Have u found a novel w. a perfect ending?

Sorry, couldn’t seem to edit out the mistakes. When text overflows the answer box, is there a way to correct?

we saw a movie with the perfect ending a few days ago called “The Lives of Others”. Very satisfying. Not sure about a book though…
Lela Beem (masquerading as her husband)

what exactly do you have in mind when you say “a perfect ending”?

An ending that doesn’t annoy me or where I wish that the author had said more or done something different. It is subjective, I realize. An example that comes to mind is CORELLI’S MANDOLIN, a novel I LOVED, until the last chapter.

Another similar one is PRODIGAL SUMMER, perfect by my standards until its last chapter, also. I can’t think of anyway or anywhere to stop, in both these wonderful books.

This is a great question! I know what you mean, I feel like so many wonderful novels just…kind of…end. I think the author often has a hard time letting go, too!

One of the novels I remember having a beautiful, perfect ending was “The God of Small Things,” by Arundhati Roy. That book is so gorgeous and so heartbreaking, and I think Roy is really smart in the way she ends it. I don’t want to say too much and spoil it for anyone who wants to read it, but in the ending she goes back to an earlier moment, temporally, in the story and shows you an interaction you hadn’t seen before between two of the main characters. It really changes the way you view the entire story and especially what happens after that moment (which you have already read). That is a confusing description, if you haven’t read it, you should, and tell me what you think!

“Mrs. Dalloway” by Virginia Woolf has a great ending, too. Again, I think Woolf was smart in the way she structured time in that book, keeping it within the confines of a single day. The ending seems more “natural” and you are more ready for it, somehow.

Christybird: I will add THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS to my book list, now so heavy I can hardly drag it around. Re; V. Woolf, I have tried and tried and always found reading her novels a struggle. I plodded through (again) MRS. D recently and THE LIGHTHOUSE, and still had trouble.

If you like the confines of a single day, read or reread Joyce’s ULYSSES, a book I have always thought was a masterpiece. And now that I think of it, “that” ending (Molly’s soliloquy), WAS perfect.

The only part of Ulysses I have read is the ending soliloquy, and it is indeed very very lovely. I tried to read “Portrait of the Artist” and didn’t much like it… I haven’t tried Joyce since but based on your recommendation I will think about picking up Ulysses!

BETWEEN THE BRIDGE AND RIVER, by Craig Ferguson. One of those amazing little books where a million disparate plot threads come together seamlessly in the last 30 pages. I actually found myself saying “wow” aloud more than once.

I found that most novels by George Orwell have good endings, especially 1984.

I just finished reading BARCHESTER TOWERS, by Anthony Trollope. He solves the problem of ending his book by discussing how difficult that is. He plays Deus ex machina by becoming the intrusive author. It is a very good idea and, surprisingly, works because he also sends the various characters on their various ways. Not expecting to, I loved the novel although I read it only because I wanted it on the list of books I had already read and could crow about if the occasion called for it.

Rand’s Anthem.

Perfect.

Of Mice and Men

I have read a lot of great books but the problem I always find with novels is that you get involved with the characters and then it ends leaving you wanting more.