Legally Blonde

Recommended: not really?

Thoughts:
I finally found it. I finally found a book whose movie is better. It's pretty much impossible for me to consider this book in its own context without the movie as well, because I've seen the movie so many times I know it very very well and have a really hard time separating it as I read this book. Discovering that it was based on a book was a joy, but the book itself let me down a little bit. Or perhaps more fairly, it sort of confused me.

The broad strokes of the story are the same, with Elle getting dumped by Warner and deciding to follow him to law school, joining an active case on a murder trial with a socialite that she has ties with, all that kind of stuff. But a lot of the characters and the pacing show more were so different that it was hard to reconcile them. My expectations were definitely set coming into this, but even when I consider it just as a book there were definitely some weak points.

Elle is not as likable as I expected her to be. She skips a lot of classes, and she's actually quite shallow in a lot of ways, and she doesn't seem to actually try very hard. It's a bit of a spoiler so I'll tag it, but in the book the only reason she passes any classes is because some random dude gave her cheat sheet notes for every class, every year.I was really unimpressed with her overall and it made me much less interested in her story because I couldn't really root for her.

Her relationship with her friends was also very different. Warner is still a total ass, maybe even more so than the movie. Her friends from her sorority, though, are kind of crappy and don't really stick by her. She does make a new friend or two at her law school, and acknowledges the way that she's changed and who she wants to be, but it was a bit poignant and sad.

There's also zero romance in this book, which is fine but it's weird that it's considered a romance. Just be aware that there are zero scenes that are romantic at all and honestly her trying to win back Warner is only one thread of the overall narration. A lot of it focuses on her growth and her challenges at law school. 

That said, it was also a little bit boring. There was a lot of talk about legal stuff, and it was not thrilling. Time in class was tediously narrated, which I suppose is maybe an accurate feeling to having been there but wasn't the most exciting thing to read several times. A lot of the side characters felt very two-dimensional and cliche, like they were serving a stereotyped purpose and that was it. 

Overall I ended up feeling a bit bemused that this book was somehow noticed by somebody enough to be made into an amazing movie. Kudos to that person for seeing the potential, because the book itself is a bit lackluster. Not a super likable character, no romance, not that funny... If I hadn't seen movie I would have just felt blah about the story. show less

This book is cute and definitely similar to the movie, but I'd have to say the person who rewrote this for the movie did an amazing job. They made the story so much better! The Elle Woods of the book is a lot less charming than Reese Witherspoon's version. Also, she doesn't give up on Warner until the last 50 pages of the book, unlike in the movie where I think about half the movie takes place after she realizes Warner's never going to take her back. Actually, in the book he tries to take her back, and she rejects him.

The book's Elle seems a lot less interested in taking law school seriously. She skips class and reads magazines when she is there.

It's also sort of funny to me that in the movie they left some names as the same as the book show more (Elle Woods, Warner Huntington III, Brooke Vandermark) but then changed others (like Underdog being changed to Bruiser).

As many times as I've watched the movie, I think I've noticed that it says it's based on a book, but I would always forget by the time I finished the movie, so when I finally remembered, I knew I had to get the book to check it out. show less

Almost unrecognizable to fans of the movie and musical. Elle is not the sweet ambitious girl in her original form but a conniving, manipulative, bitch. I am glad I read the source material but it is a whole different vibe.

This book sucks. I love love love the movie. LOVE the movie. The book is a pale, wilting flower in comparison. It's not funny. It's unrealistic beyond the willing suspension of disbelief. I spent every page hoping it would get better and wondering if I should just stop reading it.

Okay, usually the book is almost always better than the movie (in my opinion), but not this time. I don’t actually think this book was bad necessarily, it was honestly pretty okay, but compared to the movie, it’s just not as good. In the movie, Elle’s character was much better and the overall energy of the movie was just better. It was more enjoyable. Compared to that, the book is pretty bland. So, if you’re planning to read this instead of watching the movie, don’t bother. The movie is better.

Not as good as the movie. Note that statement, it's probably the only time I'll ever say it. It isn't that the book is bad by any means, but the character of Elle is much less endearing in Ms. Brown's hands. Contains mild language.

I don't mean to be a hater, but if you're considering reading this because you loved the movie, you'll probably be severely disappointed. One of the RARE times where the movie is better. (I do, however, recommend the musical. ;) )