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S4:E2 Nimona (2023 Film)
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Keri kicks off this month’s theme with our first listener-recommended pick, Nimona by ND Stevenson, along with its 2023 animated film adaptation. In our first-ever graphic novel-to-screen deep dive, we explore the vibrant world of Nimona and the standout themes that make the story unforgettable.
Hosted by Keri with co-hosts Lindsey and Crystal.
Books & Adaptations Mentioned:
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Thanks for listening to Based on a Book—see you in the next chapter!
Chapters:
(00:00) Introductions
(04:04) Ratings and Non-Spoiler Discussion
(08:21) Book vs Movie Breakdown (SPOILERS)
(36:02) Final Verdict
(37:34) Question of the Episode
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to 'Based on a Book' Podcast
00:00:07
Speaker
Welcome to Based on a Book, the podcast accepts unconventional heroes of all shapes and sizes. I'm Keri, here to remind you that no story is ever as simple as it seems.
00:00:20
Speaker
I'm Lindsay, and if embracing your inner monster is wrong, I don't want to be right. I'm Crystal, and I am not a monster.
Listener Engagement and Season Four Kickoff
00:00:30
Speaker
Thank you everyone for joining us for season four of the podcast and our very first time selecting a title submitted by a listener.
00:00:41
Speaker
which is super exciting. If you don't already know, we have been asking our listeners to to submit titles to us to cover on the podcast. And now for February in 2026, for anyone and listening in the future, we selected a few from that list.
Hosts' Experiences with Graphic Novels
00:00:59
Speaker
And I picked the graphic novel Nimona by N.D. Stevenson, our first time covering a graphic a graphic novel on the podcast.
00:01:10
Speaker
And it's 2023 animated film adapt adaptation. um I'm curious what both of your guys' experiences reading graphic novels. Lindsay, you've talked about web comics a lot, right, on the podcast. Yeah.
00:01:24
Speaker
I have, yeah. I've actually read quite a few graphic novels. Not so much recently. I read a lot more probably back in high school. A lot of them Marvel Zombies, Evil Dead, Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash. Like a lot of those.
00:01:42
Speaker
But nothing new, so I can get any recommendations, I'm open. What about you, Crystal? I've read a few. I feel like I tend to get Like, i'll I'll read the popular ones once they're popular. You know, I read The Watchmen. I read um Umbrella Academy.
00:02:00
Speaker
um Stuff like that. I grew up kind of adjacent to a lot of comic book nerds. And so sometimes they'll, like, push, you know, a graphic novel on me. Because they know i'm not goingnna read a whole series of comics. I don't like how they're all interconnected. And I feel like I have to read all of the entire universe in order to get the whole storyline. And feel like, at least with graphic novels, i have one book.
Delving into Nimona's Story
00:02:24
Speaker
you know maybe a series of just a few instead of like hundreds so i really enjoy them when it comes to like a comic series i get like immediately overwhelmed yeah i like when they have like a good bind up or something ever forget what those are called but like a good bind up of like all of them together for like different volumes it feels a little less overwhelming But my experience with graphic novels is like pretty new-ish. Like I never really thought to pick them up. And I think there was like the Saga series. Everyone's like, you gotta read the Saga series. It's really good. I was like, I don't know about this.
00:03:03
Speaker
Tried it and I loved it. And I tried Lore Olympus, like super popular ones. And Heartstopper, really loved it. Fangs, one of my all-time favorites. I read that like once every Love that story.
00:03:16
Speaker
So I'm very new to it, but um i've have been like enjoying like a few. There's a couple that I really love. um So this recommendation was actually sent to us by Ro, who said, This is so good. This is a webcomic to graphic novel to movie adaptation with a totally different plot.
00:03:40
Speaker
I loved it. Queer Bible. So thank you, Ro, for sending this to us. Nimona is a sci-fi fantasy action adventure story about a mischievous young shapeshifter who loves all things villainy and how this shapeshifter becomes a sidekick to a villain who wants to clear his name.
