Prior to this year, I rarely noticed Epilogues and much less thought critically about them. But, this year, a few of my more successful reads (and their Epilogues) have gotten my wheels turning. In each of these examples, an unsatisfying Epilogue marred an otherwise enjoyable read. The silver lining is that, since Epilogues are tacked on at the end, it’s easy to just mentally lop them off your memory of the book! Let’s talk about a few of the specific types of Epilogues that rub me the wrong way…
The “Where Are They Now?” Epilogue
In this type of Epilogue, the story comes to a satisfying end…then, the Epilogue kindly offers an US Weekly “Where Are They Now?”-style rundown of where each character ends up decades later. Do we really need to know this? What if you end up hating a particular character’s outcome? Why mess with that satisfying ending in the first place?
Recent Example: Only Love Can Break Your Heart
The Neat and Tidy Epilogue
This type of Epilogue ties the story up in an overly neat and tidy bow…leaving no room for interpreting the ending. I used to like books that tied everything up in this way, but have moved away from that over the past couple of years.
Recent Example: The Nest
The “I Don’t Buy It” Epilogue
This type of Epilogue takes the story in a direction that rational thinking makes it hard to buy into…leading to lots of “oh please, that would never happen in real life” types of things floating around my brain.
Recent Example: The Expatriates
What about successful Epilogues? Are there any? I had a very hard time coming up with any examples other than the Afterward (it’s called Historical Notes in the book, but I think it can count as an Epilogue for our purposes) in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. That Epilogue served a clear purpose and added another dimension to the story.
How do you feel about Epilogues in general? Can you share any examples of Epilogues that worked for you?
This is a really good point. I’m noticing that many authors have trouble with endings in general; it seems easier to build up a story-world than to conclude in a satisfying way. And the epilogue epidemic is part of that. There are loose ends, oh, I’ll just write an epilogue…um, nope, doesn’t work. Or, as you say, there is an inability to let the book end in an open-ended, ambiguous but resonant way, a wish to nail everything down in the reader’s mind, which is just as bad.
I would need to do some hunting to find some epilogues that I think are artistically done and integral to the book, but an example of the other kind springs immediately to mind: The Madwoman Upstairs, which inserts the marriage of the protagonists as an epilogue, hastily and clumsily. (I did not like the rest of the book, either, so this was not really a surprise.)
I haven’t read Madwoman Upstairs but that doesn’t sound like an epilogue that would appeal to me!
A great ending is such a fine line to walk! I love something surprising, but that also makes sense looking back. I don’t like anything so far out of left field that it makes no sense.
I LOVED The Madwoman Upstairs, and I completely agree with you on the epilogue. Totally rushed, forced, and icky. I hate it when an epilogue just forces things in a completely unnecessary way (cough, HP, cough)…
I’ve never given epilogues a lot of thought so I guess they don’t bother me.
I never thought about them either until a couple in a row bothered me, so maybe you’re right!
An epilogue needs to bring something to the book that cannot be in the story in any other way. It very, very, very difficult to do. First one I thought of is the epilogue to AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie. In fact, the first time I read it (I was 10 or 12) I don’t recall there being one. The newest version includes an epilogue that “explains” how it was all done.
I feel two ways about it. I like that Christie let the creepiness of the story stand alone. There is no reveal with all the characters and the detective in the drawing room at the end. At the same time, I can see how it would seem unfair if the crime were impossible and readers were too frustrated by it. The epilogue almost seems like a proof to a complicated math problem that the reader can choose to read or not.
That’s a great point about it needing to add something that can’t be incorporated in any other way. I read ATTWN when I was young and can’t remember much about it, but now you have me curious!
You always come up with so many great discussion topics! Show me your ways…
I generally am irritated by epilogues. They generally serve no purpose. It’s almost like the authors get attached to their characters, and need to map it all out for them to the bitter end. That’s great, and they should do that… but maybe just don’t share. I often find epilogues really detract for the most part and leave a bad taste in my mouth.
I SO agree with you regarding the “neat and tidy” endings… HATE THOSE. I love being left with enough of a conclusion so I feel satisfied, but lingering questions that have my thinking about the book days later. Life isn’t neat and tidy with all things resolving concurrently… so why would I want to read a book like that?
I can’t off hand think of any epilogues that are okay for me… The only one that sort of may apply (with a large dose of bias) is the Harry Potter series. I don’t think the epilogue is GOOD or NECESSARY, but I do kind of like knowing “where they are now” if only because I’m SO attached to all the characters. But truly, it could have been done well without it, and allow the readers to fill in the blanks or make up their own versions.
Haha – thank you! Most of them stem from things that annoy me!
I almost wonder if publishers sort of force authors to tack them on in some cases b/c they think readers want closure or like “happier” endings. I especially felt that way about Only Love Can Break Your Heart…the epilogue just felt really different than the rest of the book.
