There is a scene in the movie "You've Got Mail" where Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are looking at books at the market. Meg picks up a book and flips to the end and Tom asks her what she's doing. She replies that she likes reading the end first - if she likes the end, she knows she'll like getting there.
This is soooo something I do. Well, I'm not quite as bad. I don't read the ending first. I usually get about 50 - 100 pages into the book before I sneak a peak at the end. Usually right about the time the first major twist happens...and I just can't wait and have to flip to the end to see how things go.
This drives some people I know crazy. They think I should wait and be surprised. But hey, I am still surprised and I still enjoy getting to the ending...in fact, I might even enjoy it more because I can see how the author weaves all the twists and turns into the story since I know how it's going to end. :D
So I'm curious...how many of you are end-first readers? Do you wait to reach the end or do you flip ahead a bit?
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10 comments:
I don't do that. I did it once and regretted it. It was the final book from a YA trilogy I loved. I skipped to the end expecting to see the MC and her love interest have a happy ending. But that's not what I got. Then I had to keep reading the rest of the book knowing he died. I cried when it got to the super romantic part knowing this was as good as it was going to get.
After that, I don't peak at the end of a book that I'm reading. I prefer to wait for it to happen. Saves me from being devastrated while reading the last half of the book. This way I'm only devastated until I start reading a new book. ;)
Oh no no no. I NEVER read the end until I get there. My mom used to flip to the end all the time. Now the funny part about this is she read mostly formula romances (you know the ones where the woman is falling out of her dress?) She KNEW they were going to end up together, so why cheat and read the end?
I totally do this too, Michelle! Once I get into the book and involved with the characters, I have to know how their story ends so I can enjoy the journey there! I get so much flack from my friends for doing it though!
Glad to see I'm not the only one :)
OMG no way! I could never do that.
I do re-read sometimes though. You get the same effect.
I DO THIS lol. My friends yell at me and think I'm insane, but I have to see the ending. If I don't like it, then I'm not going to invest my time into reading the entire book. I know, it's terrible, but I can't help it. I don't want to get my heart broken unless I'm promised that it's going to get put back together.
I can't skip to the end. I have to wait.
I can't do it. I have to read start to finish. My mom is an end-first-reader.
And I do not remember that scene at all from that movie. Looks like I have a movie to add in to my marathon this weekend.
I so don't do this. I like to be surprised. Now, if I'm reading a book and really not liking it, and I'm contemplating putting it down and walking away? Then yes, I flip to the end and read it. Usually the last chapter. Then I know that I didn't miss anything and I feel satisfied moving on.
I always read a novel from beginning to end. I never jump ahead. If a book doesn't hold my interest, I won't finish reading it, but I still don't jump to the ending for those either.
I adore that movie :) Just thinking about it makes me smile.
Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)
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