The 6 Biggest ‘Maxton Hall’ Book Changes in Season 2 So Far
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers from Maxton Hall — The World Between Us Season 2, Episodes 1-3.]
Maxton Hall Season 1 hardly deviated from the book it’s based on, Mona Kasten’s Save Me. Ruby (Harriet Herbig-Matten) and James’ (Damian Hardung) enemies-to-lovers, private school-set romance hit all of the major points that the book did, right up until its ending. The new second season, on the other hand, has already surprised book readers more than once, and it’s only three episodes in.
We couldn’t wait to find out what Ruby and James were in for, so we devoured Kasten’s sequel novel, Save You, as soon as it was translated from German to English. (You can check out Swooon‘s plot guide.) Almost right off the bat, we noticed that though its faithful to the essence of Kasten’s book, the Prime Video show took a different approach to quite a few characters and storylines, especially when it comes to James.
Keep reading for the most major book changes in Season 2, and check back for updates as we add to the list as more episodes drop. Let us know what you think of the book-to-screen adjustments that the show has made so far in the comments below!
Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, Season 2, Episodes 1-3, Streaming Now, Prime Video
Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, Season 2, Episode 4, November 14, Prime Video
Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, Season 2, Episode 5, November 21, Prime Video
Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, Season 2, Episode 6, November 28, Prime Video
James' Car Crash
After his mother’s funeral in Episode 1, James’ car crash is a major catalyst for him realizing that he needs to change. In the show, when his dad (Fedja van Huêt) tells James that he’s nothing but a disappointment, James runs away from the gravesite, steals a car, and speeds away. Erratic, James tries to call Ruby, who doesn’t pick up, and he winds up flipping the car and going to the hospital.
In the book, no such thing happens. The scene ends with James and Lydia (played by Sonja Weißer in the show), supporting each other. James is reminded that he needs to be there for his sister, though he’s still pushing her away at that point. After the funeral, James decides to stop drinking on his own, and he starts excessively working out to cope and ignore his darker thoughts.
Aunt Ophelia's Involvement
Episode 1 also shakes things up by increasing Aunt Ophelia’s — the sister of the twins’ late mother — presence. In the show, Ophelia (Dagny Dewath) approaches her niece and nephew at the funeral. We find out that the twins thought Ophelia didn’t want anything to do with them, but she reveals that she wasn’t allowed to see them. Once Mortimer approaches and reams her out for being a “leech,” she snaps that the “leech” title actually belongs to him, and they’ll see how things shake out at the reading of Cordelia’s will.
From there on out, Ophelia continues to appear. When James crashes the car, it’s Ophelia who witnesses it and calls for an ambulance. At the hospital, she even has a heated interaction with Mortimer, revealing that Cordelia was in touch with her before her death. She’s going to keep an eye on James and Lydia from then on.
In the book, Lydia only spots Ophelia briefly at the funeral, but her dad steers her away before they can exchange words. James later tells Ruby that Mortimer won’t allow him or Lydia to reach out to their aunt, and that’s the last mention of her for the rest of the novel.
James' Therapy Journey
In Episode 2, one of James’ nurses gives him a therapist’s business card, which James eventually uses. Episode 3 opens with James talking to a professional about losing Ruby and revealing that he wants to change. He’s doing exactly what Ruby asked him to do in Episode 1: get help. He’s doing the work not only for himself, but for her.
In the book, James does take action to earn Ruby’s forgiveness, but therapy isn’t one of them. He doesn’t get any professional help before they get back together.
Gala Obstacles & Alice Campbell's Involvement
In the show, James takes action to get back into Ruby’s good graces by helping her raise money for a charity gala. Earlier, Ruby submitted a concept for the Campbell Foundation’s annual fundraiser, offering to throw it at Maxton Hall, and the Campbell Foundation accepted. The only downside? They have to come up with $40,000 to throw the event on school grounds. As a result, Ruby comes up with the idea to get artists to donate their works and auction them off to attendees, and she gets the majority of the money that way. James secures the rest through his connections.
In the book, they don’t have to raise any money at all. In fact, the school’s PTA gives them a “huge budget” to work with. The book’s gala also isn’t an event for Alice Campbell’s (played by Proschat Madani in the show) foundation. They’re raising money for a totally different mental health organization. Alice is involved in the gala, but it’s only because James gets her to sign on as a speaker, knowing that Ruby admires her.
Oh, and the ballroom isn’t destroyed by a fire like it is in the show. James and the lacrosse team do save the day when the decorators don’t arrive to help set up, though.
Mr. Sutton's Promotion
Similar to the show so far, Lydia keeps her pregnancy a secret from Mr. Sutton (Eidin Jalali), the teacher she had an affair with. They also cut contact for most of the story. One big change in the adaptation, however, is that Mr. Sutton is promoted to Maxton Hall’s Deputy Principal in Episode 3, which gives Lydia more reason to keep her distance from him.
James' Gala Speech
James’ grand gesture for Ruby comes in Episode 3, when he opens up to the gala crowd about his struggle with grief. Ruby gets emotional while James talks about how he pushed away the people he cares about (including the woman he loves), but now he’s ready to love again. His dad is in attendance, and he angrily takes James away before he and Ruby can exchange too many words.
As you probably already guessed, this scene doesn’t happen in the book. Since James doesn’t go on a therapy journey in the book, he doesn’t make any speech about working on himself once the gala occurs. However, James does have a pivotal conversation with Ruby there, explaining that she doesn’t need to forgive him or get back together with him. He tells her that he just wants her in his life, and they hug it out. It’s still a major turning point for them.
