Netflix, we have some propositions for you…
BY ELLA PORTEOUS, IMAGE BY AMAZON
Ever since it was announced last year that The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo was going to be adapted into a film (although I’d still rather it was a TV show…), I have been longing for more sapphic books to be adapted.
It’s been a weird time for sapphic stories on the screen. Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime don’t have a great track record for treating their sapphic characters well, cancelling shows such as Paper Girls, First Kill, I Am Not Okay With This, and Warrior Nun (although it’s recently been announced that Warrior Nun is being picked up by an unknown streaming service – hurray!).
Now, more than ever, we need sapphic stories to be told on screen, and here are five books that I think would make superb film adaptations.
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
We have to start with She Drives Me Crazy, the book everyone is dying to be made into a film. This young adult romance has been gaining more attention on BookTok over the past couple of months and it’s no surprise as it’s adorable. We follow Scottie who, after getting into a fender bender, is forced to carpool with the school’s it-girl. Using the situation to her advantage, Scottie convinces Irene into a fake dating scheme so she can get back at her toxic ex-girlfriend. With references to classic romcoms from the 80s and 90s, She Drives Me Crazy was made for the big screen. The internet has even picked Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) to play Scottie and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever) to play Irene, a match made in heaven if you ask me.
Hani And Ishu’s Guide To Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar
Honestly, I would happily have any of Adiba Jaigirdar’s books turned into films, but I picked Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating for this list because it contains the beloved grumpy/sunshine trope. After her best friends invalidate her sexuality by telling her she can’t be bisexual because she’s never dated another girl, Hani panics and blurts out that is dating the class overachiever, Ishu. Ishu agrees to enter a fake relationship, but in return, Hani must help her to achieve her goal of becoming head girl. As time goes on, the pair begin to realise that maybe their relationship isn’t so fake after all. This would be more than just a cheesy movie night flic as there aren’t enough sapphic romance stories that feature South Asian women, making the need for a film adaptation even greater.
She Gets The Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick
Next, we have She Gets The Girl, another BookTok favourite. We follow Alex and Molly through their freshman year at uni, who after a rocky start team up to help each other win their dream girl, slowly getting closer to each other along the way. From the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope to roller-skating and frozen yogurt dates, this book has all the components for the perfect cheesy flic. Not to mention that the co-authors Rachael and Alyson are in a relationship – couple goals.
Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins
Young Royals, Red, White & Royal Blue, where’s our royal love story? Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins is another swoon-worthy enemies-to-lovers romcom that would make a perfect film. The story follows Millie Quint who ships herself off to a boarding school in Scotland after catching her girlfriend kissing someone else. However, Scotland is very different from Texas and Millie’s roommate Flora turns out to be the Princess of Scotland, who she immediately hates. As the pair spend more time together, the hatred slowly disappears, and a romance begins to blossom. The stunning Scottish countryside provides the perfect setting for a fairytale-esque romance that would be gorgeous to watch on the screen.
Last Night At The Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
For our final book, we’ve moved away from the romcom and onto something a little heavier. Malinda Lo’s stunning novel follows Lily Hu, a seventeen-year-old living in San Francisco in 1954. After Lily meets Kath and visits a lesbian bar for the first time, she discovers a whole world of queerness and drag kings. Attempting to navigate her sexuality and identity as a Chinese American during the Red Scare, Lily must decide whether she can risk everything for Kath. This book was exquisite and provided so much cinematic imagery, it deserves to become a film. I would LOVE to see the charm and glamour of the Telegraph Club and its drag kings come to life.
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