For those that have read the book...

I enjoyed the novel very much. I read it a couple of years ago and have just now (tonight) seen the movie. It is incredibly faitful to the book except in the ending. It veers fromt the original ending, but it's completely understandable because books don't often translate to film perfectly. Plus, if it had been anyone else directing this film, it would've bothered me. But considering the author himself wrote and directed the film, he has the right to do whatever he wants with his art. And I don't think he did a bad job. Just changed it up a little bit. Still, a very powerful, poetic and poignant film that should please the most devoted fan of the novel.

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This film is one of my favorite films, and I saw it first before reading the book. Although I enjoyed reading the book (and Dai Sijie's writing style) very much, the film represents one of those rare instances where I liked the film better than the book.

i know this is an old thread, but some people might check this before watching the film. Based on a couple of comments here, I was expecting something very similar to the novel. While I think that the film does capture most of the spirit and magic of the novel, a LOT of details are changed, and there's a rather jarring flash-forward to twenty years later. Whether this is for the better or worse is a matter of opinion (I liked some things, wish others had been left alone), but if we are talking about actual plot events, a LOT is cut out or combined, and a few things added. hope this helps.

there's no place you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.

I have yet to see the movie but found the book in our apartment on a recent holiday and read it within a day. A fantastic novel I would recommend to anyone.

Better to regret something you did, than something you didn't do!