Why BookTok can’t separate fiction from fiction when it comes to It Ends With Us

For many of us, we grew up watching Blake Lively and her envious blonde locks as party girl Serena Van Der Woodsen on the cult show Gossip Girl.

Since then, she’s starred in action movies like Green Lantern (where she met now-husband Ryan Reynolds), escaped from a killer shark in The Shallows and lived eight decades at 29 years old in The Age of Adeline.

But it’s her lead role in one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year – the screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends With Us, which premieres in UK cinemas today – that has been at the centre of BookTok controversy.

From the moment Colleen announced Blake would be playing fan-favourite character Lily Bloom, a 23-year-old college graduate who moves to Boston and falls into an abusive relationship, in January 2023, those who loved the book were not happy with the casting.

It’s not that the book community doesn’t adore Blake – who couldn’t? It’s that she’s 36, a whole 13 years older than Lily, and she’s blonde where Lily is ginger. Not to mention that the actress looks womanly and accomplished, while Lily is meant to look fragile and hopeful.

The early scenes photographed during filming also showcased some questionable outfits, which fans felt didn’t align with the novel.

Instead, book lovers felt that the likes of Sadie Sink or Abigail Cowen would have been better suited for the role, causing widespread upset and sparking a ‘Not Our Lily’ campaign on TikTok.

User Dannii said: ‘I love Blake but she wasn’t my Lily. Abigail is the Lily I imagined.’

Alessandra also shared on TikTok: ‘I madly love the Gossip Girl actress, but I don’t see her at all as Lily, unfortunately. For me she will always be Serena.’

While Millie Craven added: ‘Sorry, but has Colleen even read her books cause that’s not Lily.’

So, why do we get so attached to the version of our favourite book characters that we create in our own heads?

Psychologist Dr Lalitaa Sungali tells Metro: ‘As humans, we naturally form attachments to the characters in books because they become vessels for our own emotions, desires, and experiences – almost like reflections from our inner world.

‘When we read, we engage in a deeply personal and immersive experience that allows us to create our own interpretations of characters using our imagination.’

Dr Sungali also explains that this attachment to how we picture them can be particularly strong when we resonate with their experiences.

Therefore, when a book we love in adapted into a film, the casting can shatter the carefully constructed illusions we’ve built and become attached to in our minds.

‘This happens because each reader has a unique vision of what characters look and act like, shaped by their personal interpretations and imagination,’ Dr Sungali adds.

‘When a film fails to match these expectations, it can feel like a personal loss or it can lead to a disappointment in the reality versus fantasy we had created – so what we had envisioned versus the reality of what is.’

The discrepancy between the imagined character and the on-screen portrayal can be jarring, leading to disappointment or even anger because we feel a sense of ownership over the stories we’ve experienced.

It wasn’t just the casting of Lily Bloom people struggled with. Jane The Virgin’s Justin Baldoni was cast as her abusive love interest Ryle, while fans of the book felt someone like Theo James would’ve been a better fit.

And It Ends With Us isn’t the only book-to-film adaptation that upset its fans. Back in 2015, Cara Delevingne’s casting as Margo in John Green’s coming-of-age novel Paper Towns wasn’t well received either.

Literature expert William Green tells Metro that another case of backlash came with the adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.

‘When Jennifer Lawrence was cast as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games fans were initially sceptical, arguing that she didn’t match their vision of the character.

‘However, Lawrence’s performance won over many critics and fans, showing that initial doubts can often be overcome.’

And this is what can often happen when you bring a book to life on the big screen.

‘When a film casts an actor who doesn’t fit this personal image, many fans eventually come around to the idea of the actual actors once they see the performance,’ William adds.

‘Initial reactions can be intense, but ultimately people often embrace the new portrayal once they see the characters brought to life in a fresh way.

‘It’s all part of the fascinating journey of blending the old with the new and sharing stories with a wider audience.’

We’ve already seen this a little on the It Ends With Us press tour, with Blake being passionately received by fans who adore her floral outfits – each an ode to Lily Blossom Bloom’s flower shop referenced in the book.

Ultimately, there’s always going to be pressure from BookTok around how characters should be portrayed – there’s already fan castings for the TV adaptation of A Court of Thorns and Roses, as well as the series adaptation of fantasy favourite Fourth Wing.

If we don’t get what we want, it can take a while to come round. Dr Sungali says: ‘The investment in these characters can be so profound that we feel a genuine sense of loss or longing, despite knowing they are not real. This emotional connection is a testament to the power of storytelling and our need for meaningful connections.’

With the film finally hitting UK cinemas today, only time will tell if BookTok regrets its ‘Not Our Lily’ campaign – or if Blake Lively’s performance proves sceptics right.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

MORE : Domestic violence charity warns over ‘dangerous’ triggering content in It Ends With Us

MORE : Ryan Reynolds confirms gender of fourth child after revealing unique Nordic-inspired name

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.