When I first saw the preview for The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix, something said to me I do not want to watch this. But then a friend of mine encouraged me to watch. So I watched the first three episodes. It isn’t that I hated it, but there is only so much depressing I can watch. I figure I wouldn’t finish it. Then another friend encouraged me to watch. So I somewhat begrudgingly finished watching it. Not that it isn’t well done, but it is pretty depressing until the last episode, episode seven, where it all comes together. But you can’t appreciate that episode unless you have watched episodes 1-6. The fact that it is depressing is just the nature of the story, it can’t be helped. No one did anything wrong. Life isn’t always the Hallmark Channel. I wasn’t in love with it as many of my friends were, but I wasn’t in hate with it either.
Then one of my friends mentioned the book. What??? This is based off a book??? I had no idea. Thankfully I wasn’t the only one. But now I was intrigued. Books are usually better, not always, but I can’t think of any examples of the opposite off the top of my head right now. I can read poetry and short stories, but I am not good at reading longer books. My attention span isn’t that good and I like to multi-task. Which is why I am so thankful for audio books. I am a member of Audible and at the time I downloaded The Queen’s Gambit, it was free for members. I can’t promise it will be should you try to download it from Audible.
I just finished listening to the audio book today. There are really only minor differences between the series and the book. The book has a few more scenes. Some things played out differently in the book than the series, but not major enough to be bothersome. But there was one scene in the series I really hated that thankfully was not in the book. And it is hard to want to point it out without being accused of a spoiler alert. I am less sensitive about spoiler alerts than other people, but I still want to be respectful.
Otherwise I think the main difference is Beth herself, though it is very subtle. I didn’t hate Beth in the series. She was thrown into a chaotic life, and people react to that in different ways. Somehow though, I liked the Beth in the book a little bit better. She seemed more redeemable. But maybe that isn’t it. I can’t quite put my finger on it. I know it’s silly. The Beth in the book had more warmth, not that she wasn’t without a lot of darkness still just like in the series.
If you were to only do one or the other I would recommend the book, but if you have the time and willingness, there is no harm in doing both.
Rainy Saturday Creative 