Hello everyone,
As I have said so many times before, the ending is one of the most crucial and defining parts of a book. They have a huge say in determining our overall thoughts and can sometimes make our break its success in our minds.
In this final post before Christmas I am sharing five books I read this year which contained endings that were either very dramatic, or have indelibly etched themselves into my memory.
Without further ado, here they are!
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
This book was extremely tense and haunting, set over three separate timelines. Then came the ending, which posed a question so unfathomable and breathtaking that it made me stop and think about almost everything that had taken place before.
I felt disarmed, but it was so clever and I loved it!
You’ll Be The Death Of Me by Karen M. McManus
Even when everything appears to be said and done, Karen M. McManus likes to unleash a twist upon the reader right at the end, so to me this did not come as completely unexpected. But one revelation was absolutely a surprise, which ensured the story ended on an intriguingly uncertain note.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
This book is so iconic, and the pace noticeably increases in the final chapters as we learn the truth about Rebecca’s fate. Told from the fascinating voice of the unnamed narrator, there is one final sting in the tail which ends the story on a dramatic, if slightly abrupt note.
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
Just like The Handmaid’s Tale, the sequel ends with a presentation from an academic many years in the future, reflecting on the testimonies from those who lived under the rule of Gilead. These sections pose interesting questions and help to contextualise the story, but generally I just loved the commentary around the characters we have come to know from their accounts. In The Testaments, that is especially true of Aunt Lydia.
The Vanishing Act Of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell
This was a highly unusual book, but I felt the ending really brought it together and made everything make sense. There were subtle revelations and it was these along with the writing and the gradual character development of Esme herself, which lifted my opinion of the story and helped me appreciate it so much more.
Have you read any of these books? Which books did you read in 2021 that had memorable or brilliant endings? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Christmas!! 🎄
Stephen Writes 
You talking about Rebecca so much is making me want to reread it. It has been a while since I read it but I was shocked by all of the reveals in the end. I never saw them coming.
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What can I say, Rebecca was such an arresting book! There were a lot of revelations at the end and they were all fascinating.
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Rebecca has been on my TBR for so long that I’ve become very intimidated by the idea of even starting it 😂 I have read You’ll Be the Death of Me and I feel like that ending is just a teaser for a sequel (I hope!)? Great list, Stephen. Happy Christmas, Stephen! 🎄
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I hope you do pick it up one day! It would be great to have a sequel to You’ll Be The Death of Me – let’s hope so lol. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Dini! 🎄
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I haven’t read any of these books but I love that you talked about the memorable endings without spoiling anything! That’s neat. Endings are a huge thing for me too. They really make or break it in terms of rating the story. I might be in love with a book but if the ending isn’t good then I end up knocking off a star. Awesome post as usual 🙂
Amber @ Escape Life in the Pages
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Thank you so much, Amber! This is a spoiler free blog haha. I completely agree, the ending has the potential to change my final rating. Happy holidays!
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I only read The Testaments 🙂
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I just got my copy of The Testaments and hope to read it soon. As for Esme… yes, that’s my thought exactly and it was this book that turned me on to O’Farrell…
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