"Top Ten Tuesday" is an original feature/weekly meme created on the blog "The Broke and the Bookish". This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at "The Broke and the Bookish".
It is now hosted by Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl.
Since
I am just as fond of them as they are, I jump at the chance to share my
lists with them! Have a look at their page, there are lots of other
bloggers who share their lists here.
This week, our topic is Books I Wish Had an Epilogue
"A good book has no ending." R.D. Cumming or Robert Frost?
(I've seen this quote attributed to both of them.)
Honestly, there have been books where I wished for an epilogue but I made up my own version, so I don't want to dwell on that. And I hate sequels to books not written by the original author, so I never read them.
But here are some where I would love a good sequel (written by the author, of course):
Aleisha and Mukesh? Are they going to stay in touch? What about their family and friends?
Austen, Jane - "Persuasion" - 1817
What happens to Anne Elliot after she gets married? Will she accompany her husband on his sea voyages? Are they going to have children? I know Jane Austen has left ideas on how the lives of her different heroines will go on after the book ends but I would love to read a whole book about them.
Byatt, A.S. "Possession" - 1990
Roland Mitchell, Randolph Henry Ash, Maud Bailey, Christabel LaMotte, their lives are all interwoven across the centuries. What happens next after they make a big discovery?
Chevalier, Tracy "The Virgin Blue" - 1997
We know what happened to Isabelle du Moulin but what about Ella Turner?
Eliot, George "Middlemarch" - 1871-72
Is Dorothea Brooke happy with her new decision and her new life? I would think so but I'd like some details. Still, Ms Eliot isn't here anymore to write about that.
Falcones, Ildefonso "The Barefoot Queen" (E: La Reina Descalza) - 2013
Even though this novel takes place in the 18th century, I still wouldn't mind getting to know how the story of Caridad and the gypsies in Spain goes on.
Frazier, Charles "Cold Mountain" - 1997
What's the future of Inman and Ada Monroe? And what about Ruby Thewes? Their lives take place in such uncertain times, it would be nice to hear more about it.
Seth, Vikram "A Suitable Boy" - 1993
The author once promised (in 2009) a sequel. "A Suitable Girl", to take place in the present. Apparently, he is still working on it but has postponed publication again and again. Will we ever hear how the story goes on?
Shaffer, Mary Ann & Barrows, Annie "The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society" - 2008
I know the book has a rounded ending and the author died even before publication but I would love to read about the Guernsey people after the war.
Stockett, Kathryn "The Help" - 2009
Skeeter, Aibileen, Minny, how does their life go on after the end of the novel.
I
think we all have those books where we wish it would go on and we could accompany the protagonists a little longer. And I know my wish cannot be granted in a few cases because the author is no longer with us, unfortunately (Jane Austen, George Eliot, Mary Ann Shaffer). But the others are still around and might fulfill our dreams.
After all, a story goes on even after the last page of a book.
📚 Happy Reading! 📚
An interesting list. I have only read Persuasion and I agree that there should be more!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2022/06/14/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-wish-had-an-epilogue/
Thanks, Emily. I know my lists are always a little weird, or at least different since I have lived in quite a few countries and met many people from all over the world. I am glad that I can contribute to the enjoyment of reading for other bloggers.
DeleteI hope you get sequels to all of these books!
ReplyDeleteAnd, yeah, sequels written by other authors usually aren’t as good.
Thanks, Lydia. As I said, I doubt I would get sequels to all of them but some would be nice. At least a few.
DeleteWhat a great spin on this week's prompt. I only know of 2 books on your list, but them seem like great picks. I also don't like sequels written by other authors, to me there're just fan fictions. And I have my imagination for that. (Except for Stieg Larson's Millenium series because he actually wrote the outlines of books 4, 5 and 6 before passing away)
ReplyDeleteHere is my TTT: https://herseriallife.com/top-10-books-i-wish-had-epilogue/
Have a great week🌈
Thanks, Rae. Looks like a lot of people don't like sequels written by others but they seem to sell well, so we are going to see them a little longer. And yes, if someone already wrote the outlines and then dies, that would be a different thing, I totally agree.
DeleteI do love a novel that makes you wonder about what happens next to the characters involved. Agreed about sequels to novels by others (all too often far less talented than the original author!) who try to cash in on a beloved narrative. I'm sure that if the author intended a sequel that (at least most of the time) a sequel would have been produced!
ReplyDeleteSure, Kitten. And we have seen many. I mean, Jane Austen, for instance, passed away far too early and I am sure she would have written many other books in that genre. And we know that she talked about her characters and what would happen to them after her book finished.
DeleteAnd you are also right in the assumption that these other authors are often far less talented than the original ones, otherwise they would have come up with their own ideas.
Oh, I would love a good sequel of Middlemarch because Dorothea is such a great character. :)
ReplyDeleteSo true, Lark. She is one of my favourite characters. A very strong woman, especially for her time.
DeleteI agree with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society! It was a fascinating read.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, Cindy. And who knows, Mary Ann Shaffer might have written a sequel - or more interesting books like her first, had she lived on. Annie Barrows still writes but it is mostly chick-lit which isn't my genre.
DeleteGreat idea to look more into sequels!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Emma. I know, epilogues are good, as well, but sometimes they don't give you much more information, a sequel would be a lot more preferable.
DeleteI've admittedly only watched the movie of Guernsey (I know, I know, I plan to read the book I swear!) but the end definitely had me wanting to know more about what happened next for the characters.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/06/14/top-ten-tuesday-372/
Thanks, Jo. Don't apologize, we can't all read everything. I watched the movie a lot later than I read the book and missed a few things, so you would be in for a treat if you read the book. However, it was a good movie.
DeleteGuernsey was on my list too! And Middlemarch almost was.
ReplyDeleteNice, Rachel. I'll have to check your list. Thanks.
Delete"Possession." Oh my gosh, YES!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, I see another "Possession" fan. I don't know many people who haven't read it. I've read it several times and I don't think I can tell you how often I watched the movie. One of the rare occasions where I love them both. Thanks, Mary.
DeleteThere are books which have an 'open' ending and you wish for more information. I don't think too much of the epilogue. If there is one, it is good, if not, then, as you say, you have to make up your own idea of how it will be.
ReplyDeleteTo end a story with and open ending has it charms, but can be very frustrating. I guess Gone With the Wind is one of them.
I totally agree, Lisbeth. I almost put it in my list but then I know there is a follow-up. I will never read it, though, because it wasn't written by Margaret Mitchell and I haven't heard many good things about it. Come to think about it, I haven't heard anything good about it.
DeleteI had a bit of a problem with this topic but I always try to find something that goes with it before twisting it too much.
Thanks for visiting. I always appreciate your comments.
I did read read Alexandra Ripley's Scarlett, but did not like it so much. It started out all right, but then somehow went totally over board. However, I have read another wonderful book, which is not a sequel but takes place at the same time as the original one. The focus is on Rhett Butler and his background. It is called 'Rhett Butler's People' by Donald McCaig and I really liked it. You find my review here: https://thecontentreader.blogspot.com/2013/10/rhett-butlers-people-by-donald-mccaig.html
DeleteSorry Marianne, don’t know WHO I poster as anonymous all of à sudden. It is me, Lisbeth @ The Content Reader. 🤗
DeleteThanks for letting me know, Lisbeth. I often get "anonymous" posts and then answer accordingly but I never know whether the poster receives it.
DeleteAs to the Rhett Butler book, I've heard of it but same as "Scarlett", it was written by another person so I'll probably pass. But I will read your post, so thank you very much for the link.
Happy Sunday.