A lot of people will argue that books are better than movies, but I can’t say I have ever tried to argue books versus a Netflix series… So how about it? Maybe you’ve heard of this particular show, after all, it seems to have been at the top 10 in the US for the past few weeks. I did a book review on this one a few years ago, and when I saw it coming to Netflix, you could say that I was excited to see an adaptation pan out.
I won’t spoil anything, promise, but I have to say I was happy to be reintroduced to some of my favorite characters from Kristin Hannah’s Firefly Lane, on-screen this time.
Even though it’s been over two years since I read the book, I still remember falling into the story of the main characters, Tully and Kate. As with any adaptation, I had my attachments to the way the author originally portrayed certain characters or relationships. Their relationship wasn’t written as a simple one. Even the best of friends have complicated relationships and that is one thing I think the author got right. Was the show able to capture that?
Absolutely. If you’ve seen the previews, they hint at it quite early on.
Beyond my appreciation for the book, one of the reasons I wanted to watch the show was knowing that it kept up with its main characters through more than just one age of growth. Some shows portray characters only in their teenage years and others stick to the adult years… this one pulled in experiences throughout the characters’ pasts to build upon the present.
It felt a little more real that way, but it also reminded me of myself in the way that my present is informed by my past. If you’ve seen the show or read the book, maybe you can tell me if you feel the same way.
I noticed something about this adaptation that I remembered the book also did a good job of doing: It makes you nostalgic. The characters in this show go through a lot of changes and make countless reevaluations of their lives as they make mistakes or second-guess themselves. Throughout, they recognize that each of their decisions or choices may or may not have changed where they ended up by the time they reach the present.
And as the world around them shifts, the characters each have different people or things they cling to while they look for outlets and comfort to see them through the hard times. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Depending on what your life has looked like within the past year, maybe you’ve found yourself in somewhat the same place. I think this show did a good job of portraying how those moments of upheaval look different in everyone’s lives.
It felt a whole lot like how we look at our own lives and go about making our own decisions.
So far, it might sound like this is a show that makes you think, but it’s really what you make of it. If you don’t want to think too far into it, you don’t have to. That is why there’s more to it: The drama.
While there were plenty of dramatic moments and entertaining laughs throughout the show, it also definitely left us with room for another season but not in a bad way. Instead, the show stayed loyal to the book while keeping the kind of complex relationship problems and growing pains that people may go through central throughout the story. If someone was looking for pure drama, they would find something good in this story while those looking for inclusivity and a deeper story would find that in here too if they wanted to find it.
That’s the beauty of having a well-written story to build off of; depending on how it’s adapted and what freedoms are taken, the product can become something quite interesting and well produced as well.
More than anything, this show was a reminder that just like the book, those in the world of Tully and Kate are all experiencing the human condition. People break, repair, fail, try to come back, forgive, make mistakes, and so much in between. Even when so much goes wrong in our own lives, we figure it out sooner or late; for some people, that means making a bigger mess first.
Either way, it’s a balance that is hard to attain, and eventually, the scales have to tip back in the other direction whether we fix it ourselves or something else forces our hand. Sometimes we just have to try something first and go from there, maybe it’ll turn out pretty well.
When it comes down to it, I think this series at least met my expectations and was solid entertainment to revisit some characters I used to love. Though I did prefer the book—there’s something about imagining the world of TullyandKate that I greatly appreciate—watching the Netflix adaptation of Firefly Lane was well done and made for a good way to pass the time.
If you’ve watched it, let me know what you think. Otherwise, I hope you’ll maybe check it out or even read the book and feel free to pass any questions my way. When it comes to books, I am all ears for a great conversation!
With that, I hope you have a wonderful weekend. See you next week.
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