I watched the movie before I even knew there was a book and its one of my favorites. The movie is charming and heartwarming with a satisfying, albeit sad, ending.
I'm not sure what to think about this book. It basically carried the same plot as the movie until about halfway through and then the two go in different directions. The book is very French in that slice of life nothing happens kinda way.
Towards the end of the book, the characters start behaving in a way that is utterly mystifying. There is no good or logical reason for why they make the decisions and have the reactions that they do. Is this because we just needed some kind of turmoil at the end?
Do I just not get it?
I don't know, but I think I'll just watch the movie.