The Buccaneers

The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton is a classic about 5 young American girls on the marriage mart who wind up becoming societal power players. And a recent show on Appletv!

The book certainly had me feeling differently about characters than the show did. Particularly Theo.

In the show, I really liked him! He is sweet and really cares about Nan. The show made me want Nan to fall for him, I love a marriage of convenience trope! Then Jinny and Guy could fall for each other in Little Women fashion- the MMC thinks he is hopelessly in love with the FMC but then finds happiness with the sister. I hate the idea that she only married him to use him. He deserves better!

But then… I read the book. And Book Theo SUCKS! He is described as boring and he and Nan are unhappy pretty much the entire time. In the show, Theo cares for Nan and appreciates who she is. In the book, he marries her because of her youth and his perceived ability to mold her and is threatened by her as she gets older and develops her own mind.

Conchita is just as livley in the book but she does not have a loving marriage like she does in the show. She avoids Richard when she can and seeks companionship in other men.

The book didn’t focus on Lizzy or Mabel as much but I’m hoping the show particularly has Lizzy’s marriage a happy one. Lizzy seems to be the most content aside from Nan at the end.

The show also has the audience going back and forth between rooting for Nan to be with Guy or Theo, but the book has you rooting for Guy the whole time.

While the book is not as feminist or modern as the show, its central heart of the story is the love and friendship between the young women. Each of the women find fulfillment outside of the men in their lives with each other and root for one another always. This isn’t a classic romance where everyone gets a happy ending but it’s a beautiful exploration of how happiness and love don’t come easily and makes us appreciate the rarity of it.