Lindsay Ocal

The book was just ok, not great. I definitely did not think it would make a good tv show or movie - the story lacked real substance or depth. I watched the show because it has such a great cast, and I was curious how they'd portray the story. Like the book, it was just ok, not great. Half of the characters' back stories were glossed over, so it's hard to understand why they're there. Some things were added to lengthen the story and some things were taken out, so the series feels both drawn out and monotonous, but also rushed/forced. The cast is good, except for Nicole Kidman as Masha. The book's Masha is a strong, confident woman with an athletic build and strong Russian accent. Nicole Kidman's Masha is ethereal and waif-like, with a terrible and soft fake Russian accent. I like Nicole Kidman, but she was totally wrong for this role.