Back in 2020, we were regularly watching movies before dinner with my father-in-law. However, with his hearing loss despite hearing aids and the constant chatter from my three children we quickly stopped doing that. Not before we watched The News of the World.
Once again I had no clue that it was a book. When I saw that it was on Kindle Unlimited I immediately added it to my kindle. It then proceeded to languish in my to-be-read pile till I decided to read it. Boy, it was such a shocker.
I always hate to watch a movie then read the book then rewatch the movie. I spend the entire time as I read thinking that isn’t what happens. This book was no different. I really struggled with this book. It just didn’t flow like the movie does or did. I promptly followed it up by struggling with the movie since it really doesn’t follow the book. Jefferson Kyle Kidd is an old man in his 70’s in the book and is old and greying, in the movie he is obviously not in his 70’s. I also was bummed by the lack of a green wagon with gold writing down the side as it is in the book. I really liked the ending of the book as opposed to the movie. In the book, Johanna is not tied to a stake in the yard. He instead stole her away before anyone noticed she was gone while she was out tending to the horses.
I was really disappointed by the lack of Johanna’s action in the movie. There was a lot more action with her in the book. She was frequently babysat by people Kidd knew in different towns. She often runs away or has a tantrum. Kidd’s lack of language lessons in the movie is a bummer as well. As it truly shows the interaction between the two characters. I really could make a list of the things that were not the same as the book, but that would take way too long. While I am glad that I read the book I am bummed by it as well. In the end, read the book if you want (gasp I will never say that) but the movie is amazing. Just know that the book is nothing like the movie or vice versa.
