Maisie Garvin
Launched on Christmas Day, Netflix’s new eight-part series, Bridgerton, has been viewed by 63 million of us. Over two decades since the publication of the book that the programme is adapted from, it leads to the question of how influential the power of the small screen truly is on book sales and the publishing industry.
The regency romance is the fifth largest Netflix original launch of all time
The popularity of Bridgerton has been immense, and if Netflix’s numbers are to be trusted then the regency romance is the fifth largest Netflix original launch of all time. It seems to have revived the period drama on screen with fans praising the series on all forms of social media. Perhaps its popularity is due to the inclusion of modern music in a classical manner, as viewers watch the characters dance ballroom to chart songs such as Ariana Grande’s thank u, next adapted by the Vitamin String Quartet. Or, people are simply impressed by its inclusive cast, something the series producer Shonda Rhimes is being praised for.
The series Bridgerton is adapted from the novel, The Duke and I, by New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn and was published in 2000 by HarperCollins. What is amazing to see, however, is that the show has escalated interest in the book series, where each book focuses on a sibling of the Bridgerton family, all of whom are featured within the Netflix drama. In fact, the sales escalated so much that the Duke and I reached number one on the New York Times Bestseller list, the first time it had made the list in twenty-one years.
Turns out, Bridgerton fans can't get enough of this incredible world…
— Netflix (@netflix) January 11, 2021
The Duke and I has reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list while The Viscount Who Loved Me and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton are also in the Top 10 — the first time any of the books have made the list! pic.twitter.com/nf9CeOusgK
Julia Quinn’s book series is only set to become more popular with avid fans wanting to read the whole series in anticipation for the release of new seasons by Netflix. It is undoubtable that a screen adaption can do wonders for an author and its publishing company. Perhaps seen best in that currently, it is almost impossible to purchase a copy of a book. The Duke and I is out of stock on all major book buying websites, including Amazon and Waterstones. In fact, laughably, there is one seller on amazon trying to sell their copy of it for just under £150!
The power of the screen cannot be understated in turning a relatively successful book series into a global phenomenon
Although we can question whether anybody would actually forge out a big sum of money to buy the novel, the power of the screen cannot be understated in turning a relatively successful book series into a global phenomenon.
Maisie Garvin
Featured image courtesy of Diogo Nunes via Unsplash.com. Image licensing can be found here. Article image courtesy of @bridgertononnetflix via instagram.com.
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Great Read !!