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yendiFinished The End yesterday morning.
Frankly, I loved it. But I know that there will be a lot of folks who get very pissed off over it. In fact, from reading the Amazon reviews, there clearly already are.
I've got no pity for 'em.
Aside from the obvious fact that "Snicket" warns readers on each cover not to read the book, he's also made it pretty clear that the books, like real life, don't always offer all the answers. He delivers a conclusion, and resolves the story itself, but as he notes throughout the book, it's impossible to ever really get the whole story -- there's always another character, another backstory, another series of events (unfortunate or otherwise).
It's entirely possible that Snicket copped out, and really had no resolution to a lot of the secondary plotlines. I'm betting that he never intended to resolve them, though. Certainly, many of the dangling plotlines, like the unknown fate of some of the characters, could have been handled in a heartbeat. But this book simply isn't about plot resolution (although it certainly does, once and for all, resolve the primary conflict). It's about books and plots in general. And as such, it was perfectly fun.
That said, I know Elayna's going to be pissed when she reads it. :-)
Frankly, I loved it. But I know that there will be a lot of folks who get very pissed off over it. In fact, from reading the Amazon reviews, there clearly already are.
I've got no pity for 'em.
Aside from the obvious fact that "Snicket" warns readers on each cover not to read the book, he's also made it pretty clear that the books, like real life, don't always offer all the answers. He delivers a conclusion, and resolves the story itself, but as he notes throughout the book, it's impossible to ever really get the whole story -- there's always another character, another backstory, another series of events (unfortunate or otherwise).
It's entirely possible that Snicket copped out, and really had no resolution to a lot of the secondary plotlines. I'm betting that he never intended to resolve them, though. Certainly, many of the dangling plotlines, like the unknown fate of some of the characters, could have been handled in a heartbeat. But this book simply isn't about plot resolution (although it certainly does, once and for all, resolve the primary conflict). It's about books and plots in general. And as such, it was perfectly fun.
That said, I know Elayna's going to be pissed when she reads it. :-)
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-16 12:29 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-16 05:41 pm (UTC)I was reading the last 2 pages when I suddenly said "You bastard! You never told us about the sugar bowl!!!" But then later remembered that the Sugar Bowl issue had pretty much been resolved in the last book, I just didn't realize it.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-16 12:37 pm (UTC)Anyway, I like his theory on writing kids books anyway (scary things again, not always a happy ending, etc).
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-16 05:44 pm (UTC)As too kids/people/readers being unhappy with the ending....
1) I was really beginning to wonder if he was going to be remotely able to tie up ALL the plotlines. The sugar bowl, for instance, was taking on such massive epic significance I figured we would never really know what was in it.
2) At this point, who is the audience anymore? What age child should read this? I'm not sure anyone under 14 will be able to understand the philosophical mode he gets into by this book.
---The Firethorn
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-23 10:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-20 01:42 pm (UTC)That said, I would not be surprised if there were ever a SOUE companion volume, something like another Unauthorized Autobiography, explaining a few more of the dangling plot things.
So has Elayna read The End yet? And if she did, how did she react?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-11-20 04:10 pm (UTC)