How does Netflix's The Midnight Club differ from the book?
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Netflix's latest thriller series The Midnight Club dropped last week and has become a firm favourite with viewers around the world. The 10-part series has been in the Top 10 since it first dropped on 7th October.
The series is an adaption of Christopher Pike's novel of the same name and tells the story of a group of terminally ill teenagers living in a hospice. At midnight the group meets and tells stories to each other. One night they make a pact where they agree whoever is the first one to die must return and communicate with them from beyond the grace. When the first person does die, strange occurrences begin at the hospice.
The Midnight Club was created by Mike Flanagan, who is behind other thriller series on Netflix such as The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass. Flanagan often bases his series on books and adapts them slightly.
So how much of The Midnight Club on Netflix is the same as the book? And what differs from it? These are the big differences we noticed.
The concept of the afterlife is different
The biggest difference between the novel and the series is the concept of the afterlife. In the novel after Anya dies the group hears nothing from her or her spirit and quickly abandon their fascination with the afterlife.
The book ends with more of an exploration into Ilonka and Kevin's relationship, which isn't explored that much in the TV show.
Ilonka And Kevin's relationship is a big part of the novel
In Netflix's series Ilonka and Kevin aren't really romantically involved, although (spoiler!) they do share a kiss in the final episode.
However, in the novel their developing relationship plays a big part of the plot. In the book Ilonka encourages Kevin's girlfriend Kathy to break up with him whereas in the series he does it himself.
Brightcliffe Hospice has a different name
In Pike's novel the teenagers live at a hospice called Rotterham but it was changed for the Netflix series to be called Brightcliffe Hospice.
Their main doctor's name also been changed from the novel. In the book the doctor is known as Dr. White but in the show she's called Dr. Stanton.
There's new characters in The Midnight Club
The number of children in the group from the original novel has expanded for the Netflix show. Natsuki (Aya Furukawa), Amesh (Sauriyan Sapkota) and Cheri (Adia) all didn't exist in the book and were created for the show.
The show also introduces two new adult characters who weren't in the book. Samantha Sloyan, who has previously starred in Midnight Mass, Scandal and Grey's Anatomy, plays Shasta in The Midnight Club.
Zac Gilford, who also starred in Midnight Mass, plays a new character called Mike who is a nurse at Brightcliffe and didn't exist in the book.
Brightcliffe isn't haunted in the novel
One of the biggest parts of The Midnight Club is the group uncovering all the haunted elements of the hospice.
However unlike the TV series, there really isn't much haunting going on in the novel. The only two events that could indicate a supernatural spirit are some missing toothpaste and a cold spot.
Spence hides that he has AIDS in the novel
In Netflix's series Spence having AIDS isn't a secret from his fellow hospice patients and none of them are worried he will give them HIV.
However, in the novel Spence having AIDS is a secret and he instead tells the group he is suffering from a brain tumour. Spence was in a relationship with a boy called Carl, but never told him he had AIDS for fear of losing him.
Spence then blamed himself for Carl's death who dies of AIDS, however he never finds out which of them had the illness first.
During the novel Ilonka tries to help Spence not blame himself for Carl's death.
There's only one story from the novel in the series
There are many stories told by the Midnight Club in both the book and the Netflix series, however there is only one story that is featured in both.
It's Anya's story of the 'Two Danas', but in Pike's novel the story is called 'The Devil and Dana'.
However, Mike Flanagan did incorporate the plots from Pike's other novels The Wicked Heart, Gimme a Kiss, See You Later, Witch, Road to Nowhere, and The Eternal Enemy as stories for the Midnight Club to tell each other.
The Midnight Club is available on Netflix now.
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