Psychological thriller “The Housemaid” written by Freida McFadden has taken the book world by storm, and has been adapted into a film with lead actors like Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney. With the story moving from page to screen, many fans have begun comparing the two versions to see which one captures the suspense and complexity of the story better.
The novel stands out because it goes much more in depth than the film. Through the alternating perspectives of Millie and Nina, readers are able to understand the characters’ thoughts, motivations, and secrets with details and complexity that the movie cannot fully depict. According to senior Neil Panchal, who first experienced the story through the book, the storytelling structure was one of the strongest parts of the novel.
“I liked the dual perspective storytelling, switching between Millie and Nina, which the film just was not able to capture,” Panchal said.
While the movie follows the main storyline, several details were either changed or left out. One example involves Nina’s daughter, Cecelia. In the book, Cecelia secretly understands that if she disobeys Andrew, her mother might disappear. This reveals that she never actually liked Andrew as her “father” and only obeyed him to protect her mom. That small but significant detail adds another layer to the story, showing how fear and manipulation affects even the youngest character in the household. However, this part of the plot was not fully explored or even shown in the movie.
The film also changes certain events to make the story more dramatic on screen. One major difference involved Andrew Winchester’s fate. In the book, he is locked in the attic and eventually dies there, which fits the darker psychological tone of the novel. In the movie, the story ends with a tense chase scene, where he dies from being pushed off of a spiral staircase.
“You feel the panic of being chased,” Panchal said, explaining that the visuals and music made the moment much more nerve-racking.
From a film perspective, the movie succeeds in creating suspense and keeping viewers engaged. Film enthusiast, senior Mimi Munshi said the story quickly grabbed her attention because of how it plays with audience expectations.
“It was definitely effectively misleading…I love surprises, and this movie executed one exceptionally well,” Munshi said.
Munshi also praised Amanda Seyfried’s performance as Nina, saying her acting helped make the twists more impactful.
Personally, while I believe the book is better because it goes deeper into the story and includes more details that make the plot feel richer and more complex, I still really enjoyed the movie. I thought Amanda Seyfried played her role extremely well, and her performance added a lot of emotion to the character. Watching the story unfold on screen was exciting, and the film’s pacing made it feel very entertaining and thrilling.
In the end, both versions of The Housemaid are great in their own ways. The book provides more depth and complexity and is a simple read that has you hooked from the beginning. I truly read it in one day and couldn’t put it down. However, the movie offers a faster, more suspenseful experience. Whether someone prefers reading or watching, in both the movie and book the story remains thrilling.
*Opinions expressed in this article represent the views of the editorial staff and not necessarily those of the school population or administration.
