If you could rewrite the ending of any book, which book would it be? And how would you change it?
This is actually an incredibly difficult question for me to answer, and one that I ultimately spent hours trying to decide. When it comes down to it, I really don’t have any books that I’d like to change the ending of.
However!
If it were up to me, every book would have an epilogue. Why, you ask? Because I love knowing how things turn out a little ways down the road. It doesn’t matter that a happy future, or even a sad one, is hinted at. I like to see exactly how a character is feeling five, ten, even twenty years down the road.
I know there’s a huge debate among fellow book bloggers about the ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There were reasons of disliking the ending because it takes away the innocence and others believed there should have been more. My personal opinion on that front is that it is perfect the way it is. Why do I say that? We as readers get a taste of the lives Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and even Malfoy lead. We get to see that yes, they made successful lives for themselves and that’s what I like to see in a good epilogue.
How about you? Anything that you would like to change in a book you’ve read?
Among Stories 
I’d like to have a different ending to Revolutionary Road. You know, have one with a little bit of humility instead.
Oh, and I’d also rewrite every male character who has a mustache, and every female character who’s whiny and/or wears a navy blue dress suit.
I didn’t think about rewriting characters… That’s good.
I’m definitely with you on the whiny women. For the men though, just mustaches or goatees and beards as well?
I like to think outside of the box. Oh, who I’m a kidding, I’ve lost the box long ago! 😀
While there are things to be said for the full beard (not the homeless-in-the-corner-size though) goatees are just sleazy. Anything other that clean-shaved or the sexy “I didn’t have time to shave this morning because you kept me busy in bed doing dirty things” -stub has to go. Those are the rules. 😉
Who needs the box?
I can certainly respect that. I’m very much an advocate for a good stubble. I’m definitely not looking for Santa as far as beards go though! Goatees, I think it depends on the guy. It takes a certain kinda man to pull that one off. 🙂
Hands down Bel Canto.
I can’t say that I’m familiar with Bel Canto. Am I missing anything other than an ending in need of change?
Aw, I liked the HP epilogue. It felt a bit rushed – like she wanted to tie up the everyone’s loose ends in one scene, which isn’t really feasible – but it was cute 🙂 Man, if I could re-write characters, I’d have a field day on the Mercy Thompson series. But endings alone? I’d probably go back and remove some of the monsters from the Stephen King stories I’ve read. I always find psychological demons way more interesting than flesh-and-blood monsters, lol.
I suppose you have a point about HP. It did go through a bit quick.
I hadn’t thought about rewriting characters. I could have a field day with that one.
Atonement!! The ending sucked. Big time.