«…it was an entertaining and a nice love story.»
I Watched the Movie First…
As it probably happened to some of you, I watched the movie first. Of course it called my attention; I mean, I love Kate Winslet and Idris Elba! Even so, I watched the movie with no expectations (I didn’t even watch the trailer!), so I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
I really liked the acting and chemistry between them; it is not a movie filled with drama or heavy scenes, this movie is light, romantic and entertaining. Even though it is based on a tragedy (airplane crash), and it is a survival story, the movie makes it seem like those circumstances were relatively easy to handle, so I guess it must have a few bad reviews for that matter. Nevertheless, I liked it a lot. I never expected to learn survival skills when I chose to watch it, so I enjoyed a nice love story. I liked the end, and the last minute scene was very emotional.
The Book
After watching the movie, I decided to read the book, you know, to read all those important details that you never see onscreen… However, as soon as I started reading it, I realized it was very different. Without sharing any spoilers, I will just tell you that Ben narrates the story, and that it was he who chartered the airplane and offered Ashely (Alex in the movie) to take her with him so she would not miss her wedding. That is because previously, they already had an enjoyable conversation at the waiting area.
Another big thing is that there are many flashbacks of Ben’s life in the book, about his relationship with his father, and his wife since they met.
As soon as I realized the big differences from the film, I told myself: “María José, you are about to read a book you know nothing about, you only know that it looks a bit like a movie you watched recently, so relax”, and I did. I saw the book as a different story; I relaxed and enjoyed it.
I liked a lot Ashley’s personality; despite the circumstances, she tried to be positive and cheered Ben up with her constant sarcasm. I also liked Ben, even though his wife and his past were in his mind all the time, he was quite focused with the task in hand, which was not giving up.
It is a light and romantic novel, you will not learn about survival, nor what to do in case of a plane crash in the middle of nowhere, because I really doubt that if it happens, the circumstances of the crash will be as convenient as this one. Despite that, I don’t regret reading it: it was an entertaining and a nice love story. I’d love to read your thoughts on the book and the movie! 🙂
MariaJose
Mi terapia es escribir. Me desahogo escribiendo sobre la vida, mis aficiones, aprendizajes, bienestar, historias, libros y recetas. También me hace feliz conectarme contigo.