It’s 2026. The Oscars are upon us once again, and, with all the usual discourse and debate, comes a whole host of literary adaptations. So here we’ll give a rundown of the five books that made it to Academy-nominated screens this time around.
Frankenstein – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)
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An obvious one for starters, it probably hasn’t escaped many of you that Frankenstein was indeed a novel for many years prior to Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation.
In a classic tale of man playing god, Victor Frankenstein decides to play fast and loose with the laws of nature, and brings about life. That’s when his creation/abomination, his ‘monster’ if you will, rises, and all hell breaks loose from there. You don’t need me to tell you, you know…
It’s alive!
Del Toro’s adaptation is fairly faithful to the source text (while also ‘reimagining’ and delivering that unique Gothic visual flair he’s known for). And the book itself remains relevant to this day, with its ideas of ethics and accountability informing our modern understanding of scientific progress (looking at you, AI…). Having been adapted countless times, the original novel remains essential reading to remind yourself why it hit so hard all those years ago.
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William Shakespeare had a son. A son who tragically passed away at just eleven years old. This fact has often been overlooked when assessing the life and work of the great bard. That is until now, as Maggie O’Farrell sought to rectify this.
Focusing on Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, and their children, Susanna, Judith, and Hamnet, it looks at the events surrounding Hamnet’s passing in 1596. Living in Henley Street, Stratford, William would go on to write Hamlet four years later.
Shakespeare himself isn’t directly named. We know who he is. It’s here that we get to see his family drama unfold, with O’Farrell (and Chloé Zhao’s film) telling us the little-told story of his son, and most probably a key inspiration for one of his landmark plays. Obviously it’s emotional, so be prepared for all that, but it’s a seldom regarded event that was previously relegated to footnotes. Definitely one worth checking out for those interested in literary history.
One Battle After Another – Vineland by Thomas Pynchon (1990)
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Paul Thomas Anderson is no stranger to Pynchon’s work, having previously adapted ‘Inherent Vice’ back in 2014. And, while ‘One Battle After Another’ isn’t a straight adaptation of Vineland (more of an inspiration), all the beats and hallmarks of Pynchon are still there.
Taking place in California 1984, the book focuses on Zoyd Wheeler and his daughter Prairie who, following Zoyd’s time spent with a group of sixties-revolutionaries, must now go into hiding. On his case is Brock Vond, a federal prosecutor backed by a strike force, all armed to the teeth. Beginning a relationship with Zoyd’s ex-wife and Prairie’s mother, Vond seeks leverage through her daughter who never knew of her existence up until now.
For anyone looking for an easy in to Pynchon’s work, this is as good a place as any. His novels are famously unkind to newcomers (and even more so to anyone looking to adapt them, although Anderson always brings his A-game). But here you shouldn’t face so many issues. Some may dispute this; it’s still densely tangled, filled with layers of undergrowth. The message it does have, though, is an engaging one, speaking to America’s self-destructive streak that still rings true today.
Train Dreams – Train Dreams by Denis Johnson (2011)
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A brief read suitable for any train journey, this novella provides a snapshot of a period in American history that’s been and gone. Like a fleeting train, it passes by with its lyrical prose dedicated to a bygone era.
Seen through the eyes of Robert Grainier, the book pays witness to his life as a railroad laborer, his wife and child, and his subsequent isolation. I won’t say too much, except that it basically chronicles his journey, punctuated by grief along the way.
And, not only is it his journey, but also America’s. Flowing across the page, it’s essentially a piece of prose that, if you’ve seen Clint Bentley’s Netflix adaptation, you’ll know what to expect in its similar style and tone. Dream-like and meditative there are fairly bleak, brutal moments, but it’s easy to get lost in its vast landscape.
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain – The Character of Rain by Amélie Nothomb (2000)
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Another short but sweet novella, this also makes a powerful statement within its narrow time-frame. Examining a three-year-old’s increasing awareness of the world around her, it draws on the Japanese concept of children being ‘gods’ until the age of three. It is then that they ‘fall from grace,’ joining humanity with the rest of us.
And that’s pretty much the story. Introducing our narrator in post-war, late-sixties Japan, it sees her leaving the ‘vegetative state’ of the first two years of her life. Learning about the joys of the world, she also learns of the pain, seeing what it is to truly become human.
Nothomb claims this was autobiographical, a statement to be taken with a pinch of salt. Through the lens of developmental psychology, the book seeks to understand our sense of the world and how we perceive it. Language is also key here, shaping our worldview, and the film is no different. With solid visual metaphors, it stands up as a faithful and inventive companion to the novel.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A lifelong lover of quality storytelling, Sam grew up in rural England with little else but reading (okay, and some gaming). Starting with Charlotte's Web, he developed a passion for ghost stories and comedy. With his background in narrative and scriptwriting, he writes for Book Notification, providing recommendations both good and not so terrible.