Our Favourite TV Series Adapted from Great Novels改编自小说佳作的热门电视剧

内奥米·戈登 译/邱槿

When a TV adaptation of one of our most beloved and dog-eared1 novels is a success and almost more beautiful than the book itself， we get to experience the joy of the book and the memories it evokes all over again.

Here are some of the best TV dramas based on some of our favourite books.

Normal People

Sally Rooney’s wondrous adaptation of her acclaimed novel of the same title Normal People follows lovestruck Irish couple Marianne and Connell as they navigate the trials and tribulations of young adulthood. The tender drama has transcended generations with its poignant and moving portrayal of first love and heartache. Newcomers Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal give heartbreaking and utterly compelling performances， and we defy you not to sob your way through the 12-part series.

Queen Sugar

Adapted by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay from Natalie Baszile’s novel of the same title， Queen Sugar tells the story of three estranged siblings who move back to Louisiana following a family tragedy. The trio are forced to put their complicated lives aside so that they can come together to run the clan’s struggling sugar cane farm. The cast includes Scandal’s Tina Lifford， Rutina Wesley， Kofi Siriboe and Omar J. Dorsey.

Oprah Winfrey serves as executive producer.

Sharp Objects

Amy Adams， Patricia Clarkson and Little Women’s Eliza Scanlen star in Jean-Marc Vallée’s stylish and brooding adaptation of Gone Girl novelist Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects. Amy plays troubled2 crime reporter Camille Preaker who reluctantly returns to her hometown of Wind Gap， Missouri， to solve the murder of two young girls. As she endures her dysfunctional family and suffocating mother， Amy finally confronts her past and unearths a chilling twist in the process.

Clarkson won a Golden Globe for her performance as chilling matriarch3 Adora.

My Brilliant Friend

Elena Ferrante’s beloved Neapolitan novels My Brilliant Friend and The Story of a New Name have been adapted by HBO into an exquisite and absorbing drama—the network’s first ever in a foreign language. The poignant series captures the intense friendship of two young girls as they dream of escaping their impoverished and oppressive neighbourhood on the outskirts of Naples in 1950s， which is marred4 by violence and complex family hierarchies.

The Secret She Keeps

BBC’s adaptation of Michael Robotham’s The Secret She Keeps may be slightly predictable， but the six-part series about a woman faking her pregnancy makes for compulsive viewing. Downton Abbey’s Laura Carmichael plays Aggie， a woman suffering from trauma who pretends to be pregnant in a bid to steal the newborn of a wealthy blogger she befriends.

Anne with an E

Netflix’s stunning reimagining of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s coming-of-age classic Anne of Green Gables is moving， life-affirming5 and modern with its celebration of feminism， gender equality， diversity and the LGBTQ+6 community.

Set in the late 19th century， the series follows Amybeth McNulty’s Anne as she is adopted by two lonely siblings whose lives she transforms with her indomitable spirit， appetite for knowledge and zeal for life.

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Natalie Dormer stars in BBC’s intoxicating adaptation of Joan Lindsay’s iconic Australian novel that delves into7 the mysterious disappearances of three schoolgirls and their governess in 1900. Their vanishing causes conspiracy theories and paranoia amongst staff and students of Appleyard college as long-held secrets begin to emerge.

Outlander

This hopelessly romantic historical drama—adapted from the novel of the same title by Diana Gabaldon—has acquired a cult following due to the palpable8 on-screen chemistry between the two dynamic leads Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan. The story centres on Caitriona’s Claire Randall， a World War II combat nurse who is suddenly transported back in time to 1743 Scotland where she falls for Sam’s Jamie Fraser.

Big Little Lies

HBO’s adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same title， Big Little Lies follows the lives of the infamous Monterey five—aka Hollywood stars Reese Witherspoon， Nicole Kidman， Laura Dern， Shailene Woodley and Zoe Kravitz. Set in a city on California’s stunning central coast， the women struggle with strained marriages， infidelity and domestic abuse， before a fatal incident bonds them together for life. Season two introduces Meryl Streep as the mother-in-law from hell9.

