Better as a movie?

I am always wary of saying a book would make a great movie. There is always so much that is lost in translating the fabulous images in your head that are created by the words presented by the author, but in the case of Resistance: A Novel by Anita Shreve I actually think the movie version would be wonderful if done right.

Please do not think that I did not enjoy this book, I certainly did. It was by far one of the quickest reads I have had in a long time. I adored the characters of Claire and Ted who are thrown together in the uncertain circumstances of WWII Belgium. I have always been fascinated by stories set in WWII and this is no exception. Ted is an American bomber pilot that crashes in Claire's home town in Belgium. Claire and her husband are members of the resistance movement to the occupying Nazi forces and are charged with saving the pilot from the Nazi's. Through the course of events Claire's husband must go into hiding to protect the movement. Ted and Claire's relationship evolves (and so does the story) in to a romance.

There are so many possible points that went under-developed and the story is weaker for it. I also believe that since this is how most books-turned-movies end up there is so much potential for a wonderful movie. Movies can visually convey information in ways that a book cannot. And for that reason I can imagine further plot development through looks, glances and panoramas that currently are only imagined in my mind.

I am in the process of moving and I realized as I finished this book faster than anticipated that I am with out something to read...only magazines at the moment. I am sure there may be a book yet to be packed, but perhaps a trip to the library in order. Who knows what I will read next...your guess is as good as mine.

Bewitching

I just finished Son of a Witch, by Gregory Maguire, and found it to be an intriguing book. I never quite knew where the story was going which could have been confusing but I found it to keep the story captivating. There were a few loose ends I would have liked tied together or at least gone in to greater depth. Essentially this is a self discovery story and we follow the coming of age of Liir, who may or may not be Elphaba's son. Liir's story begins where Elphaba's ends in Wicked and immediately thrusts him into situations and journey that leads him into what feels like a series of accidental activism. It is almost as though he finds causes to fight for that are the key to unlocking a piece of himself.

I would have really liked to have learned more about Nor and Candle. We never really meet Nor, who may have been Liir's sister, but find out bits and pieces (perhaps another spin off book?) and I was quite disappointed on this point. There was also very little development of Candle when she was clearly deeply ingrained in Liir's story. The thought that nags me is that they may have been the same person but nothing every really relates them.

Overall I did like the book, but again, wished for more. Wicked is a hard act to follow and certainly set the bar high for related stories such as this.

On the nightstand now is a break from the fantasy that has been all I have been reading for quite a while. My mom gave me Resistance by Anita Shreve. The book is set in World War II Belgium and has started off with an American plane crashing in a small town.