tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post7429689777092560650..comments2023-12-09T00:33:24.572-08:00Comments on Novel Matters: The UnexpectedBonnie Grovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11377519561074174038noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-39770950558442182782010-03-10T20:28:37.881-08:002010-03-10T20:28:37.881-08:00Thank you again, everyone, for your suggestions. I...Thank you again, everyone, for your suggestions. I love hanging out with people who love a good story.Kathleen Popahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03682046279211463305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-33789595940907132252010-03-10T16:43:05.552-08:002010-03-10T16:43:05.552-08:00Okay, it's so called Me & Emma by Elizabet...Okay, it's so called Me & Emma by Elizabeth Flock. That was niggling at me all day. <br /><br />I really enjoyed it. It was sad, but it held my attention (which isn't always the easiest thing to do).Wendy Paine Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15136235074351188350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-26969904595738848302010-03-10T15:48:37.000-08:002010-03-10T15:48:37.000-08:00A prayer for Owen Meany, not my usual book, but i ...A prayer for Owen Meany, not my usual book, but i was pulled into the book by the unexpectedHeather Marstenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17442467779057850945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-53670481652131159232010-03-10T14:34:52.329-08:002010-03-10T14:34:52.329-08:00Bonnie, Chaim Potok is one of my favorite authors....Bonnie, Chaim Potok is one of my favorite authors. I read all his books back in the 80s. Loved Davita's Harp. Rick just read My Name is Asher Lev, and The Gift of Asher Lev.<br /><br />The Book Thief is excellent. Read it twice last year. <br /><br />I'm afraid I'm with you on Water for Elephants, Bonnie. I was put off by the first few chapters, so I put it down. I keep hearing so much about it, but haven't picked it up again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-13187173012495081932010-03-10T14:24:31.456-08:002010-03-10T14:24:31.456-08:00The Usual Suspects is one of my favorite movies be...The Usual Suspects is one of my favorite movies because of the surprise ending. Brilliant. Never saw it coming even though I was given every clue to figure it out.<br /><br />And Water for Elephants does have one of the most unexpected and satisfying endings I've ever read. (I hope the movie is good - should be out next year, I think)Ariel Allison Lawhonhttp://www.shereads.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-69686132446145509732010-03-10T14:10:43.132-08:002010-03-10T14:10:43.132-08:00Bonnie, Asher Lev is one of my favorites.
Let me...Bonnie, Asher Lev is one of my favorites. <br /><br />Let me add to the list The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. The whole book is unexpected, and the ending is brilliant!Kathleen Popahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03682046279211463305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-79695619198291583292010-03-10T13:59:48.068-08:002010-03-10T13:59:48.068-08:00I gasped out loud at the end of Momento (movie). G...I gasped out loud at the end of Momento (movie). GASPED!<br />(I'm not a gasper).<br /><br />Nicole; I have Dogwood on my TBR list.<br /><br />Wendy: Emma and Me? Is it a must read? I like a good smack in the face at the end of a book if it's done right. If they don't bore me to death through the book for the sake of a good smack at the end.<br /><br />Patti: I have Water for Elephants and I started it, but quickly got annoyed by the contrived dialogue. Obviously, I missed a very big point, eh? I'll give it another try.<br /><br />I'm reading a book right now called The Gift of Asher Lev by Chiam Potok (Jewish author of The Chosen - he writes about life inside a specific Jewish sect) that I think will creep up on me in a surprising way. It's a meandering plot so well written I can't look away. So up close. Loving itBonnie Grovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11377519561074174038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-21840948108284978972010-03-10T10:03:30.742-08:002010-03-10T10:03:30.742-08:00Kristen, yes! The Wedding was fabulous!!
Great co...Kristen, yes! The Wedding was fabulous!!<br /><br />Great comments, everyone. I always look forward to adding new books to my TBR list via all your suggestions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-42563484576831136642010-03-10T10:00:51.857-08:002010-03-10T10:00:51.857-08:00Water for Elephants!!! I never saw that coming.Water for Elephants!!! I never saw that coming.Patti Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16614597358659524845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-32672127186445874062010-03-10T08:40:07.301-08:002010-03-10T08:40:07.301-08:00I love what Nicolas Sparks did with "the Wedd...I love what Nicolas Sparks did with "the Wedding". I can reread that book a million times and still the twist gets me. So great!Kristen Torres-Torohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15903038121623389560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-45706901940124262662010-03-10T08:07:39.825-08:002010-03-10T08:07:39.825-08:00Thanks everybody for your recommendations. Now I h...Thanks everybody for your recommendations. Now I have new books to read, new movies to watch. <br /><br />Nicole, no offense was taken, no forgiveness needed. <br /><br />And you're right about not wanting to smite the reader with an unbelievable twist. Probably best not to have the nuclear device removed from the Amish farmstead by an alien vampire. As I said, you have to make it work. <br /><br />Jan, the unexpected need not be difficult. It's probably hardest within the mystery genre, where you have to make the killer someone the reader never suspects for perfectly believable reasons he just never thought of. Not only that, but you have to plant the clues in the book but make sure the reader misses them. Those poor mystery writers. <br /><br />But the unexpected is all around you, and it's always the most interesting. I have an uncle who is a great big man in cowboy boots who cries at Disney movies. Wouldn't he make a great character? <br /><br />In 1995, I heard on the news that an anonymous donor had mailed a million dollar winning Mcdonalds Monopoly game piece to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis Tennesee. Wow, what a story! Who do you think would have done such a thing, and why? <br /><br />The first answers to pop into your head were probably pretty predictable. So why not write down a few more answers, at least four or five, and pick the who and why your readers might least suspect - without resorting to alien vampires, please. <br /><br />That's how it's done. And by the way, you probably never thought of the real who and why. Look it up on Wikipedia: <br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald%27s_MonopolyKathleen Popahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03682046279211463305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-54215544077728412422010-03-10T07:13:50.782-08:002010-03-10T07:13:50.782-08:00Ayy, ay, ay. Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. ...Ayy, ay, ay. Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. Yes, I know, He answers to me. <br /><br />Katy Girl, I've heard nothing but amazing reports about both of your novels, and they shall be added to my TBR stack which is getting the best of me. So. That said, I did say fresh voice and so on can tip the scales in the sometimes worn out premises, did I not? <br /><br />And as long as "the unexpected" provides a meaningful journey along the way without smiting the reader with an unbelievable twist at the end, it can be exhilarating and rewarding. <br /><br />Dogwood by Chris Fabry is one of my all time favorite novels--but not because of the unexpected ending. In fact, to this day I'm still not sure if I liked the ending. But the writing was superb, so I forgave him. ;)<br /><br />Please forgive me, Katy. Hopefully you all know I mean no harm.Nicolehttp://hopeofglory.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-40043026408115753202010-03-10T07:06:55.295-08:002010-03-10T07:06:55.295-08:00The movie "The Score" with Robert De Nir...The movie "The Score" with Robert De Niro had me going the whole way and had a great ending. The unexpected can be a difficult thing to achieve - I appreciate this post.Jan Clinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16617976979678082323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6360410252358941163.post-19666091328022869502010-03-10T06:17:29.873-08:002010-03-10T06:17:29.873-08:00I liked a book called Emma and Me that dropped clu...I liked a book called Emma and Me that dropped clues throughout the book, but smacked me in the face at the end.<br /><br />I've enjoyed your blog so much I mentioned it as one of my top 8 today!<br />~ WendyWendy Paine Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15136235074351188350noreply@blogger.com