Happy Endings...
When the hero dies, it's not a happy ending.
Right?
I just finished a book this morning where the hero dies in the end. Being me--I naturally read the third book in a trilogy and hadn't read the first two. I didn't even know it was a trilogy until I went on Amazon and looked.
Duh.
In my defense, it's a book my sister gave me. I recognized the author's name as an up and comer so I read it. I seriously have to pay more attention to what I'm doing.
Anyway--folks on Amazon were ANGRY about the ending. Me? Not so much. I didn't mind the hero dying. Romance, in my (fictional) view, transcends death, especially in a paranormal. But the majority of people don't like it. They feel cheated. They like to close to the book and feel like the characters live on.
My husband and I fight about this all the time. He's a bloodthirsty guy and is always trying to get me to kill off my main characters. "Be bold, be different!" he says.
"I want to be employed," I say and do my best to keep them alive.
So what do you all think? Is it a romance if the hero or heroine dies?
By the way, I KNOW I'm a blogging slacker!
posted by Jennifer at 8:21 AM
5 Comments:
I think this is a thought I'd have to take case by case. I read a book once by Peggy Tibbetts that has a most unsatisfying ending. The reality is the book was great the ending was true to life. And I had to totally respect that. Before you think I hate the book, it is Rumors of War by Peggy Tibbetts great book. But realising that I loved both book and ending made me realise that it doesn't always have to be a fairytale.
Gads I hope that came out right.
The book must have had an impact on you, Cele, as you remember it so vividly.
Sorry Jen, but no. No, no, no. The very definition of romance (well the one I use anyway) is that there has to be an emotionally satisfying ending. Death does not equal "emotionally satisfying" in my mind.
That said, I think very few genre writers (not just romance writers) can get away with killing off a main character. Heck, I've seen the claws come out if a mystery author 1) kills a dog or 2) kills off a recurring secondary character - so I think it's pretty universal among genre readers. We get invested in our books, and want our happy endings.
That said, I think I know the series you're talking about and personally feel it was a case of mis-marketing on the part of her publisher. Probably should have skipped the romance section and gone straight over to fantasy....
Wendy, you are so right about romances--they must have a happy ending. (I keep telling my husband that! But he's a guy--they want to blow stuff up!) But the ending of this book didn't set my teeth on edge like it did others. You are probably right that it shouldn't have been in romance. But then, romance is the big sellers....
I am SO late commenting, but it's been such a long time since I used my blogger account(cause I'm a terrible blogger) I didn't realize that I had to create a google account. What's up with that????
Anyway, my favorite romance book ever is the Horse Whisperer. For those of you who have read it (anyone?) the hero does not make it to the end of the story. If you've seen the movie, completely disregard it, it's wrong.
If the hero had lived it wouldn't have been the same book. I guess I'm of the opinion that it doesn't necessarily have to be a happily ever after in the "traditional" sense. Does this make sense?
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