers
Damon: determined to make Elena his, he'd kill his own brother to possess her. 

Stefan: desperate for the power to destroy Damon, and protect Elena, he gives in to his thirst for human blood.
Elena: the girl who can have anyone finds herself in the middle of a love triangle . . . one that might turn deadly.


Book 3 The Fury: 
A Love Triangle of Unspeakable Horror...
Stefan: Tormented after losing Elena, he' s determined to end the feud with his brother, Damon--whatever the cost. 
Damon: Mocking Stefan and Elena, he laughs in the face of doom. 
Elena: Wild with her craving for blood, she confronts the ultimate evil. 
The terrifying story of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.


Book 4 Dark Reunion: 
The Final Conflict...The Last Deadly Kiss 
Elena: Now she rises from the dead to recreate the powerful vampire trio. Stefan: Summoned by Elena, he keeps a promise to her and fights the most terrifying evil he' s ever faced. 
Damon: Joining the brother he once called enemy, Damon battles this new horror with strength, cunning, and deadly charm.

Why I Read These Books: Basically I read these three books because I read the first one, and I liked it.

Review: I didn't like the second book as much as I liked the first. I think I can attribute this to the fact that not a lot happened in most of the book, and it was kind of boring. Also, I started watching the TV show after I finished book 1, so was watching it and reading this book at the same time, and the book really wasn't as good. I still liked it though, so I will give it 3 stars. The 3rd and 4th book got more excited, and I enjoyed those a lot more than the 2nd book. Also, the TV show and the books as SO different at this point that I wasn't trying to compare them at all anymore, which helped. There was a lot of spooky twists and turns in the last two books that kept you on your toes. After seeing the TV show actors, I don't think I will ever picture a lot of the people the way Smith describes them, but I am now enjoying the book series quite a bit, and look forward to starting 'The Return' series about them, I would give both book 3 and book 4 four stars.

Rating:

Book 2 - 

Book 3 - 

Book 4 - 

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L.J. Smith

 

Goodreads Summary: Elena Gilbert is a pretty, popular teen who was orphaned when her parents were killed in an accident. Despite the tragedy, her life has always been normal and wholesome. Until the beginning of the school year, when two new vampire brothers show up to shake the peaceful universe at Robert E. Lee High.

Why I Read This Book: I have wanted to watch the TV show for awhile now, but I prefer reading the book version to things first, so since these are such quick reads, and I found this for $4.99 at the bookstore, I figured now was the time to start.

Review: I may be reaching my vampire saturation point, but I still really liked this book. I read the version that has the TV show characters on the front, which usually makes me picture those characters, but for this I didn't. I always pictured Elena as Cordelia from Buffy. It did kind of anger me that Elena is described as this beautiful blond girl, and they didn't use one for the actress. I liked the love story of the book, and also liked that because Stefan is a vampire, he drinks Elena's blood. This makes sense to me. This story is very similar to the majority of teen romance book plots, and since it was written quite awhile ago, it isn't littered with pointless sex descriptions to describe not sex. I hate when books try to make teens who are just kissing sound like they are having life's best orgasm. I mean, there was a little bit of this, but not too much. Overall, I liked it, it is pretty similar to a lot of the vampire books I have read before this, but how different can teen vampire love books really be? And since this is one of the older ones, it's bound to have been ripped off a little bit.

Review: