In Which I Eat My Words and Pay Homage to L.J. Smith

All right, I take it back, I take it all back. Those of you who caught my post on the second episode of the Vampire Diaries know that I started reading the original L.J. Smith books and found that there are quite a few (quite a LOT) of differences between the two. And while still early in my reading of the Vampire Diaries, I definitely preferred the TV Show to the books which I know is total blasphemy, but hey I was being honest. There were things about the books early on that were slightly off putting and things that had been improved upon by the brilliant Kevin Williamson.

Even L.J. herself says that she wishes she had given Elena a brother! See! So I wasn't too far off on my assessment there although there is a scene in book 3, The Fury, between Elena and her 4 year old sister Margaret that broke my heart and made me think they should have added her to the show. Why not have both? A brother and a sister? Oh well...on to pay my homage...

The books and the tv show...two very different things, apples and oranges and they can't really be compared to each other...much.

But here was what I didn't like about the book Elena.

Yeah, it's kind of bad when you don't like the main character. But really, there wasn't much to like. Elena is an ice queen bitch, she is popular and snooty and always gets her way and doesn't care who has to step on to get it. Who likes that sort of character?

TV Show brunette Elene was easier to sympathize with right off the bat.

BUT!!!

Book Elena goes through a major character transformation becoming totally and completely AWESOME! She becomes humble and heroic and her love for Stefan...it is EPIC! What I didn't realize was that L.J. was using the classic popular girl turned best friend. It's Emma all over again (and Cher from Clueless)-Jane Austen knew what she was doing. Elena is transformed by her love for Stefan, and what's not to like about that.

I'm on book 4 Dark Reunion, I'm completely hooked and I love how L.J. just goes there. The worst thing that can happen does, quite a few times, and then even worse things happen. Elena has more than made up for her ice queen ways of yore-she's a hero by this point and I can't wait to see what happens next.

So while it's hard to say how TV Show Elena will change when she already seems to be so sensitive-maybe she needs to learn how to make herself happy, or heal from her parent's death...I'm sure Kevin Williamson has something up his sleeve for us.

Now if you haven't read the books, read them! They Rule! And if you haven't seen the show yet, watch it! It also rules! Just...in a different way:-) Sooooooo looking forward to Thursday night!