Ed Lynskey's Blog: Cracked Rearview Mirror - Posts Tagged "endings"

Yep, sure do. I saw this topic during my cyber prowls early this early morning before the rest of the civlized world awoke. I'll admit it. I do peek every now and then. To me, it doesn't ruin the story one bit. If I happen to read a spoiler, say, given in a review, it doesn't bother me. Of course, when I write my reviews, I have to be sensitive to those readers who do object. Surprise endings and twists delight me while reading, but I'm usually more interested in the character development and the prose style and other good stuff like that. Different strokes, I guess.

I run across a lot of "spoiler alerts" in email messages posted on the various boards. A reviewer will often inadvertently give away the ending in discussing a mystery, including my own published titles. I may've been guilty of putting in spoilers myself.

Readers are disappointed if they know how a book will end before they begin Chapter 1. The elements of surprise and fun are destroyed. I can understand their point. But spoilers don't bother me as much.

For instance, I just finished reading Ken Kesey's explosive debut novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I'd see the movie at the cinema in 1975, so I remembered how it ended. No biggie there. I still enjoyed reading the novel.

On the other hand, I've learned to be sensitive about spoilers for other readers. And I also have to admit it would've been an extra thrill for me to NOT know how Cuckoo's Nest ended.

By Ed Lynskey
@edlynskey
Author of Lake Charles
"Satisfying."
The Rap Sheet/Kirkus Reviews