Photo; Copyright Netflix

Firefly Lane is the new Netflix drama series that has got everyone talking. The ten-part show, starring Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl and Scrubs star Sarah Chalke, focusses on the 30-year friendship of Kate and Tully and the many ups and downs they face in their lives and is based on the novel of the same name by Kristin Hannah.

Photo; Copyright Netflix

Reading a book and watching it come to life on the screen are very different experiences and as is the case with many, you can’t always compare. Generally, when you know that the Author has been involved or is at least sort of happy with the outcome of an adaptation, you know that it will have captured the essence of the book. Kristin Hannah regularly reports to be pleased with how Firefly Lane has been portrayed which is reassuring. Why then, have so many die hard Firefly Lane bookish fans besmirched the series and refused to continue watching it?

There are a number of potential reasons. The main one being that the book and the series differ. But it’s important to remember that it’s not all over just because season one has finished. There is so much more material that can be taken from the books to continue the story. Series one covers about half of the concepts and events that the book does. You can google to see exactly what is and isn’t missing – no spoilers here.

The book is linear – it runs in an simple format, logically through the years. However the series jumps. You can’t drift off or stop watching and just listen to the show because you’ll become very confused about it all! The lighting, fashion, music and technology as well as the younger and older portrayals of the main characters are the bits that help to decipher which time period we’re in as we watch.

Then, there’s that ending. Again, this is a series! Hopefully, there will be a season two and maybe even more… it can’t just end as the book does. There has to be cliffhangers. The producers have ambiguity and scope that writers of books don’t always have unless they’re planning follow up books. Those who have read the book will be able to work out the feud most likely to be the explanation behind the ending, but this may change and surprise us again.

Photo; Copyright Netflix

We personally loved the series. Has the past twelve months made us long for a simpler time? Probably. Maybe that has made us love the series even more. Whatever the reason we urge you to enjoy both the series and the book. Maybe even treat yourself to a book box with the book inside! Oh, and, did you know there’s a second book following up on Firefly Lane…Oh yes…