Happy or Sad Ending?

I've been getting a little more reading done recently and it got me to thinking about what kind of ending I like to see in a book, which of course made me wonder what kind of ending my friends prefer.

One of my all time favorite books is "Gone With The Wind". Guess I related just a little too much with Scarlett (yes, we are both selfish bitches). What a wild romance Rhett and Scarlett had and what a strong and independent woman Scarlett could be when she set her mind to it. When a sequel came out a while ago, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it to see how the author would finish the story. The original story has Rhett walking out on Scarlett saying "frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" leaving Scarlett in tears but finding a resolve to get Rhett back, that "tomorrow is another day" pledging to return to her home Tara to regain her strength. Boy, can I relate!

So the sequel comes along and has this wonderful happy ending with Rhett and Scarlett finding their way back to each other. I couldn't believe how disappointed I was with this happy ending! I felt like the power of GWTW had been stolen from me. So I guess I can say that I don't always want or like a happy ending.

On closer examination, I have decided what really sells me on a book are the characters, not the ending. If I can get totally involved with the characters, both their faults and strengths, then I guess it really doesn't matter how the book ends. Take for example one of my all time favorites, John Irving's "The World According to Garp". It has a very tragic ending and yet, there is a hope to it that I can't quite explain. You could say the same about "The Hotel New Hampshire".

I recently finished reading "Vanishing Acts" by Jody Picoult. I have enjoyed many of her books. This one had a great ending. Rather happy I guess, but also left many little loose ends. I loved the character development so when not everything was totally resolved, I realized how much I liked the ending because it allowed me to use my imagination to create more about the characters.

A friend of mine recently shared that when she reads a book, she always reads the last chapter long before she has read the rest of the book. She says she can then enjoy the story more as it develops because she already knows how the story ends so she can concentrate on how the book was written and develops. An interesting idea but not one I would do during my reading. I prefer to see if the ending has an unusual or interesting twist to it. Some books have truly surprised me. It might not have been the ending I hoped for, but still if it takes me by surprise, I'm still pleased.

Ah, I think I have another topic brewing, comparing books to their screenplays!

Happy Reading!

PS, I think I know what Widow with Dog's answer will be!