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Cliffhanger Endings

Posted by Izzy G. on Tuesday, May 17, 2011
It's happened to all of us. You're approaching the end of a book, waiting for everything to resolve itself and have all the loose ends tied up when - bam! Cliffhanger ending. The book finishes, and you have no way to find out what happens next without reading the sequel.

The question is, do you find the cliffhanger a good thing or a bad thing?

Back when I mostly read older releases, I liked cliffhangers. They made me eagerly pick up the next one and tear through that, then read that book's cliffhanger, and move on to the next book, all the way down the series. There was something satisfying about finding out something you're craving to know.

But now, most of the books I read are recent releases, and I can't pick up the next book for, on average, a year. In these cases, a cliffhanger ending frustrates me because the suspense it gives doesn't last for an entire year, but makes me unsatisfied with the resolution given.

What do you think? Cliffhangers or no cliffhangers?

6 comments:

Jillian said...

I think cliffhangers definitely add something exciting to a story so I understand why they're there. Sometimes, it's nice when they're there, but for purely selfish reasons I HATE THEM. haha.

May 17, 2011 at 2:06 AM
We Heart YA said...

I think every book needs to have resolution, otherwise it's not a book. It's half a book, or a third of a book, or whatever. A book is supposed to be a complete story.

HOWEVER. That story might be part of a larger story. So the trick is to give the reader enough resolution, but still have them eager to read more.

It's tricky, and I think a partial cliffhanger (so that one part of the story is resolved, but one part is left hanging) might work. It all depends on how the author executes it.

May 17, 2011 at 5:19 AM
kaye (paper reader) said...

I just finished THE GATHERING yesterday and it just ended like I should be able to turn the page and continue reading yet there was nothing else. I am interested in reading the next one but I'm a bit put off at the bizarre stopping point.

I agree with We Heart YA above - some things should have an ending, but just enough should be left to make you curious for more.

May 17, 2011 at 6:09 AM
Melody said...

I agree with you. If the series is an older one, then that's great because I can go get the next one. But for new books, when the next book comes out in a YEAR...I actually tend to forget about it and don't get to experience the whole story when I finally do pick it up. Le sigh.

May 17, 2011 at 7:15 AM
mfay2 said...

I don't mind if I have the other book but if I have to wait a year, it kind of hurts.

May 17, 2011 at 1:35 PM
Alexis @ Reflections of a Bookaholic said...

No cliffhangers ever! Even with older releases, I used to have a hard time getting an entire series from the library at one time. I would forget all about how good the book was and only focused on my frustration.

May 17, 2011 at 4:14 PM

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