As a lover of Patchett's novel, I hesitated to watch it brought to screen (I didn't realize she was one of the producers). But I found this engaging and emotionally true to the novel, if, as almost inevitably happens, not quite the complete novel. The essential themes of people discovering each other under unpromising circumstances and the universal power of art (albeit a tad idealized here) come through and the evolution of the various relationships is developed believably. The savagery in the novel is all the more vivid here for being on-camera, but so is the fun and the complicity that devolops. I honestly can't say how effective it would be for someone who hasn't read Pathcett's (wonderful) book, but I found it satisfyinf overal..