00:04:02
Speaker
They go on missions together to prove who the real villain is and cause havoc in this kingdom. Before we get into spoilers and breaking down the plot, themes, and what changed between the graphic novel and the adaptation, let's talk about book ratings.
00:04:17
Speaker
I want to start with Crystal. Your book rating, just graphic novel. Five stars. Yeah. Five stars, no notes. I absolutely love this. The plot was interesting and compelling. The characters were layered and nuanced, multidimensional. You got to know them. They did expected and unexpected things. You loved them and hated them.
00:04:42
Speaker
There were, and don't want to say twists, but there were definitely like turns that you'd like you had to really kind of put together to to to follow along. It felt like you were on this journey of discovery and uncovering the truth along with them.
00:04:57
Speaker
The pacing was perfection. Even when like the main storyline slowed down just a little bit, there would be like a side storyline that would be exciting and and kind of have your heart racing.
Nimona: Audiobook vs. Reading Experience
00:05:08
Speaker
The humor, the science, just five stars. That's it. I love this. What about you, Lindsay? I agree with Crystal. I gave this one five whales. Aw. There you go.
00:05:23
Speaker
i love that. Yeah, I thought it was cute, heartfelt, emotional, hilarious. I loved everything. The story, the artwork, all of it. Yeah, I'm same.
00:05:35
Speaker
I gave it five swords. I think graphic novels, I think they're pretty easy for me to rate because I don't have like a ton of experience with them. So if it's like I'm having a really good time, the story is super intriguing. Like there were like twists in this like that I didn't really see coming.
00:05:51
Speaker
And I was laughing out loud. I was literally cracking up out loud at things that were happening in this graphic novel, like immediately just a couple pages in.
00:06:03
Speaker
And like the humor was just right up my alley. So it was an easy five star for me. I also listened to the audiobook, um which if you haven't listened to it, it is honestly incredible. is basically like a graphic novel or a graphic audiobook where there's a ton of different sound effects in the background, has a full cast.
00:06:29
Speaker
It is such a fun listen. I'm not sure how well it would do if you hadn't already read the graphic novel before you listened to it. I listened to the audio before I started reading. Like I had it at home. I knew I was going to read it.
00:06:48
Speaker
That wasn't that, you know, so, but you had said that it was really good and that you thought my kid might like it. So when I had a drive, it's only like two hours and 20 minutes, two and a half hours or whatever. Yeah. And I had a little over an hour drive the other night. And so I threw it on and I was shocked at how,
00:07:10
Speaker
easy it was for me to understand what was happening because you know graphic novels are so visually intense like that's a huge part of the story I wasn't sure that they were they would be able to pull that off and I was shocked at how well I followed it how well my son followed it he loved it um and asked me to turn it back on we got in the car for the ride home you know So it was really good. um Of course, coming home and seeing the pictures and then like picking up the book and kind of starting to read it. Some of the print is really small in this and I'm 44 years old with not the world's greatest eyes. So I turned the audio back on to read along so that I was reading this book.
00:07:55
Speaker
But it is, i was shocked at how well the audio is. to follow along with considering the visual medium. Yeah, I agree. it was really fun to listen. Did you listen to it, Lindsay?
00:08:09
Speaker
I did not. I just read this one. Yeah, you got to listen to it. I think you're going to really love it. It's super fun. And it's just like you can just see it. It's so easy to visualize whenever you're listening to it. And it's super just like something fun to have on the background.
00:08:26
Speaker
ah So now we're just going to get into our book and adaptation breakdown. So this is your warning as we are about to dive into spoilers of both the book and the adaptation. So if you have not read or watched it, please go do that because it is totally worth it. Then come back and join the chaotic fun as we start with a bit of a book breakdown first.
00:08:54
Speaker
Because just because there's... very different, you know, comparing a graphic novel to an animated film. And there's also a lot of differences. Kind of want to break down the book a little bit first. As I said before, this graphic novel is by and d Stevenson, who started developing this character in high school and continued to develop the story throughout his college career. Eventually, he published a story as a webcomic, and then HarperCollins picked it up to be released in print.
