Monday, no book review

I'm having a hard time finishing books lately. Right now I'm in the middle of re-reading Louise Penny's Still Life, her first Inspector Gamache book. I'm doing that because I recently signed up for Acorn's free 30-day free trial period, and discovered that they carry the one & only TV miniseries(or is it a single TV movie; can't remember) anyone's made of her series, made in Canada (appropriately as the books are set there and Penny's a Canadian). Other Gamache fans have said they really didn't like the movie at all; I thought I'd give it a chance. I'm a fan of Nathaniel Parker, who was cast as Gamache, so that was at least one + in its favor.

Well, I liked it. I even watched it twice, and I may just watch it again before I decide whether to fork out the money for an Acorn subscription (they don't have a lot of material and most of it I've already seen, so right now I'm thinking No). I can see where some things were changed from the books - but I can also see a LOT of things they kept in - down to details of clothing, quotes, personalities, events - I was really surprised.

So I thought I'd go back and read the book again and see if I'm remembering right. So far, so good. Yes, there were some changes I could have done without - like making Peter and Clara LL Bean catalogue models-gorgeous, and about 15 years younger than in the books.  But I thought they did a cracking job with the rotten apple in Gamache's team, can't remember her name right now - I can see where they even were planting little hints about things, concerning her as well as other things, to come in future Gamache mysteries.  I liked the portrayal of Ruth (I missed her duck, but that might not appear until a later book, again, I can't remember). Myrna, the bookstore owner, barely had two lines in the whole movie, and they missed a chance to cast a woman of imperial size (that phrase always comes to me when she's featured in the books - a large lady who I would definitely like a lot) but at least they did cast a black actress to play the black character. The plot and clues, etc. seemed to follow the book well.  Penny has said she doesn't see them doing any more of her books. I think that's kind of too bad.

But I have all her books and I will be re-reading them many times in years to come.