Good morning! Today, on Booking on Thursday, we’re responding to this question:
Do you cheat and peek at the ends of books? (Come on, be honest.)
Okay, we’re talking serious reading behavior here! LOL
Mainly, I’ll glance at the end to see how many pages are in the book…and maybe to see the last line. But then I hastily move back to my place. I don’t want to spoil the book for myself, and knowing how it ends might just do that.
Usually the actual last line is something that doesn’t tell much. It’s all the words leading up to that last line that reveal how things end. Yesterday I finished a book that had this for a last line:
Slipping her arms around him, she took strength from the sound of his heartbeat for a poignant moment, before kissing him lightly and going back inside.
Even after reading the entire book, I decided that this line didn’t really tell me much about this couple’s future. For one thing, the kiss was “light,” and for another, she went back inside. They didn’t walk off into the sunset.
I actually like this ending, because it hints at more, but it doesn’t promise that “happily-ever-after,” which we all know is bs anyway. Right?
Or maybe you do love a happy ending. I prefer hopeful endings.
So, long story short, I prefer to be surprised by the ending, but even if I peek, I don’t necessarily know how it ends.
What about the rest of you? Peeking? Cheating, if you will? I hope you’ll stop by and share.
SNOW SPARKS 
That’s very true – sometimes just reading the last few lines doesn’t really tell you much about the book as a whole. And endings that wrap everything up too neatly can be very annoying!
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I agree, Joy…thanks for stopping by.
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I never, well hardly ever, peek at the endings. I do always check to see how many pages are in a book, but I don’t read the ending, well unless it is a boring book and I’m not going to read it anyway, then I may peek at the end, but I hardly ever do that either, if it is so boring I can’t stand to read the book, I really don’t care how it ends. WOW… that sentence is way to long, I should break it up, oh well you get the meaning… ; )
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Ha-ha! That is definitely a mouthful, but conveys very clearly how you feel. I can relate to all of that. Thanks for stopping by, Gigi Ann.
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Not a sneak peeker unless I am giving up on the book then I will go to the end to see if I can figure out what happens.
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That makes sense…thanks for stopping by, Nise.
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sometimes I look ahead,but I don’t consider it cheating.
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Yes, the word “cheating” makes it seem kind of sleazy, doesn’t it? Thanks for stopping by, Mary Ann.
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I’ll check the number of pages in a book, especially if it is boring, but I won’t ever read the ending … for me it totally disrupts my reading flow even if the last sentence doesn’t give away anything.
BTW beautiful last sentence you put up there.
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Thanks, Dragonfly…and yes, your reasons for not peeking make sense.
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I don’t like suprise endings and I like them to be full on happy. I think this probably says something about me as a person but I can’t help it, it’s the way I feel.
Sally.
http://theelifylop.blogspot.com/2011/03/booking-through-thursday-8.html
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I guess that I want happy endings, in the sense that I hope they’re not terribly sad….but hopeful is better to me.
Thanks for stopping by, Sally.
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I peek, guess why:
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It’s kind of a mixed bag, isn’t it? It’s really interesting to see what everyone says…thanks for stopping by, mostraum.
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Can’t look, would ruin it for me!
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Good policy…besides, the whole heart of the story is between the beginning and the end, so peeking at the end won’t really tell everything. Thanks for stopping by, Social Frog.
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It’s great to be surprised at the end (as the author intended)
Here’s my Cheating (Booking Through Thursday) post!
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Thanks, RandomizeMe…glad you have a policy that works for you, and thanks for stopping by.
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I never peek at the ending. Being a suspense and mystery fan it would really ruin it for me.
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Peeking in a mystery would definitely ruin it! Thanks for stopping by, Yvonne.
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I think you’re right about the last line not telling us much. Or, does it? John Irving has said that he comes up with the last line of his novels first and then writes for years toward that end. Interesting…
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
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Hmm, that’s interesting, Karen…I know that I do work very hard on that last line. I want it to be just as good as the first one. But I don’t have the actual line in my head from the beginning…maybe the philosophical ending, though.
Thanks for stopping by.
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