What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedVagabond
Agnès Varda · Film · 1985
If you loved Vagabond, start with Vagabond (Gerald Seymour, 2015) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Vagabond across media.
What hooked you in Vagabond was the way the uncompromising pursuit of personal freedom leads to an inevitable, haunting social alienation.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Vagabond
Yoo In-sik · Series · 2019
Books on the same thread
Les Misérables
Victor Hugo · Book · 1987
Explores: Redemption, Social injustice, Poverty.
If Vagabond hit, Les Misérables shares the thread.
Les Miserables. Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo · Book · 2012
Explores: Redemption, Social Injustice, Poverty.
If Vagabond hit, Les Miserables. Victor Hugo shares the thread.
Madame Bovary
Gustave Flaubert · Book · 1993
Explores: Boredom and ennui, Romantic disillusionment, Adultery and infidelity.
Like the protagonist of Vagabond, Emma Bovary struggles against the limitations of her environment, finding that her desperate search for a meaningful existence leads only to profound disillusionment and decline.
The Stranger (L'Étranger)
Albert Camus · Book · 1942
Explores: Absurdity of Life, Alienation, Indifference.
If the detached, wandering spirit of Mona in Vagabond resonated with you, you will appreciate Meursault’s similar indifference to societal expectations and his ultimate alienation from the world around him.
Series on the same thread
Fleabag
Phoebe Waller-Bridge · Series · 2016
Explores: grief, female protagonist, fourth wall breaks.
The fierce, self-destructive independence seen in Vagabond is mirrored here, as Fleabag navigates her own existential crisis while crashing against the rigid expectations of the society she inhabits.
Breaking Bad
Vince Gilligan · Series · 2008
Explores: Moral Decay, Man Breaking Bad, Consequences of Crime.
Much like the trajectory of Mona in Vagabond, this series explores the dark consequences of choosing a path of total autonomy, revealing the moral decay that follows such defiance.
Weeds
Jenji Kohan · Series · 2005
Explores: Single Motherhood, Moral Ambiguity, Criminal Enterprise.
The precarious survival of the protagonist echoes the transient life of Mona in Vagabond, showing how a woman forced into the margins must navigate dangerous new realities to survive.
Godless
Scott Frank · Series · 2017
Explores: Female solidarity, Outlaw redemption, Revenge.
If you were drawn to the feminist focus and the harsh realities of the female experience in Vagabond, you will value this story of women forging their own paths.
Podcasts on the same thread
Dooms
Podcast
Explores: Personal Reflections, Introspection, Identity.
If Vagabond hit, Dooms shares the thread.
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
If Vagabond hit, The Archers shares the thread.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 1985 movie Vagabond based on the 2015 book Vagabond?
No, the 1985 film Vagabond directed by Agnès Varda is an original work that precedes the 2015 book Vagabond. While they share a title, they are separate projects and the film is not an adaptation of that specific book.
Is the 2019 TV series Vagabond a remake of the 1985 movie Vagabond?
The 2019 TV series Vagabond is not a remake or adaptation of the 1985 movie Vagabond. Despite sharing the same title, the television show and the film are distinct productions with different storylines and creative origins.
How does the 1985 movie Vagabond begin?
The movie Vagabond begins with the discovery of the protagonist, Mona Bergeron, found dead in a frozen ditch in the French countryside. The remainder of the film utilizes flashbacks to depict the weeks leading up to her death as she travels through the region.
What is the central theme of the 1985 film Vagabond?
The central theme of Vagabond is the conflict between freedom and comfort. The protagonist, Mona, is characterized by her fierce independence and her choice to prioritize a nomadic lifestyle over the stability and comfort offered by the people she encounters during her travels.