Alias Grace

Netflix’s underrated adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s powerful historical novel Alias Grace follows enigmatic Irish immigrant and domestic servant Grace who， in 1843， was sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murders of her employer and his housekeeper.

The story is based on actual 19th-century events， but Grace’s perilous journey in a male-dominated era—during which she is subjected to endless abuse from men in power and expected to remain silent—couldn’t have been more timely upon its release in 2017 as the MeToo movement took effect.

Little Fires Everywhere

Based on the best-selling novel of the same title10 by Celeste Ng， Little Fires Everywhere takes place in a placid Ohio suburb and follows Elena （Reese Witherspoon）， a local journalist and meticulous rule follower who helps to maintain order in Shaker Heights while trying to keep her family of six happy.

When Mia （Kerry Washington） and her daughter Pearl arrive and become Elena’s tenants， the two women clash while their kids become friends. The show explores the links between the two families， one of which is an intense adoption trial.

Noughts and Crosses

BBC’s adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s novel Noughts & Crosses charts the stories of much-loved protagonists Sephy and Callum who are divided by their colour but united by love.

Sephy is a Cross， a member of the Black ruling class and daughter of a prominent politician. Callum is a Nought， a white member of the underclass. The two have been friends since early childhood but their relationship grows ever more complicated as they come of age. It’s the story of two fam-ilies separated by power and prejudice but forever entwined11 by fate.

當我们最喜爱且翻皱了的小说被改编成一部大获成功且几乎比原书更精彩的电视剧，我们便得以再次重温书中乐趣以及它所唤起的种种回忆。

以下是一些根据我们喜爱之书所改编的最佳电视剧。

《正常人》

萨莉·鲁尼对其备受赞誉的同名小说《正常人》做了精彩的改编，剧中讲述了一对热恋中的爱尔兰情侣（玛丽安娜和康奈尔）克服成年初期的重重考验和磨难。这部温馨的电视剧将痛彻心扉的初恋刻画得凄美动人，因而跨越了年代界限。新人演员黛西·埃德加-琼斯和保罗·梅斯考尔的表演令人动容，极富感染力，恐怕你在观看这部12集的电视剧时全程都会感动落泪。

《蔗糖女王》

《蔗糖女王》是由奥斯卡提名电影制作人艾娃·迪韦奈改编自娜塔莉·巴斯基尔的同名小说，讲述了原本形同陌路的三兄妹的故事，他们在一场家庭悲剧后迁回路易斯安那州。三人被迫搁置错综复杂的生活，以便携手经营举步维艰的家庭甘蔗农场。演员阵容包括：出演《丑闻》的蒂娜·利福德、卢蒂娜·韦斯利、科菲·斯里博伊和奥马尔·J.多尔西。

奥普拉·温弗瑞担任监制。

《利器》

让-马克·瓦雷对吉莉恩·弗林（《消失的爱人》的作者）的小说《利器》的改编既新潮前卫又阴郁沉重，艾米·亚当斯、帕特里夏·克拉克森以及出演《小妇人》的伊丽莎·斯坎伦等人在剧中担任主演。艾米饰演内心困扰的刑事案件记者卡米尔·普里克。为了破解两名年轻女孩被谋杀的案件真相，她不得已回到家乡密苏里州的风口镇。艾米忍受着不正常的家庭和令人压抑的母亲，她终于直面了自己的过去，并在此期间有了一个令人毛骨悚然的意外发现。

克拉克森凭借饰演冷漠的母亲奥多拉一角斩获了金球奖。

《我的天才女友》

HBO将埃琳娜·费兰特备受青睐的“那不勒斯四部曲”中的《我的天才女友》和《新名字的故事》改编成一部精彩绝伦、引人入胜的电视剧——这是HBO有史以来第一部外语作品。这部令人感伤的电视剧刻画了两个年轻女孩之间深厚的友谊。20世纪50年代，她们住在那不勒斯郊区一个贫穷压抑的街区，那里充斥着暴力，家庭等级关系复杂，她们一直梦想逃离这个环境。

