I love book adaptations, and I think Netflix does them very well. Anne With an E is a fresh spin on a book that I love and know cover-to-cover. Like Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, it combines everything I love about the original book with enough new things that it feels new and interesting even when I’ve read the book at least 10 times. Additionally, Netflix’s adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events is everything that one could ask for from a book adaptation of a series with a complex plot. It cuts nothing out, and what it does change is simply added characters or connections that makes a long series a little more cohesive and intricate. Here are 10 books/series that I think should be adapted by Netflix into shows!

Books That Should Be Adapted into Netflix Shows

The Keeper of the Lost Cities series

I love this series, but there is definitely too much that goes on for it to be turned into a movie. It’ll end up being 10 books with an average of around 600 pages per book, so they’d probably have to cut some things out, but I still think an adaptation of the series could be mostly true to the books. The costume and settings would also be gorgeous, so that’s a definite bonus.

The Truly Devious trilogy

These books would be perfect for a TV series. The unfolding mystery and switching between the present and the past would be ideally suited for a series. I just really want somebody to make an adaptation of this series because it’s one of my favorites, but I also think that these are books that would be really well suited for it.

The Infernal Devices trilogy

This is my favorite Shadowhunter series, and I want it to have a TV series so badly! Apparently BBC Three is doing this, so that’s good, but I’m not sure if/when it would be viewable in the United States (where I live), or anywhere else outside of the UK, and there is precious little information about it right now. Regardless, this trilogy deserves more love, and, additionally, it would make a gorgeous show.

The Folk of the Air trilogy

Speaking of gorgeous settings, how about Faerie? The unfolding and twisting nature of this series would make a great TV series. It would also probably allow for more insight into the world rather than just what’s happening with Jude, so that could help to add even more depth to the series.

The Six of Crows duology

Netflix is actually already doing a combined Shadow and Bone/Six of Crows TV series, but I’m so excited for it that it had to go on the list! I didn’t love Shadow and Bone, but I’m still thrilled.

The Renegades trilogy

I would be about equally happy if these were movies instead, but I think that this series could be really good as a TV series. I think if they tried to make a movie version then they’d have to try and compete with the MCU. I think there’s definitely enough plot to divide each book into a season, and it’s also a world that they could add new missions and subplots to fairly easily without messing up the main plot, so I think that episodes would be well suited to telling this story.

The Caraval trilogy

This is another one where I think it could be a movie but that I think the world has enough potential to make a series out of. Caraval as a setting is vast and complex enough that there’s so much more that could be explored than just what was in the books. The magic aspects and setting would be amazing to see, and I just generally think it would be an amazing TV series.

The Ruby Redford series

This would be an amazing TV series as long as they didn’t cut corners and mangle the plot. If they avoid that, the mysteries involved are easily complex enough to divide up among episodes and split the six books among seasons (maybe two to a season?)

The Thousandth Floor trilogy

There were several times while reading this series where I thought that the story might be better suited for TV than for a book. They were still really good books, but I think they would be amazing as a TV series. They could also be movies, but there is definitely enough plot in them to make a series.

The Raven Boys series

Can you imagine? They’re not as action-packed as some of the other books on this list, but I think the magic and plot are definitely enough to carry a series. I would love it so much if this became a TV series

Books That Should Be Adapted into Netflix Movies

When Dimple Met Rishi (and other Sandhya Menon books)

These are basically book versions of rom-coms, and I think they would be great as movies. When Dimple Met Rishi is my favorite Sandhya Menon book, and I think it would definitely make a great summer movie, though her other books would also make great movies as well.

Greenglass House

I love this book, and I think it could definitely make a good, unusual family holidays film. It has smugglers and ghosts and deals with adopted children and it’s just a wonderful story overall.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

This would be really interesting as a movie! It’d probably be the hardest of anything on this list to adapt, but I think that if it was done well it would be wonderful.

The Lunar Chronicles series

I don’t know why these books don’t have a movie adaptation already. They definitely deserve it, and the plot of each of the four books could be easily made into one movie.

The Selection series

Okay, so Netflix is already making a movie adaptation of this, and I’m very excited for it! Regardless, I’m super excited for it, and am desperately hoping they don’t mess it up. The bright side is that I don’t think they could mess it up more than the first attempt at an adaptation did (if you’ve read the series, try googling ‘selection tv series pilot script’ and read it to see just how terrible it could go).

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

One word: mockumentary. I think this could be a brilliant movie if done right.

The Three Dark Crowns series

I would be so so scared of them messing up this series and focusing too much on romance or something, but I think these could be really good as movies! I love this world and (some of) these characters, and I think the cunningness of the plot would be really well adapted to a movie.

Yes No Maybe So

This is a really important book, and I think that it would be a really good movie as long as they focus on the political aspects of it and not just on the romance.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (and A Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy)

These would be so good as period movies to the point that I don’t really feel like I need to argue my point here.

The Last True Poets of the Sea

This is an unconventional suggestion, but I think it could make a really lovely summer movie. I don’t really know how to explain it, but I think it would be wonderful.

What are your favorite book adaptions, and what books do you think would make good ones?