Marley & Me Reviews?!

[DreamComeTrue09]

So I've been looking for something worth reading, when I came across Marley & Me at Barnes and Noble.

Who has read it or seen the movie? Just wondering if I should:

A.)Read the book first?
B.)See the movie and skip reading the book?
C.)Read the book then see the movie?

I heard the ending is really sad though!

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[EqSci]

I read the book and then saw the movie. I LOVED the book, but was disappointed in the movie. But that always happens, the movie is never anywhere close to as good as the book.

For what it was the movie was pretty good! Great book, it was a light read that made me laugh out loud a few times. I also like how he addresses the puppy mills, and reason for acquiring a dog, in his book (not so in the movie)

 

[bclover]

To date I have only read the book, which is awesome, and plan on seeing the movie next week. I have spoken to friends that have done both and say that they liked it in both formats - unlike some movies which don't do their respective books justice.

 

[Shanomong]

So I've been looking for something worth reading, when I came across Marley & Me at Barnes and Noble.

Who has read it or seen the movie? Just wondering if I should:

A.)Read the book first?
B.)See the movie and skip reading the book?
C.)Read the book then see the movie?

I heard the ending is really sad though!

I read the book when it first came out... I was crying like a babyyyyyy... it's good for what it is, not the kind of thing I would read normally but it was a gift. Haven't seen the movie but I heard it was good =)

 

[VAgirl]

I was determined not to read this book because I heard it was a tear jerker. So what did my mom give me for Christmas? You guessed it. I grudgingly read it. At first it irritated me because they did everything you're not supposed to do when getting a puppy (short of going to a puppy mill). But he's a good writer, they're likable people, and he paints a good picture. On the whole, I did enjoy the book. Some parts made me laugh so loud I had to read them out loud to my fiance (though these weren't even always the parts with Marley).

And the end was sad, and I cried a lot, but it wasn't any sadder than anyone else's experience of losing a pet (not Where the Red Fern Grows type of sad--not to minimize it, just to let people know because I thought from how much I heard about the sad ending that it was going to be some sort of traumatic incident). Anyway, I'd say worth the read, if you're looking for a light, heartwarming book.

I haven't seen the movie, so I can't weigh in on that one.

 

[Shanomong]

(not Where the Red Fern Grows type of sad--not to minimize it, just to let people know because I thought from how much I heard about the sad ending that it was going to be some sort of traumatic incident

That's the first book that ever made me cry... I bought it again recently and haven't even tried rereading it yet. It's way too sad , I'll probably end up curled up on the couch sobbing while I read again just like I did when I was 11

 

[twelvetigers]

Loved the book, hate Owen Wilson.

 

[flyhi]

I would read the book first. It will make you laugh out loud and sob all at the same time. It's a quick read. Haven't seen the movie, but i plan on it.

 

[VeganChick]

I don't think I am going to read/see it because I see people come in every day whose lives have been changed by their pets and now they have to euthanize them. Especially during the holiday season. We do a lot of crying with our clients this time of year. I kind of don't want to pay to do the same thing.

Also, I feel like they are marketing the movie towards kids and it is not necessarily a kids' movie. And I don't like Jennifer Aniston.

 

[Ben and Me]

Definitely agree with your last comment, VeganChick. I went to a matinee of the movie and there were a ton of little kids in there...I'd definitely say it isn't that kid-appropriate.

I was sobbing by the end--my whole shirt was wet.

I read the book right after we put our own yellow lab to sleep--she was pretty similar to Marley...failed obedience school, jumped all over you, etc. But, she was the dog I grew up with and I loved her.

 

[TurtleLover]

I definitely agree with everything posted so far. The book is so much better than the movie. I felt like they left some crucial points out in the movie that were mentioned in the book. Instead I felt like to movie skipped around too much and just like bam! All of a sudden, they are on to something else.

That movie was definitely not a kid movie...and neither is the book for that matter. There are some pretty risky scenes in there and I would feel uncomfortable if I had kids and brought them to see that.

But yes, I did cry for about the last 30 pages of the book and the last 10 minutes of the movie. If anything, I didn't mind crying because it helped me release any tension I had, lol. It kind of rejuvenates your system and gives you a new way of thinking about life. I absolutely loved the ending where he describes a dogs love for its owner. Best quotes ever, but I won't ruin it for anyone here who hasn't read/seen the movie yet.

 

[Pomona2006]

I've only seen the movie and I will say that I didn't think it was that great - at all (Owen Wilson didn't help). I would recommend other movies over Marley & Me any day.

 

[cozycleo]

Just saw it last night. I have read the book. I don't think they botched the book, but they could have done a bit better. There were critical parts left out or that should have been expanded on. I still cried toward the end though.

 

[IHeartGoldens]

And the end was sad, and I cried a lot, but it wasn't any sadder than anyone else's experience of losing a pet (not Where the Red Fern Grows type of sad--not to minimize it, just to let people know because I thought from how much I heard about the sad ending that it was going to be some sort of traumatic incident). quote]


Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls is my favorite book of all time. I read this in 5th grade and it's been stuck in my head ever since. My copy of the book is all yellowed,torn up and creased but I refuse to get rid of it. <333


Sorry..back to your regular programming.

 

[BrumleyVet]

Saw the movie but haven't read the book. I don't like Owen Wilson or Jennifer Aniston, but they were actually not bad in the movie. LOVED LOVED LOVED the puppy scenes - reminded me of when we had the Guide Dog lab puppies! I cried at the end, but my husband went home and spent a little extra time with our old lab as well as our new St Bernard puppy that night (and gave them extra treats). Guys way of crying I guess.

 

[Skillet9886]

Marley & Me is one of my favorite books ever, and I'm a big fan of John Grogan's writing in general. I think I'm a bit biased towards the book because of the rediculously accurate descriptions of South Florida. For those of you who've read the book, I grew up in Boca Raton, shopped at Town Center Mall (tribal grounds of Bocahontas), had prom festivities at Mizner Park (Marley table scene) and frequently took my dog to Dog Beach before it was shut down. So it was a little fun to read a book about a dog (kinda) that took place in an area I am so familiar with. That being said, I still think without that I'd love the book. I saw the movie last week, and it was about what I was expecting. It was good, but left SO MUCH out from the book that it left a little to be desired. I would definitely encourage everyone to read the book before seeing the movie.

For those of you who haven't read it and are trying to decide whether to or not, you can check out John Grogan's writing on his website johngroganbooks.com. Sorry for the plug, but a lot of times I like to read a bit of an author's writing before I decide whether I want to spend money on his/her book.

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

Hey guys , so I've been reading through all of your posts and I was convinced I should read the book. For those of you interested in reading it, I have to say, it has been a joy to read so far and the book is hard to put down. I'm currently on page 93, and have about 210 pages to go. I'm trying to not plow through the reading. **Also, it is such an easy read, and I have found a handful of GRE vocab words throughout the book...Although, I believe most of the GRE vocab words can be found in any book you pick up...I've been out of the reading game for the 4 years of college I spent memorizing text books...so I really wouldn't know

Oh yeah, I'll see the movie as soon as I finish reading

Thanks guys!!