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This was mentioned in another thread,

The real complaint here is that yet another remake is being made of a super-boring book we all got forced to read in school and hated.

and I was surprised to see it. Is this a common feeling among my fellow Dakkanaughts? I loved this book when I read first it in elementary school and identified strongly with Ralph and his mercurial status as both a leader and outcast to his peers. I've read it several times since and each time I have thoroughly enjoyed it.


We may also discuss the all-girl reboot that is in the works.

I think it will be fine if the script is written well. I have two girls, 9 and 12, and people who think an all girl retelling of this story would result in an egalitarian utopia is deluded or lying.

Remains to be seen if the movie can pass the Bechdel test.

The book itself I've read once after seeing a Discovery History documentary on it. I don't remember much of it aside from general plot points and the unpopular child being (nick)named Piggy, plus some of the kids dying in rather gruesome ways.

It would be difficult for this movie to fail the Bechdel test, I would think.

Regardless, it appears the professional outrage merchants will be lining up on all sides for this one.

I wouldn't say the book was bad, but it was definitely overrated.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
I wouldn't say the book was bad, but it was definitely overrated.

Don't disagree with you there.

I mean, it's not Catcher in the Rye awful, but I don't remember a whole lot about it beyond a Jesus allegory, the conch shell, and Piggy. Not the worst book I had to read for high school, but it definitely wasn't the best.

Catcher in the Rye is great because it perfectly captures how an affluent kid's childhood crashes into a young adult. It wasn't until I re read it in my early 20's that I realised what a fething Holden I'd been as high school came to an end.

But you weren't gripped by Lord of the Flies? The Monster, the Hunt, the murder? I found it very engaging.

I mean, the more I think about Lord of the Flies, the more I remember; like I said, I didn't dislike it, but I've never felt an urge to reread it in the time since.

I barely remember anything about Catcher beyond thinking "What a donkey-cave. Why am I still reading about this donkey-cave?" Maybe it'd make more sense if I reread it now, but I've got such a strong aversion to it that I don't particularly even want to try

Love Catcher and LotF, both wonderful books. I think I may put To Catch A Mockingbird ahead of them both however. Don't listen to me though, I put The Hobbit ahead of them all

Well, we can agree on that!

(I'd probably put To Kill a Mockingbird ahead of the first two as well, actually.)

 feeder wrote:

But you weren't gripped by Lord of the Flies? The Monster, the Hunt, the murder? I found it very engaging.

I'm an american. I see all of those things in the course of Saturday morning cartoons.

It's an interesting idea, but the book mainly survives based on nostalgia factors. That's what makes the gender swap so interesting - the last thing you want to do with a nostalgia flick is change too much about the story. Then again, the new Ghostbusters was supposed to have made money, so maybe it'll be a success.

 Retrogamer0001 wrote:
Love Catcher and LotF, both wonderful books. I think I may put To Catch A Mockingbird ahead of them both however.

Agreed. Mockingbird deserves it's classic status.

Don't listen to me though, I put The Hobbit ahead of them all

Favorite book of all time! I re-read it just last week on my annual camping trip.

How we remember a book largely depends on when we read it, I think. For example, the Hobbit/LOTR is often the first epic fantasy series a reader is exposed to, but I had read other books first, so I rate them much less highly. If one reads something like Blood Meridian before Lord of the Flies, LotF will have a lot less to say to that person that's new. If someone has only read school-approved books for young readers, LotF is likely much more impactful.

I managed to get through the US public school experience never having read Lord of the Flies. Achievement Unlocked.

Like Bob, I had read a bunch of fantasy before the Hobbit and LotR. For me, that made JRRT so much the better.

Well, personal taste is also a consideration. Perhaps the expectations game as well; I had the same issue with Hitchhiker's Guide, feeling that it in no way lived up to the hype.


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PS, I also got through public school without reading it. I chose to read it as an adult because I wanted to experience the classics. Ask me about Ulysses.