Netflix has given us some great shows & movies. What a lot of people don´t know is that quite a few of them are based on books. And let´s be honest, the book is ALWAYS so much better than the movie. Find here 5 Netflix shows based on books so you can delve into the pages & relive your favorite show with an extra dose of suspense!
Netflix Shows Based on Books: YOU
YOU, the psychological thriller that explores the themes of obsession, love, and the boundaries of privacy in the digital age. The main character, Joe Goldberg, a “charming” serial killer, captures us & kinda makes us root for him … since the hit series is so successful, the author of the books the show is based on added sequels which are adapted as seasons.
Background on Netflix Shows Based on Books
Author: Caroline Kepnes
YOU (2014)
The story is centered around Joe Goldberg, a charming yet absurdly disturbed bookstore manager who becomes infatuated with the women he “dates.” Joe’s obsession drives him to extreme measures, including stalking and, eventually, MURDER! (Yup, this charming man is a serial killer)
Sequels:
Hidden Bodies (2016)
This sequel continues Joe’s story, following him to Los Angeles as he searches for love again, only to find himself entangled in more complex and dark situations & more murders. The second season of the Netflix series draws from this book.
You Love Me (2021)
In this sequel seeks Joe Goldberg a fresh start on a Pacific Northwest island, aiming for true love without his past’s dark shadows. Yet, as he falls obsessively in love again, his quest for a perfect relationship turns dangerous, blurring the lines between passion and peril.
For You and Only You (2023)
You won´t be able to put this down! In this one, Joe Goldberg is an aspiring writer who joins a Harvard fellowship, seeking a break from elitism, but finds privileged peers instead. He connects with Wonder Parish, sharing a love for literature and a disdain for pretense. As they navigate this elite world, Joe’s mission to disrupt the status quo turns dark, blurring the lines between ambition and morality.
Netflix Shows Based on Books: Firefly Lane
Firefly Lane chronicles the enduring friendship of Tully Hart (portrait by Katherine Heigl) and Kate Mularkey (Sarah Chalke) from their teens in the 1970s to adulthood in the 2000s. Despite their different personalities – Tully’s ambition and Kate’s kindness – the series explores their shared trials and triumphs, delving into the complexities of their bond through decades of love and challenges.
Background on the Netflix Shows Based on Books:
Author: Kristin Hannah
Firefly Lane (2008)
Focuses on the lifelong friendship between Tully and Kate, from their adolescence into adulthood, exploring the ups and downs of their bond.
Sequel:
Fly Away (2013)
The sequel deals with the aftermath of the first book’s events, diving into themes of grief, healing, and strength in enduring friendships. The Netflix series ends with Kate´s funeral. The second book focuses on the relationship between Tully and Mara.
Netflix Shows Based on Books: Orange is the New Black
Orange Is the New Black premiered in 2013 on Netflix and ended in 2019 after SEVEN seasons. The show is based on the memoir Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison by Piper Kerman, published in 2010. The memoir and the series provide a detailed, often humorous, and sometimes dark look into life inside a women’s prison.
Background on Netflix Shows Based on Books
Author: Piper Kerman
Piper Kerman, caught in drug trafficking, serves fifteen months in a Connecticut prison, becoming inmate #11187–424. She learns the prison’s unwritten rules and forms bonds with diverse inmates, offering humor and insight into the female incarceration experience and the penal system’s complexities.
The adaptation from book to screen brought significant changes, including character development and plotlines that diverged from Kerman’s original memoir.
Netflix Shows Based on Books: The Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln Lawyer is a legal drama series on Netflix that premiered in May 2022. It centers on Mickey Haller, a charismatic defense attorney in Los Angeles who operates out of the back of his Lincoln Continental.
Background on Netflix Shows Based on Books:
Author: Michael Connelly
The series is based on the bestselling novels by Michael Connelly, with the character Mickey Haller first appearing in the 2005 novel The Lincoln Lawyer. This book was also the basis for a 2011 film of the same name starring Matthew McConaughey. Connelly’s series currently includes several books.
Michael Connelly’s novels are known for their detailed portrayal of legal procedures and the complexities of criminal defense work, set against the backdrop of Los Angeles.
Find the entire book series here!
Netflix Shows Based on Books: Lupin
Lupin, a French Netflix series that debuted in January 2021, follows Assane Diop, portrayed by Omar Sy. Diop seeks justice for his father’s wrongful imprisonment by emulating Arsène Lupin, the “gentleman thief” from Maurice Leblanc’s early 20th-century stories. With his charm and cunning, Diop embarks on a quest against a corrupt elite, drawing from Lupin’s techniques of disguise and strategy.
Background Netflix Shows Based on Books:
Author: Maurice Leblanc
Maurice Leblanc’s Lupin, famed for his moralistic heists and adventures against societal injustices, inspired this modern adaptation set in Paris. The series has been praised for its engaging storytelling, Sy’s performance, and its fresh take on the classic character, blending crime, drama, and humor to reintroduce Arsène Lupin’s legendary exploits to a new audience.
Find here the Complete Collection of Arsène Lupin 10 Books Box Set by Maurice LeBlanc!