《她的秘密》

BBC对迈克尔·罗博特姆《她的秘密》进行的改编可能有点欠缺新意，但这部讲述一个女人佯装怀孕的六集电视剧却引人入胜。出演《唐顿庄园》的劳拉·卡迈克尔在本剧中饰演阿姬，这是一个遭受创伤的女人，她假装怀孕，企图偷走结识的一位富裕博主的新生儿。

《小小安妮》

网飞再次改编了露西·莫德·蒙哥马利经典成长小说《绿山墙的安妮》。该剧制作精良，赞颂了女权主义、性别平等、多样性和“LGBTQ+”群体，感动人心、积极向上且具有现代意义。

该剧以19世纪末为时间背景，讲述了艾米贝丝·麦克纳尔蒂饰演的安妮被孤独的两兄妹收养的故事，安妮以不屈不挠的精神、对知识的渴望以及对生活的热情改变了他们的生活。

《悬崖上的野餐》

BBC对琼·林赛经典的澳大利亚小说的改编令人陶醉，娜塔莉·多默在剧中担任主角。这部小说深入探究了1900年三名女学生和她们的家庭女教师的神秘失踪。她们的失踪在阿普尔亚德学院的师生中引发了各种阴谋论和臆想，长久以来的秘密也逐渐浮出水面。

《外乡人》

这部无比浪漫的历史剧改编自戴安娜·加瓦尔东的同名小说，因两位活力四射的主角（凯特里奥娜·巴尔夫和山姆·修汉）在剧中擦出了明显的火花而备受追捧。故事围绕凯特里奥娜饰演的克莱尔·兰德尔展开，她是一名二战时期的战地护士，然而她突然穿越回1743年的苏格兰，并且爱上了山姆饰演的杰米·弗雷泽。

《大小谎言》

《大小谎言》由HBO改编自莉安·莫里亚蒂同名小说，讲述了声名狼藉的蒙特雷五人组的生活——分别由好莱坞明星瑞茜·威瑟斯彭、妮可·基德曼、劳拉·邓恩、谢琳·伍德利和佐伊·克拉维茨饰演。故事发生在加州风景迷人的中部海岸的一座城市，这些女性陷入了婚姻关系紧张、感情不忠和家庭暴力的困境，直至一件致命的事件将她们永远地联系在一起。在第二季中，梅丽尔·斯特里普饰演讨人厌的婆婆。

《别名格蕾丝》

网飞这部被低估的电视剧改编自玛格丽特·阿特伍德极具感染力的历史小说《别名格蕾丝》，讲述了神秘的爱尔兰移民和家仆格蕾丝的故事。1843年，格蕾丝因残忍杀害雇主和他的管家被判无期徒刑。

这个故事来源于19世纪的真实事件，但格蕾丝的艰险之旅在2017年MeToo运动方兴未艾之时上映却是恰逢其时——身处男性主导的时代，她遭受男性当权者无休止的虐待并被要求保持沉默。

《星星之火》

《星星之火》改编自伍绮诗的英文同名畅销小说，以俄亥俄州一个宁静的郊区为背景，讲述了当地记者埃琳娜（瑞茜·威瑟斯彭饰）一丝不苟地遵守规则的故事，她一边协助维护谢克海茨的秩序，一边维持六口之家的幸福。

当米娅（克丽·华盛顿饰）和她的女儿珀尔来到埃琳娜家并成为她的房客，这两个女人发生了冲突，而她们的孩子却成为朋友。该剧探讨了两个家庭间的种种关联，激烈的领养案审理便是其中之一。

《跨爱》

BBC对马洛里·布莱克曼的小说《跨爱》的改编剧讲述了备受青睐的主人公赛菲和卡勒姆的故事，他们因肤色而分隔，却因相爱而结合。

赛菲来自黑人统治阶级Cross，同时也是一位著名政治家的女儿，卡勒姆则来自下层白人阶级Nought。二人青梅竹马，但随着长大成人，他们的关系也变得愈发复杂。这个故事讲述了两个家庭，它们因权力和偏见彼此分隔，却因命运紧密相连。

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者;单位：广东外语外贸大学高级翻译学院）