I’ve been a movie and TV buff way before I was into books, so getting my books turned into a movie or TV show is the absolute dream, the next level from merely seeing them on the shelves! Not only would it be cool to see who they cast for my characters, and get to visit the set, it would also be the fastest way to introduce my books to new sets of readers internationally.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve bought books AFTER watching the film or TV show.
Of course, as many of you will agree, reading the book first usually means the adaptation is a disappointment. In reverse, seeing the story on the screen first can make the books seem too…well, wordy. There’s no escaping it—the first format we see often becomes canon in our minds and it’s difficult to stop comparing the two.
So, what about Bridgerton?
Well, firstly, I didn’t realise it was an adaptation till I saw in the credits that it was based on Julia Quinn’s novels. As soon as I saw her name, I was sure I’d heard of her before. In fact, I was pretty sure she was one of the keynote speakers I was lucky enough to listen to at one of the Romance Writers of America’s national conferences—either in Anaheim 2012, or New York City 2015. As a speaker, it also meant, she would’ve given each attendee two of her books for free!
What came next was looking through my To Be Read (TBR) pile. Now, if you’ve never been to an RWA national conference, I can tell you, it is freebie heaven. So many books are given away in the hopes of reaching new readers. Case in point—two free books from another speaker, Nalini Singh, has snowballed into my mum and me buying all the books in both series! But I digress, back to my search for my Julia Quinn books. My goals were 1) see if my memory’s correct (sigh to reduced memory with old age); 2) see if I got signed copies as that would be super cool; 3) see if they are Bridgerton books and which of the eight I have and won’t have to buy.
Well, I was correct. Under piles of books that have shifted around my house for the last 6-9 years, I found them! Julia Quinn. Two books because she was a speaker. But alas, not signed. And, they were books 7 and 8, instead of the first two I was hoping for.
Nevertheless, I was pretty pleased. I love owning copies of things I like, and I hate not starting a series from the beginning, so I immediately ordered and bought Book 1, The Duke and I. Unfortunately, in the time it took me to rummage through my TBR, Book 2 of the series (The Viscount Who Loved Me) became sold out from Book Depository. Also, in the TV series, Gregory and Hyacinth Bridgerton are still children, so I have no intention of reading their books until I’ve read the other six first. I hope I like the book version!
My thoughts on Bridgerton…
Historical & Modern Bridgerton is a historical romance. Specifically, it’s Regency Romance (with its setting in the first part of the nineteenth century), a genre I don’t write but I do enjoy. In fact, it’s the main genre I read these days to take mental breaks from writing my contemporary novels.
What do I like about it? Other than this is the era that Jane Austen contemporaneously wrote about? In one word: conflict. Because of the strict rules of conduct at the time, conflict is built into every story. It’s fun to read about how people, especially women, found love despite societal expectations of arranged marriages, marrying for status and overall male “superiority”. Of course, two hundred years later, these are not values I would support in society, but this is what makes Regency fascinating—how different it was (or should be) from now.
I’ve always been a big fan of history, so I appreciate books and shows that are well-researched and give you that sense of authenticity. Bridgerton oozes the opulence of the era. It does this in their costuming, sets, dialogue and overall plot. Season 1 is primarily about Daphne Bridgerton trying to find herself a husband in her first year out in society; while the Duke of Hastings tries to avoid getting accosted by mothers trying to marry off their daughters. Classic Regency Romance problems. In Jane Austen’s famous words: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
But, what makes Bridgerton special for non-nerds, is the way Shonda Rhimes and co managed to juggle authenticity and modernisation. Some of my favourite things about the show is its multicultural cast and the use of classical instruments to play modern songs like “Girls Like You” by Maroon 5, and “Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift. In fact, when I watched the show again, I realised there were even more familiar songs that I hadn’t noticed the first time around. But they were there, adding to the overall ambience and feel of this historical romance, which is anything but stodgy.
Characters & Casting The ensemble was, in a word, fabulous. I cannot think of one weak link! Plus, what can I say, I’m pretty shallow, and the casting director of Bridgerton did a great job finding talented eye candy to play the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page) and Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey). Freddie Stroma as Prince Friederich was also very attractive, despite the muttonchops. Since I haven’t read the books yet, I didn’t have a preconceived image of these characters. Now, I will have them as my mental pictures while I read the book.
As for the rest of the cast, they are also very talented. Ruth Gemmell played Lady Violet Bridgerton with so much heart and poise—I totally believed her struggle in being the matriarch who now has her son, Anthony, as the head, despite her having more wisdom and experience than him. There’s also Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh)—the fun character who gets away with all the frank comments because of her age and rank. Last but not least, as a bookish tomboy myself, I found my spirit animal in Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie)—the Bridgerton sibling who rails against the confines of society on women. I just know I will enjoy her book/season the most!
Heat Level In the writing industry, this refers to how intimate the characters get and how much of it you are shown. I have to say, in the first couple of minutes of Bridgerton, I thought it might be something I could watch with my 12-year-old. But that notion is promptly burst at 2:57 minutes into the series. The rating here in Australia is M15+, even for its most risqué episode (no spoilers as to which one).
So, how are the love scenes? Kinda like watching an HBO show (if you know what I mean 😉) but more romantic. Expect to see naked bodies and different positions in a variety of locations. In short, Bridgerton is not something I’d watch in the same room as my young daughter nor my mum, but it would’ve been fine to watch with my husband.
Which books would you like to see turned into a movie or TV series? If you’ve read any of mine, which one(s) would you like to be adapted to the screen and why?