Jackie says, “I love books with complicated plots and unexpected endings. What is your favourite book with a fantastic twist at the end?”
So, today’s question is in two parts.
1. Do YOU like books with complicated plots and unexpected endings?
2. What book with a surprise ending is your favorite? Or your least favorite?
I’m not really sure what kind of endings I prefer. I think it depends on what genre of books I’m reading. When it comes to Romance books I prefer happy and neatly tied up endings, but then again I did love Love Story and Gone with the Wind.
I would like to think I like unexpected endings, take for e.g. My Sisters Keeper. That was totally not what I was expecting but I loved it. I’m sure there are books where I haven’t liked the turn the plot has taken but can’t seem to recall anything at the moment.
I don’t usually like complicated plots. I don’t have a lot of patience with them. I used to get only half an hour to read everyday. A complicated plot means trying to recall everything I’ve read a day before and too many breaks which is definitely not appealing. But then again I did love The Da Vinci Code which was complicated to me as I’m not a Christian. I had to struggle with basic concepts too.
See? I told you. I’m a very confused person or maybe I just don’t have a preference unless the ending and the plot is smooth flowing and not an attempt to be deliberately shocking.
But there is one kind of ending I absolutely DO NOT like. The ones that are incomplete.
What about you?
Book-Shelved 
I agree it has to depend on the genre. And ooh, I loved My Sister’s Keeper! I think the ending was just right, though I’ve heard mixed reviews on it.
BTW, love your new layout! :
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Yup…my sister’s keeper is great!! I don’t like the way it was written…using ‘I’ for every character is so not my style…but the ending makes me love the book
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You don’t sound confused to me – you sound just like me. I think you are the first person (other than myself) that hasn’t been enamoured with complicated plots and surprise endings. I put it down to my lack of patience, but I don’t really want to spend the whole book wondering what is going on.
You are the second person to mention to the twist at the end of My Sisters Keeper and I am glad that you mentioned it because that is definitely one of the really good twists in a book that was celver and I was genuinely surprised by.
My response is here
http://pageturnersbooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/booking-through-thursday-twisty.html
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I don’t want every book I read to have a surprise ending, but when it happens, I almost always enjoy it.
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Ido not think you are confused, rather you hve a diverse range of books you enjoy. My answers are here: http://www.rundpinne.com/2010/01/booking-through-thursday-complicated.html
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My Sisters Keeper is an excellent answer, I thought great twist also.
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I do like twists and turns and unexpected endings. I’m like you, though, I don’t like ambiguous endings most of the time.
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What do you consider an incomplete ending?
Here is mine
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incomplete in the sense leaving the main threads of the story incomplete so that there is a scope for a sequel. I see that happening a lot lately with so many sequels out there. If someone wants to write a sequel at least complete the current plot. It really frustrates me 🙂
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How funny! When I first read the question, My Sister’s Keeper was the book that popped in mind! I love being surprised.
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I don’t have anything against unexpected endings as long as they are satisfying . I just wrote a contradictory statement. Didn’t I ? 🙂
First book that pops into my head is Her Fearful Symmetry. That book did leave thinking ‘ what just happened ?’ . Not in a nice way . My Sister’s Keeper too was in similar vein but I think , there I was able to accept the ending not like Her Fearful Symmetry.
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I love My Sister’s Keeper too!
I like all my books complicated and twisty, no matter what the genre. I think Gone with the Wind is a fantastic example of how a romance can work with an unconventional ending. Great answer!
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You made some really great points! I would hate a chick lit book that was full of twisty complicated turns – I want my romance tied up neatly at the end!
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Yes, I like book that has complicated plots and surprising ending. So far haven’t had a book that I really like based on such preference.
BTW, my blog is having a giveaway, feel free to participate.
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I am also confused about this one. Can’t really figure out what I like/ don’t like!
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I hate the incomplete ones too. If I wanted to make up my own ending I just would have come up with my own story too!
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Sometimes an incomplete plot can work as an ending.
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I’m with you on this. It would depends on the genre. 🙂
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Oh, I have to agree with you on incomplete endings. I hate it when a book leaves you hanging, or if there’s some thing that they’d made a big deal of, but then never explain it. I think that’s some of what made me hate The Darkest Evening of the Year. The whole business of the monster or what ever looking at them, then they’d turn and there was nothing there, what was that? Koontz NEVER explained that. It still annoys me.
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