When it comes to the debate between which is better – the book or the movie? – there are plenty of opinions. Some will like the book better, and some adaptations are really screen-worthy and accentuate all that is great about a book. They are different types of media and should be considered as complementary to each other. One of my favorite things to do at the start of every year is to take stock of upcoming book-to-screen adaptations. It turns out that 2019 is a great year for female authors taking their books to the big screen. Here are seven women whose books are hitting the big screen this year.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Cate Blanchett plays Bernadette Fox, a perfectly regular housewife who takes a leap of faith and leaves her family in pursuit of things she thought she had left behind for good. Based on Maria Semple’s bestselling 2012 novel, the movie, directed by Richard Linklater of Boyhood and the Before trilogy fame, explores the notion of family, identity, rediscovery and second chances.

(Release date: August 16, 2019)

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Five Feet Apart, a young-adult novel by Rachael Lippincott, follows the story of Stella and Will, two teenagers suffering from cystic fibrosis who fall in love after meeting at the hospital. However, their condition means that they must avoid physical contact. Directed by Jane the Virgin star Justin Baldoni, the adaptation stars Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson as the young lovers.

(Release date: March 15, 2019)

The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

Meet Natasha and Daniel. Natasha doesn’t believe in fate, destiny or love, while Daniel is a diehard romantic trying to balance his dreams and wishes against those of his family who want him to go to medical school. When the two meet, fate has something planned. Where will it all lead? This is a diverse romantic drama you won’t want to miss.

(Release date: May 17, 2019)

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

When 13-year-old Theodore Decker survives the explosion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that kills his mother, he is taken in by a rich Upper East Side family, turning inward because he doesn’t fit into his new life. Unknown to anyone, he has stolen the Goldfinch painting during the bombing. As an equally alienated adult, this priceless painting lures him into the art black market. Ansel Elgort stars as Theo and Nicole Kidman plays the woman who takes him in.

(Release date: September 13, 2019)

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Based on the bestselling young-adult novel by Jennifer Niven comes the story of Violet Markey and Theodore Finch, two lost, broken teenagers who transform each other’s lives. Elle Fanning stars as Violet, while Justice Smith is Finch. Fans of John Green, Gayle Forman and Rainbow Rowell are sure to love this.

(Release date: 2019)

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Kristin Hannah’s bestselling novel of the same name finally comes to life on the silver screen this year. Set in France 1939, this historical drama follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, whose lives are torn apart at the onset of World War II. Author Kristin Hannah has worked on the script while Game of Thrones’ Michelle MacLaren directs.

(Release date: 2019)

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

The March sisters return to the screen in a brand-new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women featuring Meryl Streep, Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan and Timothee Chalamet among others. Greta Gerwig directs the beloved modern classic story about four sisters growing up and coming of age against the aftermath of the Civil War.

(Release date: December 25, 2019)

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