Girl, Interrupted (1999): Film vs Book

About the film

A young woman spends time in a psychiatric hospital in the sixties and meets others who help her see her life.

How close is it to the book?

The film follows the author's memoir and gives it a stronger plot than the original's fragments, with some characters made more central.

Read or watch first?

The memoir's fragmentary form is closer to real memory.

What the book gives you

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

A quick, honest and affecting read that makes you think about how we see ourselves.

Who will like it: Readers who want a candid, thoughtful memoir about youth and identity.