00:09:24
Speaker
So this like character has been with them for a very long time. The story is pretty fast-paced, in my opinion. Really funny. You can get into it like immediately. like What was like your guys' initial thoughts like when you first started it?
00:09:40
Speaker
What about you, Lindsay? I immediately was like, oh man, I've read this before. I remember you saying that. I started to read it and I guess it was so long ago that I really didn't remember specifics. But I got to one specific scene in the graphic novel and I was like, oh no, wait, I do remember this. And it was really early on, but it was...
00:10:02
Speaker
I can't remember exactly what was said, but, um, Nimona just came in and is trying to convince Ballester that, um, Ballester needs a sidekick.
00:10:16
Speaker
And
Exploring Nimona's Themes and Humor
00:10:18
Speaker
it's the line, I can't have some kid following me around all day. Nimona says, I'm not a kid. I'm a shark. And just the way the shark is drawn and,
00:10:29
Speaker
That's when I knew. i was like, you no, i i've I've read this. this is Yeah. Yeah. What about you, Crystal? What were like your initial thoughts when you started? I really liked that we didn't get a backstory ahead of time, if that makes sense. I think this is a little bit of a...
00:10:46
Speaker
I don't know if it's a graphic novel trope or or sci-fi or both, um but kind of starting in the middle of the story and then we slowly learn the backstory. I really love that. And so I liked that we dove in we don't know who they are, we're not given any incredible explanation. We're uncovering that part of the story too. And that was my first thought was like, ooh, who's this? And then kind of listening and being like, a shapeshifter, What? You know, like, you know, and then like, oh, he doesn't have an arm. And, you know, like, i what happened to his arm? And then like, we get kind of a little flesh.
00:11:25
Speaker
i I like that. I like the, as I'm thinking to myself, like, what happened? Now, we're kind of learning slowly bit by bit and having to piece that together. i really love that.
00:11:37
Speaker
Yeah, i totally agree. I think that also helps, I think with like a graphic novel and like visually seeing it in that type of media being just thrown into the story instead of getting like a whole backstory first. I think that's also pretty helpful too. I think Nimona as a character is freaking hilarious, incredible. i love this character. Like when she's being um super sarcastic And pretending to be certain people like as a shapeshifter is so funny. I think it was as a scene whenever she is pretending to be the director or something and fools um baluster. And that cracked me up.
00:12:27
Speaker
I actually was literally laughing out loud at that moment. ah But like ah Crystal touched on, the story begins where we have this villain, Balister Blackheart. And Nimona just shows Can we talk about the name?
00:12:41
Speaker
um just yeah. Just right off bat, Balister Blackheart. And then as we learn more names throughout, I'm just like, the name And they just keep getting more ridiculous. and They're just cracking me up the whole time.
00:12:55
Speaker
Like Golden Loin. Golden Loin. the Golden Loin. ah But Nimona just shows up and is like, I'm going to be your p sidekick. And she doesn't want to follow any rules, even though he is supposedly the bad guy. He wants to follow the rules.
00:13:11
Speaker
he's It's a very... One of ah Lindsay's favorite grumpy sunshine friendship. So I knew right away. i was like, oh, this is right up Lindsay's alley.
00:13:24
Speaker
Eventually, we get the true story where he's supposed to be a hero. Something happens and he becomes... known as a villain to the public and Nimona is showing him how this kingdom is trying to use these heroes to control them. She saw something of herself in him, basically.
00:13:43
Speaker
There are a lot of like really great themes in the story um about identity and self-acceptance. um There's nothing that specifically states that this is like an LGBTQ plus thing.
00:13:56
Speaker
like story, but it is very much within like the narrative and the elements of the story, which is really great. It's about like good versus evil. um Who gets to decide that trauma, trust, any other themes that like you guys like that spoke to you and like the story or anything?
