In almost every case, I can fully agree that the book was better. One of the few exceptions, in my opinion, would be Stardust by Neil Gaiman. For many years it has been one of my favorite movies, and somehow I went until just a few months ago without realizing it was originally a novel. When I got around to reading it though... I just kept wishing I was watching the movie instead.
Stardust tells the story of a small village called Wall, and what lies behind its namesake. Tristran Thorn embarks to win the affections of local beauty Victoria. To do so, he travels beyond the wall to Faerie, to collect a falling star. As one might expect from a land of magic, "Faerie, after all, is not one land, one principality, or domain. Maps of Faerie are unreliable, and may not be depended upon." Tristran is not the only one on this path, as witches and royalty race him to collect the prize. When the star appears as a young woman, Tristran's life begins to change in ways that Wall would not have been able to contain.
Due to my love of the movie, it pains me to say that I can most honestly describe this book as "fine". After the brilliant visuals and idiosyncratic characters shown on the screen, unfortunately, their page counterparts fell flat in comparison. The pirates especially were a letdown. Although the captain shared the same warm heart, the crew played a much smaller role in the book and were not gifted the same lovable flamboyance. The ending was both not predictable and in-character, however, I felt it ended rather abruptly, and without a great climax. I also thought it was not tied up as neatly as the movie.
Despite this, the book is still full of lovely and quirky phrasing and description. The slave girl from Faerie declares, "I gain my freedom on the day the moon loses her daughter, if that occurs in a week when two Mondays come together. I await it with patience,". It added a depth to the characters who might otherwise have felt a little copy-and-pasted from classic fairytales.
Overall, I recommend reading the book before the movie, to hopefully enjoy each as much as possible in their own right. As Tristran says, "Adventures are all well in their place... but there's a lot to be said for regular meals and freedom from pain." So perhaps on a rainy afternoon when adventures outside are not quite what you are looking for... Stardust may be the perfect remedy.
Have been unavoidably detained by the world. Expect us when you see us.
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