It can often be difficult to separate a book from its adaptation, and even more so when both are released at roughly the same time. Such was the case for The 100, the first book in Kass Morgan’s young adult series which is now making a splash on television with the CW series (airing on E4 in the UK.) As a viewer of the TV series, it is difficult to judge the book without making reference to the TV show, considering the improvements the adaptation made along with what it neglected to include. As a separate entity, the book of The 100 is an easy, engaging, if not particularly remarkable read. In a comparison to the TV show, it’s one of those rare cases where the adaptation wins out.
Taken separately from the TV series, The 100 is not in any way perfect, but is nevertheless a nice read. The language and developments are simple to follow, but engaging enough to not lose interest. The characters, principally Clarke, Wells, and Bellamy, are well-rounded, complex individuals with their own views on morality, while non-viewpoint characters such as Octavia are also given enough development and personality that one could hope they receive point-of-view chapters of their own in future books.
But The 100 falls down in a number of places, and that is chiefly found with the use of flashbacks. We shouldn’t compare this book to the TV show too much, but the latter used their flashbacks sparingly and only when necessary. The book seems to employ them in almost every chapter, so that the effect starts to get tired and tedious. Morgan has a great story, but does not explore the various methods available to her in telling it, and there are more inventive ways of revealing a character’s backstory.
The other major failing with The 100 is with the character of Glass, and the fact that her character and storyline were cut from the TV show may be telling here. There is nothing wrong with Glass’ story, but it is so separate from what is happening on Earth, with Clarke, Wells, and Bellamy’s stories being so intertwined, that it just feels entirely out of place. Apart from a few references to knowing Wells and Clarke, Glass’ story feels like an entirely different book.
For fans of the TV show, Glass’ addition isn’t the only surprise. Important characters like Murphy, Raven, Jasper and Finn are not present at all in the book, and the reasons for Clarke’s confinement are very different. Also, the climax of this first book can be found in the first episode of the TV show. The show moves at a lightning pace, having developed both in terms of story and characterisation far beyond the novel. The book is far more concerned with revealing the history of these characters, with the subsequent action sure to follow in the second book.
The 100 is a decent, if not incredible book, and a worthwhile read to anyone interested in the genre. Our only advice is, if you are a fan of the TV show, try as hard as possible to treat the book as a separate entity, because the changes between the two are so numerous it becomes distracting.