The Luminaries

[carolegif]

I was looking forward to this as I read the book a couple of years ago with my book group. Now I read that the Tv series has changed everything. The main character in the book was Walter Moody. Now it seems a minor character called Anna Wetherell is to be the main character. They are going to portray her as a lone English woman travelling alone who falls in love with another character of colour. In the book, Anna is a prostitute working in China town. Why do the BBC do this? Completely change the story? Don’t think I want to watch it now.

[Mamyalynne]

Was it the BBC who did the changes or the Author hreself?

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18531478.everything-need-know-new-bbc-drama-luminaries/

[Mamyalynne]

* herself

[carolegif]

It appears to be the BBC. I know it was a complicated read with all The zodiac connections and we decided to read it as a straight who-dun-it. I will probably watch the first episode and see what it is like. I know it is difficult reading a book then seeing the filM/tv series.

[Mamyalynne]

Presumably she was amenable to adapt for the screen to further her career - it sounds very good anyway so thanks for bringing it to my attention.

[Rosie29]

I don't know the book at all. I shall watch the first episode but was nearly put off by a rather guarded
and less than enthusiastic preview in the RT.

[ABerrant]

The BBC are not even the primary partner in this adaptation so why blame them?

Eleanor Catton spent five years adapting her book for Working Title Television and the series was premiered in NZ a month ago by TVNZ.

[gingejbee]

^^it comes as second nature to quite a few on here to carp and criticize the BBC.

[Mamyalynne]

That's really why I posted the link in which the Author spoke of her time spent adapting it for the screen.

[carolegif]

Sorry if I got it wrong. No slight intended for the BBC. I was reading An article about the series where they said it was adapted for the BBC.
I expect they couldn’t put everything that was in the book, it was quite a tome. I understand that, as long as the story is not changed. The main character is only in two episodes!

[douglas9401]

That's showbiz. :-)

[carolegif]

I rest my case! Slated for the toing and froing! Too any flashbacks. The book was a straightforward whodunit with astrology and half the stuff we saw last night was revealed at the end of the novel.

[Barsel]

I didn't enjoy it either. Won't be watching anymore episodes.

[maggiebee]

I watched this last night (not having read the book). I was a bit confused but will watch the next episode to see if things become clearer.

[Ken4155]

One has to remember that many dramas taken from novels are only adaptations. They are not meant to slavishly follow the book, page for page, word for word. Ladies and Gentleman, I give you 'The Dark Tower', directed by so-called 'fan' Nicolaj Arcel. Leave the 'l' off the end of his surname and you'll get an idea of what I think of his hatchet job on a series of books it has taken Stephen King the best part of a lifetime to write.

[bednobs]

i watched it and was completely confused from start to finish

[Maydup]

Me too. It was even well directed or acted, I wont bother with it any more.

[jno]

it's a joint UK-NZ production

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Luminaries_(miniseries)

[CrapAtCryptics]

The screen writer said she redrafted the first episode 300 times, why?

[drmorgans]

The book was said to be "unfilmable" because it gave each character's insight into different parts of the story. So (as far as I can tell) the author Eleanor Caton had made it more "linear" though with flashbacks.

In last night's episode Anna met Emery on a ship to the New Zealand gold rush. Nine months late she is found collapsed next to a man's body. She is said to be a drug-using prostitute.

[maggiebee]

Just watched the second episode of this and certainly won't be watching any more. What a load of carp.