Monday, February 1, 2010

Booking It--Twisty


“I love books with complicated plots and unexpected endings. What is your favourite book with a fantastic twist at the end?”

So, today’s question is in two parts.

1. Do YOU like books with complicated plots and unexpected endings?

2. What book with a surprise ending is your favorite? Or your least favorite?

Answer #1--Well, of course I do! It's hard to imagine a fiction reader who doesn't.

Answer #2--I've read lots of books with complicated plots and surprise endings, but I think the first one I ever read like that was Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, way back in the sixth grade. We were reading it out loud in class, something I've always had a hard time bearing because so many students read so poorly and so00000 slowly. So I was racing ahead, pulled along by the plot, and you guessed it--when it was my turn to read, I had no idea where to begin and was scolded by the teacher. The funny thing about this story is that, as I was leaving, she called me to her desk and told me, although I really did need to try to stay with the class, it made her very happy that I was enjoying the story so much I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. She's always been one of my favorite teachers.

I think that I was pretty much a Dickens addict for a few months after finishing Great Expectations, toting one of those huge novels with me wherever I went.

I'm still a Dickens fan.

3 comments:

Kelly said...

One of my best friends and I still address notes to each other using Pip language. "Dear Pip, Old Chap, What larks?" haha

Ash said...

It's hard to beat Stephen King when it comes to imaginative, intricate plots, though I have a love/hate relationship with his books.

I also got in trouble so many times for skipping ahead while we were supposed to be reading together in class...so instead of skipping ahead I usually resorted to doodling or daydreaming...which got me equally into trouble.

Stephanie said...

@Kelly--Don't you just love being an English nerd? :-) I do.

@Ashley--I just bought Stephen King's The Green Mile. I've seen the movie and loved it, so I figure the book's gotta be better. Don't know when I'll get to read it, though :-(