00:14:18
Speaker
for For me, it was being willing to question what you think you know, right? the The difference between just knowing something to be true no matter what, and that's just always the way it is versus asking questions and trying to understand what something is.
00:14:39
Speaker
you know, there seemed to be a lot of that going on. Yeah. And I really liked that, that rigid thinking versus flexible thinking. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. What about you, Lindsay?
00:14:50
Speaker
I liked the like the acceptance and empathy. um so kind of like looking past appearances and preconceived notions to understand and accept others.
00:15:03
Speaker
Yeah, I know. I love that these like graphic novels, i know i I feel like I say this all the time, but these graphic novels are things that can be forget more are towards like a younger audience, like I'm thinking more towards like the animated film, are so deep. They're deep as hell. You just really remind me of the wild robot in that way. yeah yeah It's meant to be light and funny, but it's so deep.
00:15:30
Speaker
Yeah. yeah Like the story means so much. Like you can look at it as like in at the surface if you wanted to But there is so much deeper meaning to everything in the story.
00:15:46
Speaker
if like reading it as an adult, it's like it's hurting me. It's literally hurting me as I'm reading it. But before we get into the movie, what do you guys think of the art style like of the book?
Art Style and Adaptations of Nimona
00:16:01
Speaker
Do you like some art style? For me, it wasn't what I expected. um Only because the cover of my book is more suggestive of the movie.
00:16:15
Speaker
um And so when I opened it up and I was like, wait, that doesn't quite match the front. But other than that, I thought it was really cool. It was really interesting. i like how sometimes more simple styles like this have way more than just beyond the surface when you look which is why I love graphic novels when I do stop to read them because if you actually look not just like quick read the words turn the page thus the story of the pictures is really really interesting I think they that this was done really really well what about you Lindsay I loved it I thought it really enhanced the comedy yes and the comedy is so good
00:17:00
Speaker
yeah Like it was just on it. And I'm telling, I keep saying this, but it was literally my humor, like to a t Like my, my humor is when i like describe this a lot is when you're doing nothing and then doing everything. Yeah. It's like when you're just like acting like innocent and all of a sudden like you pop up and like do something crazy. Like that gets me and like, we'll have me in tears laughing.
00:17:26
Speaker
I just love how sassy Nimona is. I love it. I love it. And like her grumpy friend here, grumpy villain friend, is just like having to go along with it the whole time. He's trying so hard to be like rigid and she is just yeah absolute chaos and it's hilarious.
00:17:47
Speaker
I think something I also love about the friendship between them is that that that develops is that he hates it, but also like loves it. Yeah.
00:17:58
Speaker
Yeah. And I think that's something I love so much. ah But getting into the adaptation. So the adaptation was released in 2023 and then eventually distributed on Netflix. A great voice cast, including ah Chloe Grace Moretz as Nimona.
00:18:16
Speaker
Riz Ahmed as Ballester. Boldheart. They changed from Blackheart to Boldheart, which is interesting, making him a little less villainy. And then Eugene Lee Yang as Goldenloin.
00:18:31
Speaker
What do we think of the animation style of the movie? Like, how did it present the world of Nimona? What about you, Lindsay? Lindsay? I thought it was super bright. i thought it was pretty.
00:18:44
Speaker
i think it really helped bring it to life, basically. I liked it. Yeah. What about you, Crystal? I think it leaned really into a lot of fantasy tropes.
00:18:55
Speaker
ah The animation style leaned harder into that fantasy style animation. Yeah. And of course, the opening where they tell us the story, the backstory, which of course I love.
00:19:09
Speaker
yeah But also the book didn't tell us the backstory. We had to figure it out. So part of me was like, crap, i'm being spoon fed, but I like it. You know, it was very, it was one of those moments.
00:19:20
Speaker
Yeah. When I first started, i kind of like was taken back a little bit. Because, i mean, it's probably very interesting to make a movie from a graphic novel and where it's like, are you going to stick with, like, the artwork of it and how you're going to do that or the same, like, style, you know?
