You know when you're so completely consumed by something you are watching or reading that you can’t bear to look away from it, you find yourself unintentionally awake through the night because you’re not ready to put the story down, and the moment you finish it, you need to tell everyone you know about it? That exactly how I felt about Five Feet Apart - both the book by Rachael Lippincott, and the Netflix film.
During this lockdown, my boyfriend and I have been having weekly Netflix parties so feel like we get a date night in whilst being apart. One of our most recent watches was Five Feet Apart and it was a favourite for both of us.Whilst watching, I remembered I’d been recommended the book on Goodreads earlier that day, so ordered it immediately, and then excitedly kept an eye on the post until it arrived.
Both the book and film did not disappoint. Every part of the characters and their story felt so real in both instances.
The Narrative:
Five Feet Apart is the story revolving around two teens with Cystic Fibrosis. Despite being vastly different, the main character Stella and Will, seem to be magnetically drawn together - only due to their illness, there are not able to get within 6 feet of each, as due to cross-contamination of the illness can be lethal - especially as Will also have a bacterial infection in his lung, B. Cepacia, which he is undergoing drug trial for. So whilst Stella in on the waiting list for new lungs, being in close company with Will could also take her off the list, and potentially be life-threatening.Yet still, they fall completely in love, learning from one another - Will to take his medicine regime more seriously, and Stella to take life less seriously.
After everything the disease has taken from them - from the ease of breathing to trips away, they decide to take one thing back. They take back one foot. Six feet apart becomes five, and that the distance that stays between them.
There is far more to the story, twists, turns and unexpected events, but I won't give too much away.
The Characters:
It really surprised me how much depth there was to most of the character, given the book is only 276 pages. The majority of the characters seem to have light and shade to them, good qualities and bad. They feel like real people, struggling to deal with very real problems. Of course, Will and Stella aren't the only characters, their families, friends, doctors and nurses all play a part in their story, and have their own struggles going on. Their over-protective but loveable nurse Barb was a favourite of mine.
Book V Film:
The book and film we're extremely similar, I've never known a film follow the book narrative so closely before. A lot of the dialogue was the same, and there was hardly any difference in the story. Still, however, I'd recommend both as they were both so well done.I found the book a lot clearer when it came to explaining each characters illness and why the six feet apart was required. The few bits which weren't completely clear to me in the film we're explained within the first few pages of the book. The book I found was great at getting a lot of information across, tell the story and emoting feelings in very few pages.
The film, however, includes some incredible acting. Cole Sprouse plays Will and Hayley Lu Richardson plays Stella, and both play their part so incredibly well, I never for a second doubt their characters.
Both the book and film bought me to tears, which for me is unusual (I don't think I've cried in a book since the first time I read Dumbledores death).
It's a very fast-paced story, which I liked, but my one complaint would be that I wanted to see more of them falling in love - it seemed to happen so quickly. However, I think that was kind of the point, they don't have the choice to take things slow with a shortened life span, to quote Stella "It's just life, Will. It will be over before we know it".
The book ended up with a six months later extract, which I didn't think was necessary, I preferred the somewhat uncertain ending of the book.
Themes:
This story covers so many important themes including illness, health, grief, romance, family dynamics, friendships.
In case I have made it clear yet, this story really touched me. I would really recommend both the book and the film!
What have you been watching and reading lately? I'd love some recommendations!
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