As an author, Colleen Hoover has gained national recognition for her books. Some of her popular titles include “Verity,” “Ugly Love,” “Reminders of Him” and the most popular one, “It Ends With Us,” which was turned into a movie eight years later. 

With a total gross box office of $107 million as well as being in the top three movies during the weekend of August 16-18, “It Ends With Us” has sparked a lot of controversy between the book lovers and the movie goers. Although both mediums are suitable in their own right, the connection between the two has been lost in translation. One of the biggest letdowns for book lovers was the motifs you would not understand or see if you just watched the movie.

In the book, three motifs are essential to the plotline:

• Tattoo: In both the movie and the book, Lily has a tattoo on her left collarbone that is the shape of a heart. It symbolizes the heart that Atlas, her first love, carves for her. However, in the movie, you only understand that the tattoo is in honor of Atlas, and that’s it. The book goes into more detail about why she got the tattoo and the significance of the placement. The tattoo was located on her collarbone to show where Atlas would kiss her all of the time. This was lost in the movie, so the tattoo makes sense, but you don’t get the whole story. I feel tattoo placements also hold significance, so I was disappointed when I saw that they weren’t explicitly stated in the movie.

• Just Keep Swimming: Atlas and Lily watch “Ellen” and “Finding Nemo” regularly in the book. When times get tough, they both tell each other to “just keep swimming.” This is important because it’s what makes their relationship unique from others. In the movie, the only mention of “Ellen” is when it is playing in the background when Lily stays with Atlas after Ryle, her abusive husband, bit her. The connection to “Dory” and “Finding Nemo” is never mentioned in the movie, which upset many book lovers. However, for people who have just watched the film, it fits the period of 2016.

• The Magnet: In the book, a magnet is extremely important to the plotline. Atlas joins the military. Lily was devastated, but he returned for her 16th birthday. His birthday gift to her was a magnet saying, “Better in Boston.” This signified that he was going to live in Boston after his time was up in the military. So if Lily wanted to find him, she could. In the movie, there is never a mention of any magnet whatsoever. In fact, one of the significant differences between the book and the film is the name of Atlas’s restaurant. In the book, the restaurant is called “BIBs,” an acronym for Better In Boston. However, in the movie, the restaurant is called “Roots,” in reference to a moment they shared about the strength of an oak tree when they were younger.

Whether you are in a “Team Movie” or “Team Book,” the story itself sheds light on domestic violence and how to break the cycle. So, whether you are an adamant book lover or a die-hard movie watcher, I recommend reading and watching this story.