00:19:42
Speaker
And at first it felt like really young looking, like almost too young. If that makes sense. It reminds me of Sleeping Beauty. Do you guys remember like the Disney yeah animated Sleeping Beauty? It reminded me very much of that.
00:19:56
Speaker
Okay. Okay. It was like, I don't know. I can't describe it. Like it just felt like super young. And then i kind of like got used to it and then really loved it. it was very like,
00:20:11
Speaker
Geometric. like that's like I can't like really describe it any other way than feeling like very geometric style, if that makes sense. um But I do like this combination of like medieval world and modern sci-fi world. you know like I think that's like a really fun combination for like just fantasy in general.
00:20:36
Speaker
Soundtrack? Amazing. Loved it. I love, you know, I love a good soundtrack. yeah That soundtrack was perfection.
00:20:48
Speaker
I think something that they really needed to carry from the graphic novel to um the movie was this balance of emotional, like tone and humor.
00:21:01
Speaker
yeah Kind of. That was like really important. And I think that they did that really well where, you know, I'm 31 year old adult watching this animated movie and I'm cracking up.
00:21:17
Speaker
Like I'm Lily in tears laughing. And then I bawling my eyes out. I'm sick to my stomach crying. I want to talk about some of our favorite scenes from the movies. So, um, Lindsay, like what are some of like your favorite moments from the movie?
00:21:32
Speaker
Immediately, Ballester is locked up. The director has him locked up and Nimona comes to break him out.
00:21:43
Speaker
That whole scene, the whole breakout scene. And then she transforms into the whale and like falls through all the floors. And then all throughout the rest of the movie, they're talking about this whale. The whale. Todd's like, wait, hurry before the whale gets here. Yeah.
00:22:00
Speaker
Loved it. I laughed every time. It was hilarious. Oh my gosh, that was so good. That was great. What about you, Crystals? Anyone? Any of the scenes really stuck out to you?
00:22:11
Speaker
When Ballister goes to meet up with Goldenloin secretly at the antlered serpent and to get nachos and they're like arguing with each other and the server comes by and like, what do you have? Nachos! And they both yell at him and they're like, you know, with no olives. Like, it just... Because he's allergic. It just... It was so cute. And again, this is one of those moments where like the...
00:22:35
Speaker
the LGBTQ representation isn't explicit, but it's obvious in the most perfect ways. And that was such a perfect, like, that was a relation. That's a relationship. We all know it in that moment. Cause we've all had those relationships, you know? Yeah. it It was so perfect. It was so lovely. And it made me laugh.
00:22:56
Speaker
They bring it out a lot more in the movie than they have. It's in the novel. And I love that a lot. Like I like that little like romance thing going on. in the movie.
00:23:07
Speaker
My favorite scene, i mean, there's like so many really funny scenes. I think the one scene that is kind of in the book was, like But they change it a little bit ah when she they're in like the market, I guess, and she's turning into a little kid. oh my god I was cracking up, and they're trying to kidnap – was like a squire or something. yeah They're trying to kidnap him, and it's just so chaotic, so insane. It's just like nonstop
00:23:44
Speaker
like fun But then you have emotional impact a lot. Like there is a very particular scene, you know, she's becoming this monster and she's screaming and to, you know, goes up to the sword screaming and Balaster stops her. yeah I'm sobbing sobbing. I started crying but and about halfway through when like we're having the flashback of her with
00:24:15
Speaker
shoot the other night the original friend uh is it glorious yeah glorious or and i started crying then and i didn't stop until the end hu and then at the end the end the end end just like like my heart saw or that just like full-on loud sob just it just this movie is a roller coaster Yeah. Like whenever he stops her, i ah really, it hurt me because that's, that scene's not in the book. We'll talk about some differences in a minute, but that scene in the movie, like just the screaming.
