One book that could satisfy our need for drama, would be Sylvia Plath’s ‘The Bell Jar’. The book follows the life of Esther Greenwood as she navigates 1950’s New York as a young model who then ends up struggling with her own identity and social expectations of her environment.
Dealing with metal health, complex relationships and strong female characters you could just imagine Netflix capitalising on the feminist cult following of the book. Esther could be our next Connel Walden of the TV world showing the raw emotional tole that the expectations that change can bring.
Another classic novel that would make an excellent transformation for screen is J.D Salinger’s ‘Catcher in the Rye’. Centred around the troubled teen Houlden Caulfield and his struggles to navigate life after the death of his brother the show would shed light on many relatable aspects of teen life.
With the beginning of the novel still being set in a boy’s boarding school our screen would be blessed with the mad cap roommates and bizarre acquaintances, and Holdens unsupervised escapades around New York as he awaits the start of the Christmas holidays. It would easily create a fun, witty and messy storyline with each episode brining in another mad encounter in short period of time the book we are granted into holdens life
Finally, which may be a rogue choice is Japanese author Haruki Murakami’s novel ‘Norwegian wood’. Set in Toru Watanabe’s college days the book covers a complex love story that’s tainted by past friends, death and mental illness. If the success of heart-breaking romance of One Day was a major triumph Murakami’s story would be certain to entertain viewers with his depiction of youthful love and desire. Toru is torn between new flames and his long-term true love Naoko.
After many years of forever being intertwined and the possibility of them finally getting together, Naoko decides to make a choice that forever alters both their lives forever more. The story is raw, emotional and truly unpredictable, but could easily become the next love story that we didn’t know we needed.