Is it better to read a book or watch the movie adaptation?

@Dreamerby (8755)
Calcutta, India
May 25, 2025 10:00am CST
Books explore characters and stories deeply. Movies offer visual storytelling, impacting pacing and setting. Movies capture raw emotions. Books capture the unseen bonds. Do you prefer your mind painting the world or watching someone else’s vision unfold in two hours? What’s your pick? Book version or the movie?
13 people like this
14 responses
@DaddyEvil (153523)
• United States
25 May
Normally, I prefer reading the book but I will watch the movie if someone else wants to watch it. Which do you prefer? And do you prefer paper/ink books or ebooks? (I prefer paper/ink books but we don't have room for them in this house so I've switched to ebooks almost 8 years ago... Now, I carry all my books around on my phone.)
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (153523)
• United States
26 May
@Dreamerby Before we moved into this house, I kept first edition hard covers of several of my favorite authors on shelves at our last house. Now, all of those books are stored in plastic totes in our garage with snug lids on them. I agree, the paper/ink hardcovers are more expensive. I use the Kindle app to read my ebooks and have some in .mobi and some in .epub format.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
27 May
@DaddyEvil yes. The recent releases are not readily available in pdf format but yeah past year releases are available.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
26 May
I prefer hardcovers but they are costlier ....so I go with the pdf version
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@indiandevil (2478)
• Canada
25 May
In my opinion the book version is always better than the movie, because the movies only have a set amount of time to tell the story, and often cut things from the books, that seem unimportant, but later turn out to be vitally important to the story. Look at Harry Potter for example, about 50% of the story was cut from the books, which left a lot of the movie watchers confused about some parts. Like Kreacher for example, or the love they all had for dobby who played a much deeper role in the books than in the movies.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
26 May
Yes true...those parts were missed. Those who have read the books would be able to connect the dots.
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• Canada
26 May
@Dreamerby Exactly, and it's not the only adaption that the movies have cut things out. I like both don't get me wrong just in my experience the books are better.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
27 May
@indiandevil yeah. I can agree on that.
@Yadah04 (3436)
• Philippines
26 May
It would be interesting to watch the movie of a book I have read.. But whenever that happens, I couldn't help but compare and make judgement of it.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
28 May
haha! True!
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@cabuyogty (3961)
• Philippines
25 May
I can understand the book version but I prefer to watch the movie because it makes me entertain a lot.
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@cabuyogty (3961)
• Philippines
26 May
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
26 May
Yes true.
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@MarieCoyle (46353)
26 May
If there is a book and a movie, the book came first. Then the idea of making it into a movie happened. I always want to read the book. It gives details that the movie will skip or alter for drama, the book is the real deal of the story itself.
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@MarieCoyle (46353)
27 May
@Dreamerby Yes. And books generally describe the characters in detail. In a movie, you have to figure it out for yourself!
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
28 May
@MarieCoyle yes...sometimes when theycut out certain parts, it gets confusing fpr those who haven't read the book.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
27 May
Books do capture the intricate emotional bonds...which movies sometimes fail to capture because of the short time duration..
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@grenery8 (18446)
• Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatska)
28 May
i adore when i like a book and it is made into the movie.but, that's rare
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
28 May
New profile pic!
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
4 Jun
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@grenery8 (18446)
• Zagreb, Croatia (Hrvatska)
3 Jun
@Dreamerby you mean mine?
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@AmbiePam (100579)
• United States
25 May
This is a hard one. I remember watching the Anne of Green Gables movie, then reading the books. I’m glad I did it that way. I think I prefer the movie for the most part. But then I’d try to go back to the book afterwards. I feel like I betrayed my late mother by saying that. She was an English professor, and always preferred the book!
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
26 May
ahh I see...movies do help you to visualize the written word.
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@RebeccasFarm (95407)
• Arvada, Colorado
26 May
Both experiences can be vivid. But some books can be better..more detail I think.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
27 May
Yeah I too agree on that
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@JudyEv (358657)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 May
Mostly I prefer the written word but if the film is well acted then it can be just as gripping and satisfying.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
26 May
Yes true. The movies feel different for someone who has read the book version.
@Deepizzaguy (111972)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
26 May
The book version is better since the book shares the mind of what the character is going through.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
26 May
Yes. The movies feel different for someone who has read the book version.
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@LindaOHio (194806)
• United States
26 May
I like to do both; and I don't care which I do first.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
28 May
Yes I can agree on this too. If I like the movie, I would read the book too!
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@pitsipeahie (5361)
26 May
Most of the times, I've read the book first before watching the movie.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
28 May
Yes a few times, I have read the book after watching the movie as well.
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@Mshafeeq (2270)
• Kuwait, Kuwait
25 May
I prefer book reading any one e-book, kindle instead watching movie. Deep thinking is very important you will get to the point. You will have discipline in life the way of talking changes using perfect words at the right time.
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
26 May
I see. The books do give deeper emotional connection with the characters.
25 May
I know the book is always going to be better - but I haven't really got enough hours in the day to read books so I would say for me, the.film is better
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@Dreamerby (8755)
• Calcutta, India
28 May
Yes I understand.
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