#darkya

Episodes 2 & 3, thoughts on a rewatch: I’m not saying I don’t love Annalise’s power, seeing her cope with Nathan’s disappearance, and watching Nathan train and become more resilient…

Ok, so. Everyone says don’t read the books. And I usually don’t, especially if I love a show the way I love this one. But the changes are so fascinating! I’ve just finished the first two parts, and I just can’t stop contrasting with the show. Also this one’s for you if you’re curious but just NOT going to pick up the books.

Soul is actually Annalise’s uncle, and she has 3 brothers? I love that the show simplified it. Also, Nathan has two other siblings? Also glad the show simplified this, although I would have loved to see his half brother on screen (although his presence confuses the tension for me a bit, and his absence in the show shifts the focus to Annalise and Gabriel’s importance to Nathan’s life).

All the Council people are just faceless, looming threats? It makes sense in the book, since Nathan’s narration covers from when he’s six to seventeen, but I like the show’s move to give them faces and names.

Jessica’s still a psychopathic B.

Between starting with Nathan’s “training” and the “Notifications,” there’s a lot of manufactured tension that doesn’t really do much for me. Nathan’s voice is much more compelling, so the other two choices just make it feel like the narrative is trying too hard.

Label change: it’s White Witches and Black Witches in the story world. I’m not sure what England’s history makes the connotation of those two words, but for an American audience it rings very on the nose. Plus, the notion of Fairborn v. Bloods helps me sink into the fantasy of it all.

Side note: the Fairborn is actually the knife Nathan may or may not use to kill Marcus? I love the connotation of this change for the show, since the Fairborn are literally trying to use Nathan as their weapon to kill Marcus.

It feels weirdly like all the women in this book are related with their white blond hair? Idk, it just feels like Green has no idea how to write description, or that physical description of characters is… ya know… important for readers.

The book opens in second person, reverts to first from Nathan’s perspective, and then goes back to second. It’s weird, and I don’t like it. How are reader supposed to bond with Nathan? Or track his experiences?

I don’t think I’m going to like book Celia, which is too bad because she’s one of my favorite parts of the show - especially her arc.