Pretend, for example, that you were born in Chicago and have never had the remotest desire to visit Hong Kong, which is only a name on a map for you; pretend that some convulsion, sometimes called accident, throws you into connection with a man or a woman who lives in Hong Kong; and that you fall in love. Hong Kong will immediately cease to be a name and become the center of your life. And you may never know how many people live in Hong Kong. But you will know that one man or one woman lives there without whom you cannot live. And this is how our lives are changed, and this is how we are redeemed.
What a journey this life is! Dependent, entirely, on things unseen. If your lover lives in Hong Kong and cannot get to Chicago, it will be necessary for you to go to Hong Kong. Perhaps you will spend your life there, and never see Chicago again. And you will, I assure you, as long as space and time divide you from anyone you love, discover a great deal about shipping routes, airlines, earth quake, famine, disease, and war. And you will always know what time it is in Hong Kong, for you love someone who lives there. And love will simply have no choice but to go into battle with space and time and, furthermore, to win.
Finished the book version of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, here are some thoughts by way of bullet points.
- The book is much more Lara Jean centric, and gives her a personality, and is much more character driven that it is plot.
- The movie of course, is made into a trope (which I love), however, it takes away from a key concept in the book which was grief, and sister dynamics.
- The book presents Josh as a significantly more important character, whereas the movie briefly talks about him and uses his character as a catalyst for Lara Jean and Peter’s relationship instead as an avenue for growth.
- The movie left out SO MANY SCENES, and changed so many. Because a lot of the book scenes were more about personal growth than they were about her budding romance with Peter.
- PETER IS SO MUCH BETTER IN THE MOVIE OH MY GOD, tell me why he’s kind of the worst in the book. Is it more accurate for a teenage boy? Yes. Do I like it? Absolutely maybe kinda not? Anyway, in the movie he is a much more likeable and kind person, whereas in the book he’s kind of a douche rocket.
- The way the book handles aspects of their Mother’s death was really great in describing the sister relationship, especially in how Margot had been parentified and parenting, Kitty, Lara Jean AND their Dad. Showing just important she really is. In the movie it gives more of the picture that Lara Jean is doing all of this exclusively for Josh, however it is actually that she is doing all of it for Margot. The book actually gives the characters definition and weirdness, which also means that its less hallmark. (which is why its technically character led instead of plot).
- The dad: The dad in the movie is actually better written in my opinion, I appreciated the way they used his job and his character to add to more of a comedic effect. Especially when before going to the ski lodge he gives Lara Jean 20ish condoms and says to be wise. Given that he’s an OBGYN it makes sense and I appreciate the character design. As well as when Peter comes to pick Lara Jean up and he says “no hands” again representative of his career and care for his daughter.
- The movie also featured my favorite scene, which was Lara Jean at the diner with her father, and he’s telling her about her mom, and it just brought the whole story to the next level. I really did adore that part and I am sad to see it not written, but love that the movie added it.
- Like most teen movies the actors were all way older, and the movie had an element of maturity embedded into the characters far beyond their age group. When I was a junior, I can contest that my peers and I NEVER had that kind of emotional maturity or independence. But its cute so its ok.
- THE CONTRACT: Wdym it was PETER who came up with the idea for back pocket holding. Hated that.
- Chris: Book Chris is significantly different than movie Chris, where Movie Chris seems more edgy and alt, book Chris is definitely more flightly and less so alt than rebellious, the movie I think again matures her to a point that got rid of a lot of her character’s definition and interest.
- Kitty: The book actually depicts Kitty as her age, 10, and gives her the mindset and actions of a 9 year old.
- THE ENDING: Ok so, the ending in the movie is pretty obvious because it’s a romance movie, specifically a fake dating trope, so Peter and Lara Jean get together with H&M music at full blast on a lacrosse field (which I love). Whereas in the book, Lara Jean and Peter get together in the hot tub and have an ambigious open to interpretation ending that leads them more room for sequel. The real ending in the book is significantly more about character growth, in that it ends in Lara Jean saying goodbye to Josh, and in the same way, ushering in a new portion of her life. It’s about her character growth, maturity, a navagation through teenager relationships, grief, and so much more.
overall:
As much as I love the movie, the book is more character analysis heavy with the romance as the result of this character growth. Of course, I still love the movie and it’s on my list of fav of all times, but they will exist as different entities, due to the significant differences between the two. I appreciate some qualities of both and would definitely recommend the book and the movie to anyone who wants to read them. They are incredibly cheesey and fun, and only take around 3-4 hours to read (if you read the same pace as me). Super fun and weird and cringe. love it.
YES because like how it will reverberate off of your teeth, and almost breaks one. Then you are slammed with the horrifying reminder that no, your teeth are in fact not large hefty unbreakable slabs of obsidian but are actually loose calcium chunks that could just leave at any time
This entire encounter rhymes with shmautism if I may be so blunt, asd if I were to be blunter, perhaps, if the blunt do what it pleases autism spectrum disorder
