Booking Through Thursday is hosted by Booking Through Thursday. The Question for this Thursday is: Do you cheat and peek at the ends of books? (Come on, be honest.)
Wow, this is a great question. I mean, I am a person who hate surprises. I try to bribe my family into telling me what they got my for presents before the fact. I just hate surprises all together. So for this, you would think that I would look at the end, but that is only half-true. When it comes to books, I have to be careful with looking at the end. Some times when I read the endings of books, I never end up finishing them. One example of this is The Weight of Silence. The suspense had become too much for me and I looked at the end. Upon doing this, all of the suspense was gone and I never finished reading it. However, sometimes when I read the end or I read the summary, it makes me want to read it even more because I want to see how they got there. There are some books I can read over and over again, even knowing the ending, and others that upon knowing the ending, I can never read it again. So I have to say that it depends on the ending and whether it disappoints me or if I am okay with it.
What about you? Do you read the end before or not? Why or why not?
Margaret @ BooksPlease
March 3, 2011 at 2:34 am
That’s a good point about re-reading books, even though you know the ending, with some books that doesn’t spoil anything. Reading the ending spoils others though, such as crime fiction.
kathrynlouw
March 3, 2011 at 2:41 am
Yeah, and I usually know better than to read the ending before hand, but sometimes I just can’t help myself. Thanks for the post and the opinion!
iwriteinbooks
March 3, 2011 at 6:17 am
I am so shocked by how many people read the ends. I think I end up tossing most if not all of my books if I did that. But it seems to be a popular choice. I’m not against it for other people, just me! ;O)
RandomizeME
March 3, 2011 at 7:32 am
Hmmm… interesting points you raised
I do agree that nothing spoils reading more than finding out the ending
Here’s my Cheating (Booking Through Thursday) post!
Lisa M831
March 3, 2011 at 7:38 am
I am finding this so interesting. I think that my answer http://bookskidsanimalsandmore.blogspot.com/2011/03/booking-through-thursday.html explains why I have a hard time re-reading books
Ayanami Faerudo
March 3, 2011 at 8:47 am
Hmmm… I love surprises but only the good kind. I tend to read the endings of the books in order to know if the the hero and heroine will get together. LOL. I love my happy endings.
My answer is here @ Whatever You Can Still Betray
dragonflyy419
March 3, 2011 at 9:48 am
I didn’t think about the fact of rereading books, but even with books I reread – I read them in one order front to back. For me it’s just part of how I am – I’m a very orderly person and like to do things in specific ways.
Lindsay
March 3, 2011 at 10:12 am
I have also ruined books for myself by reading ahead, so I do try to be restrained! It’s interesting to think about which books I reread often and how the ending affects that. Some books rely so much on the anticipation of the ending for their narrative impetus that once that’s gone they fall a bit flat.
laurelrainsnow
March 3, 2011 at 10:23 am
I might take a quick peek, but to discover more and the circumstances under which I would do so, check MY BOOKING ON THURSDAY POST
Sally
March 3, 2011 at 12:03 pm
I re-read books all the time and find my enjoyment isn’t lessend by knowing what happens.
Sally.
http://theelifylop.blogspot.com/2011/03/booking-through-thursday-8.html
Mary Ann Langan
March 3, 2011 at 12:06 pm
sometimes I do look ahead, but don’t consider it cheating.
Juli @ Universe in Words
March 3, 2011 at 4:37 pm
I have the same. If I know how a book is going to end I don’t really see the point in reading the entire book, especially if I didn’t like the ending!! Hop by if you have the time:
http://universeinwords.blogspot.com/2011/03/booking-through-thursday.html
Juli @ Universe in Words