Twist

I just finished a popular novel written by a popular author, and that has been made into a popular movie. Most people who've heard of the book/movie knows that there is a twist at the end. Even the brief description on the back of the book says "and so-and-so isn't who he really is".

After finishing the book I've decided I concretely hate twist endings. Even the most well done ones (like the just finished book) don't seem that clever to me.

First, it seems the author is afraid the reader can't commit to the fairy story created and so gives and easy out. Think "Life of Pi". There were moments of complete magic and crafted well enough that I could accept what I was reading, even though I knew it couldn't happen in real life. probably. But then there was the escape hatch for the realist at the end.

Second, I don't like committing myself to a character, hating or loving him, and then 300 pages later, find out that none of him is real. All those emotions that I went through were for nothing. Most good novels are worth at least a second read. I want to study my faulty hero again, what did I miss, what more should I feel. But a novel with a twist? Why bother?

Last week LOST ended it's six year run. A lot of people were disappointed because all the mystery's of the island were not revealed. I'm glad they weren't. I think some major twist and escape routes would need to be created to end the show on time. Instead, despite all the weird twist that happened DURING the show, the characters ended true to the fashion that they began. And I'd be happy to take the journey with them again.

I won't tell you the book I just read, just in case you've been thinking of reading it, and didn't know there was a twist ending. Just don't wait in anticipation for me to write a twist/dream/face story anytime soon.