This week's Booking Through Thursday asks a complicated and twisted question: "Do you like books with complicated plots and unexpected endings? What book with a surprise ending is your favorite? Or your least favorite?"I do like a book with a lot of plot twists and turns and surprises. I read a lot of mysteries and thrillers and suspense stories, and I love it when they keep me guessing right up to the end. However, sometimes if a plot is too complicated, I can get bored with trying to keep up with all the developments - so I guess there's a fine line between complicated and messy.
I'd really have to think long and hard to come up with a favorite (or least favorite) surprise ending. Out of all the books I've read in the last few years, The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry is one I really enjoyed for its "twisty" story. It has surprises on almost every page, and the ending manages to bring a new perspective to everything that's happened along the way.
Certainly one of the most memorable surprise endings is to be found in Leonard Cohen's 1966 novel Beautiful Losers. It's pretty well-known (or should I say infamous?), so I don't think I'll be giving anything away (but I'll throw in a ***SPOILER*** alert just the same) when I say that the idea of the central character turning himself "into a movie of Ray Charles" was more than a little startling for me when I read the book many years ago. But I was a lot younger then and that was easily the weirdest book I had encountered at that point in my reading life. Come to think of it, it's probably one of the weirdest I've ever encountered.
I like unexpected endings!
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I am definitely adding Lace Reader to my TBR list. My answers: http://www.rundpinne.com/2010/01/booking-through-thursday-complicated.html
ReplyDeletehttp://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2010/01/booking-through-thursday-twisty.html
ReplyDeleteI like twists and turns too. I find predictable books just a little bit boring.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy complicated plots and multiple layers of meanings, but they are not necessary for me to like a book. It all depends whether I resonate with the story.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! I really liked the twists and turns in The Lace Reader, too. I usually enjoy the complicated books, but last night I was just making a point that I want a book that WON'T make me think for a change, so I guess I can get too much of a good thing :-)
ReplyDeleteYou always have such good answers! You inspire me to post more BTT posts.
ReplyDeleteI actually stopped by to let you know that the Battle of the Prizes Challenge, American Version, is up now on Rose City Reader and starts on February 1. I expanded it to start earlier and last 12 months.
It was great that you participated last year! I hope you sign up again this year.
I am also hosting a related challenge, new this year: The Battle of the Prizes, British Version. Maybe you would prefer that one instead. Or you can sign up for both!
Happy reading!