00:25:06
Speaker
oh my gosh. That just like got me. What about you, Lindsay? Was there like any scenes that like really like emotionally hit you? It was definitely that one. Yeah. Yeah. Well, she's just this monster. Like she grew into this thing, you know, going through this city. The monster, if you notice, like is the monster screaming like a monster scream, but slowly underneath it, we start hearing a child scream and everything.
00:25:38
Speaker
I might cry thinking about it was breaking my heart as the child scream starts breaking through the monster scream. Cause you can hear the difference and just, it it was really well done. And it was just so breathtaking. Yeah. And she thinks back to this quote, um which I have, and it's just really stuck with me where they I want to cry.
00:26:03
Speaker
i'm trying not to cry. Okay. Saying, They grew up thinking they should run a sword through the heart of anything different. And I'm the monster.
00:26:15
Speaker
That like really hit me. That really got me. And like, and she in that moment is like, and I just kind of sometimes just want to let them.
00:26:27
Speaker
And that I have tears in my eyes right now. Just think about it. Try not to cry. But that part just like really got me bad.
00:26:40
Speaker
And I'm just thinking like watching this as an adult, having such a different impact, like if it a child is watching it, like what is the difference in the impact between us or like a teenager watching it or something like that? And I think that's just so interesting.
00:27:00
Speaker
Or just anyone from different life paths. I think that's just interesting and important to think about. ah But there are um some you know book and movie differences, which I figured there would be.
Final Verdict on Nimona's Book vs. Movie
00:27:14
Speaker
i think, i mean, this is our first time doing graphic novel to movie adaptation. So i think it's, I feel like that might be a common thing, making a lot of changes, possibly.
00:27:31
Speaker
But some really big changes, Ballester's backstory, um wasn't super clear in the graphic novel, but we get it right away in the adaptation. Changing his name, like I said, from Blackheart to Boldheart. And how Ballester loses his arm because he has like a mechanical arm.
00:27:53
Speaker
And it's completely different in this medieval like sci-fi world. he has like He's about to be like knighted, basically.
00:28:03
Speaker
And a laser comes out of his sword and kills the queen in the movie. ah and it turns in and he has no idea how that happened or why it happened.
00:28:15
Speaker
And it turns into this huge misunderstanding. and like Golden Loin, like is trying to protect everyone, like cuts off his arm. But in the graphic novel, Golden Loin is kind of a jerk.
00:28:30
Speaker
He's like kind of like... He's literally a tool. Yeah, he's kind of a tool. He's like the other guy in the movie. Who's that guy? Todd or something? Yeah, Todd.
00:28:41
Speaker
They're like, we have to have this tool energy here. ah But they definitely made Golden Lion way nicer in the movie. Because in the graphic novel, he's like kind of a jerk.
00:28:52
Speaker
But it like happens during like a joust or something where he like cuts off his arm. But event the whole thing is that the director sabotaged it.
00:29:04
Speaker
But I don't think that... I'm going to call him Goldie from now on. Goldie is not likable in the book. Ambrosius. Yeah. Yeah. yeah I don't think he's very likable in the book. What do you guys think?
00:29:18
Speaker
He was dumb. yeah Yeah. I mean, he was... He was kind of giving Gale energy. like Kind of, yeah. Anything for the resistance, but in this case, was like anything for the institution.
00:29:32
Speaker
Yeah. He was very much easily obviously easily manipulated by the institution and the people in power, um but he kind of had like a little bit of that golden retriever energy. Like, I want to please my my masters. I want to please the institute, you know, and it was very don't know, kind a little dumb. didn't He didn't ask any questions. He didn't, he just trusted, you know, but whereas Ballester was the exact opposite. He was like, no, I'm going to ask all the questions and I trust no one, you know?
00:30:05
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, i agree. um They also create like a class difference between um Goldie and Ballister where Goldie has a lineage to Glorith.
00:30:18
Speaker
And it makes like their relationship a little more and like dramatic. like well Like we said before, not a lot of like romantic tension in the book. It's like barely touched on, but there's like a lot in the movie and I like that a lot.
