5 Popular Netflix Shows You Didn't Know Were Based On Books

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While conventional wisdom might be that you should always read the book before watching the movie or show, that can present a problem when you didn't even know that what you've been enjoying on screen is an adaptation. People sometimes worry they won't be able to get through the book if they already know the plot twists and ending. Fortunately, there are plenty of reasons why you might deeply enjoy a book even if you've already seen an adaptation. "I have almost always been disappointed with seeing a movie after reading the book, but almost never disappointed with a book after seeing the movie," wrote one Reddit user. "Also, sometimes the movie or show strays so far from the book that you might still be surprised by the ending."

In fact, sitting down with the novel after you've already enjoyed the show can deepen your appreciation for and insight into the characters. "There's a lot more to novels than just the revelation of plot," wrote one Reddit user. "Many tiny digressions into human pathos and exposes far more of the interior lives of the main characters than the film had time or room to do." The Netflix series you just binged watched might just lead you to your next great read.

When the first season of "Bridgerton" debuted in 2020, Netflix viewers were quickly swept away by the show's Regency period setting and romantic vibes. The narrative centers on the wealthy Bridgerton family, and opened with eldest sister Daphne's search for love. The stories originated as a series of romance novels by author Julia Quinn. The first season closely follows the plot of the first book, "The Duke and I," which was published in 2000. Subsequent seasons have focused on other Bridgerton siblings, including Colin's relationship with Penelope Featherington, who is so stunning in real life.

Overall, in adapting the show for television, producer Shonda Rhimes made plenty of changes to the source material. The Netflix series is racially diverse and features queer romances. Plot lines and characters have also been tweaked to be more sympathetic to contemporary audiences. Still, fans have found plenty to appreciate in the books as a separate experience from the show. "They are definitely worth the read. It will have you kicking your feet and giggling," wrote one Reddit user. "I will say there are some very intimate moments and she explains in VERY good detail." If you've already blown through the Goodreads' top 15 most read romance books of 2026, it may be worth going back to this genre classic.

Actor Margaret Qualley drew critical praise for her performance in this 2021 Netflix series about a mother struggling to escape domestic violence and the cycle of poverty. But many viewers didn't know that the storyline was taken from the 2019 memoir "Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive" by Stephanie Land. While plenty of nonfiction books have explored the socioeconomic realities of America, "Maid" and its corresponding book put a very personal face to the numbers. This memoir depicts what data and journalistic reporting alone cannot capture.

Fans felt the book was still enjoyable, even after knowing the show's ending. "The TV series is quite, quite different from the book, though [the author] advised on the production," wrote one Reddit user. "The essential struggle to break out of poverty and escape abusive relationship/s and break a cycle of alcoholism and violence is the same."

In part, that's a reflection of Lang's immersive writing. Readers thought it was a compulsively readable — and inspiring — true story. "This book was both heartbreaking and joyous," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "It shows how so much in life is dependent on whether your family is there to back you up, and lift you up when times get hard ... This remarkable memoir also shows you can break the cycle for your child by being there for them unconditionally."

This hit 2020 Netflix series combined mid-century aesthetic vibes with a fast-paced underdog story. In "The Queen's Gambit," Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Beth, the orphan-turned-chess prodigy whose talents take her to Europe and beyond, even while her addiction to tranquilizers threaten to upend everything. The popular show owes much to the immaculately plotted 1983 Walter Tevis novel of the same name, including its propulsive energy and complex main character. Though chess is at the center of this story, you don't need to play or understand the game to follow Beth's high-stakes journey.

Fans felt the novel was definitely worth reading after watching the series. "I much prefer the book over the series," wrote one Reddit user. "When Beth lost to Borgov in France, it was due to him being the better player, not Beth being hungover. Her win in the finale was much more deserved in the book."

That the novel could so effectively follow the show is testament to Tevis's thrilling writing style. "The Queen's Gambit" is that rare thing: a page-turner that is nonetheless beautifully constructed and substantial. Artful sentence follows artful sentence. Readers found the novel consuming and hard to put down. "It has reignited my deep love for reading with an intensity and enthusiasm that are hard to match," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "I never thought I'd say this, but the author, a man, craftily creates female characters that surpass those written by many authors in depth and authenticity."

The creepy vibes of the 2018 Netflix series "The Haunting of Hill House" originated in the 1959 Shirley Jackson novel of the same name. The plot follows a romp of people invited to spend a night in a haunted house, but, from there, the storylines quickly diverge. While the series is, explicitly, a ghost story, Jackson's classic novel is far more psychological. "They are thematically very different," wrote one Reddit user. "The book is about Eleanor's descent into madness and how it intersects with her womanhood. The show is about family dysfunction and trauma ... Both the book and the show are among my favourites but they are two very different experiences."

As a result, fans of the series will find the twists and turns of the book to be a totally new adventure. Compared to Mike Flanagan's series, Jackson's story is subtle and destabilizing. Readers will find them swept up in a story that initially seems straightforward, but increasingly leaves them wondering what's real. Loneliness echoes through the plot. Jackson's creepy stories have long been considered among the greatest examples of horror writing, and anyone who enjoys an unreliable narrator, psychological weirdness, and haunted houses will be glad to discover this one. "There is a ferocious tension that keeps you turning pages, and the minimal amount of information — only giving the barest of exposition when absolutely needed — keeps you caught in its grasp and untethered from the world," wrote one Goodreads reviewer.

When "You" premiered in 2018, viewers might have initially thought that Joe, played by Penn Badgley, seemed like the perfect doting boyfriend. But, then, a crazy twist upended expectations, revealing him to be an ingratiating — and dangerous — stalker. That shocking turn was the work of author Caroline Kepnes, whose books series, beginning with the 2014 debut novel "You," provided the source material for the show. Joe is the anti-hero of modern dating, and Kepnes has a knack for crafting characters in many shades of gray. Everyone is complicated and no one is one note.

Fans who discovered the books after watching the show on Netflix found that the gritty source material added a whole new depth to the characters. "I thought it was so much creepier and had a much more realistic view of obsession than the show," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "Even with knowing what happens I was still on the edge of my seat while reading it."

Kepnes's potboiler novels are likely to be a hit with anyone who enjoys the psychological weirdness of an unreliable narrator or themes that tackle our contemporary high-tech world. "I loved it. This book messed with my mind so much and made me see things in a whole new light," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "This book really made me take a closer look at how much of myself I leave on the internet." This book will definitely remind you about the importance of prioritizing your safety on dating apps.