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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Wow Endings




Today over at The Broke and the Bookish they are asking what books had an ending that left you with your mouth hanging open. I've answered this question before (on my own before I discovered a very popular meme that was doing basically the same with with hundreds of participants!) and so I give you that very same list:


Wow Endings


1. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
2. Pope Joan by Donna Wolfolk Cross
3. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
4. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
5. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
6. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
7. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
8. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
9. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
10. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne




Now, over a year later, I don't think I'd change much from this list. Perhaps Bel Canto's ending isn't such a shocker, but for me, when I read it the first time, the ending really got to me. And I'm sure there's many more that I could add to the list, and in fact many that where much more cliff hanging then these listed here, but still, these books really do have memorable endings. Would you agree with me? Or not?
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13 comments:

  1. Melissa (Avid Reader)October 4, 2011 at 8:50 AM

    I almost listed Ender's Game today too! Such an amazing ending. I think Bel Canto's is a pretty crazy ending, maybe not shocking, but definitely pretty powerful. The Sparrow is a great pick too!

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  2. TrishOctober 4, 2011 at 9:40 AM

    Oh yeah - Pope Joan! It's been so long. I totally forgot about that one.

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  3. JennyOctober 4, 2011 at 10:50 AM

    K, a lot of people are listing Ender's Game...Is it a cliffhanger or just a wow ending? I knew you'd have Life of Pi on here but maybe that's cause you've done this list before. ;)

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  4. kathyOctober 4, 2011 at 11:41 AM

    I've never read Ender's Game, but I've heard a lot about it. My husband is reading it now & asked me what I knew. I nearly spilled the beans, but thankfully he said enough about it for me to figure out that the little twist I knew was kind of a big deal. I wonder if I'd like the book knowing about that already.

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  5. AnonymousOctober 4, 2011 at 1:36 PM

    Bel Canto, yes ... I forgot about that one. I have just recently discovered Mary Doria Russell. Looking forward to reading The Sparrow.

    My Top Ten Tuesday:
    http://butterybooks.com/?p=42365

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  6. SueyOctober 4, 2011 at 2:55 PM

    Melissa: Yes, I think Bel Canto is pretty powerful too.

    Trish: I know! It's been awhile!

    Jenny: It's a wow, not really cliff hanger.

    Kathy: I love that book.

    Annie: Get ready for The Sparrow. It's pretty intense.

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  7. melissa @ 1lbrOctober 4, 2011 at 5:29 PM

    A lovely bunch of books, you always have a list with books I've never read on it.

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  8. KailanaOctober 4, 2011 at 5:44 PM

    I totally agree with you about The Thief! That ending surprised me.

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  9. Jenni ElyseOctober 4, 2011 at 5:53 PM

    Your lists always make me sad because I haven't read most of them, lol.

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  10. ChachicOctober 4, 2011 at 8:46 PM

    Yes to The Thief and Ender's Game! Both endings are awesome. The Queen of Attolia's ending was excellent as well, I loved it.

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  11. SarahOctober 6, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    OHHHH Ender's Game is such a good one!!!! Good list!

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  12. ErinOctober 8, 2011 at 6:16 PM

    I completely agree with When You Reach Me! I thought I'd find the book just mediocre, and then I got to the end and thought WOW!! Bel Canto, though, was more like an ...oh, wtf? for me. I didn't like it at all.

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  13. ibeeegOctober 16, 2011 at 9:05 AM

    The Thief definitely has WOW ending...I thought clever!
    When You Reach Me also is very WOW! Incredible mystery - don't ya think.
    The rest of your books, I have not read, but Ender's Game is sitting around just waiting for me to open the book and start reading.

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