00:30:33
Speaker
That was really fun. We get a lot more Gloreth in the movie. i hope I'm saying that right. me According to the audio, it's Gloreth. Yeah, in the movie, there's a lot more of that. Like a whole backstory of Gloreth and how this person is connected to Nimona. Also, Gloreth being like this whole being that this entire kingdom is... you know worships and very important and significant to the story in the movie like somewhat significant in the book but it's more like it's this lore that they discover kind of thing because they completely remove a character like a scientist um from all the science from the movie yeah yeah they all the science yeah all of it yeah oh they definitely did
00:31:31
Speaker
Nimona, in my opinion, doesn't feel as like heartless it as she does in the book. And I say heartless to be like,
00:31:45
Speaker
I don't really think she's heartless, but I can't think of another word to describe it. But like where she's just like, let's kill everything. Let's do all these things. I feel like because we get like so much more backstory of Nimona in the movie, I feel like it feels more like emotional connection to Nimona versus the book. What do you guys think about?
00:32:04
Speaker
Do you agree? Yeah, I agree. I really love the added backstory. That was a something for me. I feel like the movie took everything from the book and just enhanced it. Like the humor, the heart, like everything was just enhanced in the movie.
00:32:25
Speaker
Except the science. Yeah. They said, throw that away. We don't need that. They went like sci-fi fantasy. The is the book. hu Fantasy is the movie, which is still good. I'm not.
00:32:40
Speaker
I'm sad there wasn't this saint any science, but I'm not saying the movie was bad by any means. Yeah. Yeah. I like there's like this moment where, you know, Nimona just going all in. And, you know, there's like even Balancer was like, are you going to show them? Like, let's show them, you know, let's go all in. And they're just like fighting everyone, you know, doing all this stuff.
00:33:03
Speaker
And like she is like a full blown like dragon, like going in on everyone in the movie. And then we get a moment where like a little girl her. seize her And like point the sword at her. And then it has like an emotional effect on her. And I think that's like the first time we really see something like that happen to her. And that's not in the book. And I really like that that's in the movie.
00:33:29
Speaker
And that's kind of when we start getting more of like her backstory. Which I really loved. But her ending. Like the whole ending is completely different.
00:33:42
Speaker
Not the same whatsoever. it has like the same idea. yeah same vibes. Yeah, same vibes, same overall ideas. ah But like in the book, there's like this element of like Nimona and her monster being like two different things.
00:34:03
Speaker
And then trying to like come back together. i like like that. I like that idea. And I kind of wish that was in the movie a little bit. Yeah, I do too. I thought that was good.
00:34:16
Speaker
Which ending do you think is like more effective? Do you think like the book ending was more effective? The movie ending? What do you think, Lindsay? So the movie ending is left a little more open than the book ending. Like the actual ending ending. Because at the end of the book, you do see Nimona.
00:34:38
Speaker
Mm-hmm. And at the end of the movie, you hear Nimona, but you don't see her. Yeah. Because the end, like, we assume that she, like, dies, basically. And the world thinks that she died. and you know, Balister kind of thinks she died. And then he kind of gets, like, a glimpse of her.
00:34:57
Speaker
You know because she's a shapeshifter and, like, nothing can kill this person, I guess. Yeah. What do you think, Crystal? Oh, go ahead, Lindsay. I'm sorry. The immortality was definitely more prevalent in the book.
00:35:10
Speaker
Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, for sure. I think that's just that's a really hard question for me to answer because... Like emotionally, I absolutely sobbed.
00:35:21
Speaker
I absolutely sobbed at the ending of the movie. And the book, I teared up. I thought it was very moving. And, you know, it left me thinking.
00:35:32
Speaker
But i don't think that it emotionally hit me. i don't know i feel like I think the ending of the movie was more emotionally satisfying probably. And the end of the book to me was probably more mentally satisfying. Yeah.
00:35:49
Speaker
I like that. I'm going have to agree with that. Totally. ah So now we are at our final verdict, which is very hard in my opinion, kind of impossible.
