Danielle Solzman
Bad Moms: The Novel, written by Nora McInerny, expands on the hit film in that the book offers more chaos, rebellion, and fun.
It’s hard to read this book without hearing the voices of Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, and Kristen Bell. McInerny expands on the film’s screenplay, written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, by taking us into the characters’ headspace. Unlike the film, we get to read what Amy Mitchell, Carla Dunker, and Kiki are thinking. McInerny stays true to the characters and doesn’t lose anything as far as what they represent in the film. She’s able to make the book her own this sense. It’s a high bar but she nails it.
Because the book adds more depth to their characters, it’s not until pages 122-123 in which the trio first meet after leaving the PTA meeting. For a book of well over 300 pages, I thought it was rather late for the initial meeting. However, the author spends more pages in not just setting up the film but also expanding the story. We get the innermost thoughts of Principal Burr, who only counts down the days left until his own retirement. Meanwhile, you can’t go a few chapters without escaping the latest blog posting or email from Gwendolyn James.
When I first went into the book, I was expecting something of a semi-sequel to the second film. I wasn’t quite expecting a novelization of the film but after reading the book, I’m not opposed to the idea either. This really isn’t a case of whether one should be comparing the book to the film. Even though they cover the same ground, the two of them are very different entities. That being said, where they differ is that the novel expands on not just thoughts but also scenes. Bad Moms: The Novel is worth the read and captures the film’s spirit in text.