00:36:07
Speaker
Book versus movie. Crystal. Book. Book. Okay. and Science. and Science. They did this with the science.
00:36:22
Speaker
ah It's really tough for me because I really like both and I really want to say both. But if I have to pick one, i think I'm going to say the movie, but only because it's longer and you got more of the humor within that. So I think that's why I'm going to go movie.
00:36:40
Speaker
Yeah, I literally love both so much. Equally. But if you literally told me I had to pick. I would probably say.
00:36:53
Speaker
the movie. Because you know. I like the relationship stuff in it. Okay. that I can't help. And I really love the more backstory of Nimona. love that. i I. That was so moving. And I wish that were in.
00:37:11
Speaker
the book yeah but yeah totally get that but i really wish all of the science hadn't been taken out of the movie yeah but both are great both are really good both recommend both oh good yeah i would definitely like reread and re-watch yeah for sure but let's get into our question of the episode before we go let's get to know our hosts a little more on the podcast.
Personal Adventures and Podcast Wrap-Up
00:37:37
Speaker
Who is your person that you are teaming up with for a little chaotic adventure?
00:37:45
Speaker
Like who is your person that is just down for something absolutely ridiculous? Let's start Lindsay. i would say my husband, but he's probably more level-headed than I am.
00:37:59
Speaker
So for going strictly like chaotic, ah my best friend Zoe, It's more chaotic. So we would do something dumb together. My husband and I would do something like normal.
00:38:14
Speaker
Yeah. Not, not so crazy. but Yeah. but Like fun, but normal. Right. Exactly. Got it. What about you, Crystal? ah My sister, Lou, a and sorry to my other sisters. They're amazing and wonderful. But Lou doesn't ask questions. If I said get in, we're going to, I don't know, anything crazy. She'd be like, can we get licorice on the way? Like that, like it would just, that's it. Can we stop at Sonic on the way out? You know, like she's game for anything. And I think she knows the same about me. She called me the other day and was just like, I need some, some books. Can you bring them to me? And I was like, I happen to be in your area. Let's go. You know, it just,
00:38:53
Speaker
no questions asked. She's down. Yeah. I love that. I would say i have like two, well, actually technically three options. My two very close friends, Sierra and Allie,
00:39:09
Speaker
Literally, i see the thing is, is that I'm not a chaotic adventure person. So if I said i needed to I want to go do something crazy, they'd be like, drop everything right now. Drop everything right now. We need to go go, go, Carrie wants to leave the house and do something crazy.
00:39:29
Speaker
Okay. So they would be totally down and, you know, they're very like, tro they love to travel. So they would just be down for anything. My other option would be my dad.
00:39:42
Speaker
He is, i mean, I would say my mom, my sister, but they'd be asking too many questions. Like what time are we going? Why are we going? That would be my other sisters. Exactly. we need to, you know, prep some snacks. We need to, you know, where are we eating first?
00:40:00
Speaker
all that stuff. And we need five to 10 business days to decide. My dad would be like, but like if I told my dad right now, it was like, I scheduled us a skydiving appointment for this afternoon because if I change my mind, I won't go. He'd be like, all right, let's go.
00:40:18
Speaker
I got the car started, get in the car and we're going. That's just the type of guy he is. So definitely he's a ride or die guy for sure.
00:40:30
Speaker
But that's a wrap on today's episode. If you enjoyed the episode or want to join the Nimona discussion, please let us know in the comments where you are listening or feel free to reach out to us on the socials linked in the description below. Also, if you find yourself with more adaptation ideas you want to see us cover, leave them in our adaptation submission form linked there as well.
00:40:55
Speaker
All recommendations are welcome. And if you thought listening to Nimona sounded interesting, check out our affiliate link with Libro FM. It's the perfect way to support your local bookstore while feeding your listening habit.
00:41:09
Speaker
Thanks for listening. And remember that arm chopping is not a love language. We will see you in the next chapter of Based on Book.
00:41:20
Speaker
Bye. Bye.