And – this is horrible, but I haven’t read Harry Potter beyond the first one! But, others have mentioned that epilogue in the comments today.
I wish my memory wasn’t so bad, because this is a great subject for discussion. I just can’t think of/remember any. Which might mean they don’t bother me, but I find it hard to believe that no epilogue ever has put a torque in my shorts. I’m guessing I’m of the school where if an epilogue is well done (i.e., isn’t a shortcut for something the author couldn’t handle in the story itself) and adds something I wanted, I’m all for it. I have to think that’s very difficult to do. Heck, I can’t even remember the epilogue for Only Love Can Break Your Heart, but I had issues with that book before I even got to the end. Great topic, Sarah!
Ha – I love the phrase “torque in my shorts”! Never heard that one before. I agree about having no issue with well done epilogues (obviously), but like you, have a really hard time coming up with any examples.
I also think what constitutes a good one is also (obv) quite subjective, but I know people who won’t forgive an epilogue (some even a prologue) no matter how well done. Do you have a different feeling about prologues? I think I like them more than epilogues, and a great one can be the catalyst that really sucks me in (of course, I again can’t think of an example – I’m going to keep my eyes peeled now!), but when used to TRY and suck me in they sometimes seem contrived.
I like Epilogues but that work like an attachment to the story. I dislike the happy ending ones except if it is a happy story. Daniel Silva’s Epilogues work very well. And I love the Author’s Notes so prevalent in historical fiction and political thrillers.
I’m with you on the Authors Notes in historical fiction…especially if they map out which parts were real vs. fiction!
I can’t think of any right now except for Harry Potter of course. Which I loved because I just love any more promise of HP.
And the Expatriates which was too cheesy for words. I liked knowing what happened with the pregnancy of course but seriously. Never going to happen like that.
I haven’t read HP and so many people have mentioned it in today’s comments!
And I was so irritated with that Expatriates epilogue…ridiculous! Glad I’m not alone.
I can’t say I’m a fan of them. The big one that comes to mind is The Good Girl by Mary Kubica, which is what my book club just read last month. Kubica hints at a crazy plot twist near the end, then unveils it in the Epilogue. I thought it was super strange! Definitely a stylistic talking point, but it’s not something I really connected with!
You know…I listened to The Good Girl on audio and I don’t think I realized that ending was in an epilogue! That is really odd.
I tend to like epilogues. I don’t mind any of the types really. I like the “where are they now” ones best. I can take or leave the “neat bow” ones. Obviously The Expatiates epilogue didn’t leave much of an impression on me because I don’t remember it.
The “Where are they now?” epilogue can be done well and it can be done horribly *coughHarryPottercough* I do like to know how the characters end up in the end because it ties things up neatly and I just want to know! It’s part of what makes it a happy ending for me.
But the neat bow ones I don’t like. Sure I want to know how the characters ended up, but I don’t expect everything to do perfect and every question to be answered. That’s not really how life works so it feels unrealistic.
I agree – too neatly tied up does feel unrealistic..that’s not life!
And so many people have mentioned the HP epilogue in today’s comments…and I haven’t read it!
It’s bad. I wish I hadn’t read it either hahah
SO WITH YOU ON HP. I just could not get on board with the epilogue. I think a major part of my issue with the “Where are they now?” epilogue is that it pretends that the main characters don’t have any more defining experiences nor do they meet anyone else in the intervening years.
I wish I could think of some examples to add to the discussion, but really, I don’t think I’ve read a book with an epilogue for a while, so I can’t think of any examples. I think, though, whether or not I like it depends on how it is done and the reasons behind why it is there. I imagine ending a book would be a hard thing to do, but it would be interesting to ask a few writers and see what they have to say! If I ever find the extra time, that would be a fun idea…
Ooooh – that’s an interesting idea! I selfishly hoping you find some time to do that! And – I’d love to know how often publishers nudge authors to add them on.
This is such a good topic, and I see a lot of (well, mostly) the “Where are They Now?” and “The Neat and Tidy” epilogues in books that contain epilogues. I rarely get an epilogue that is extremely well done and as you say, it can easily be sloughed off and forgotten about. It just doesn’t always add to a story, but I admit to enjoying the “Where are They Now?” piece when I’ve fallen in love with the characters. I HATE with a vengeance the “Neat and Tidy” because it’s as if the author just gave up because of a deadline and stopped the story to write an epilogue that finished the book on time. One epilogue that comes to mind that I really didn’t like is from A Place We Knew Well. I think that epi fits the last category.
Haha – I didn’t make it to the epilogue in A Place We Knew Well…not even close!
Luckily, a terrible epilogue really only costs a book a 1/2 star for me b/c it’s so easy to mentally erase them!
This is a really interesting topic to think about! I don’t know that I have strong feelings either way…the only one that sticks out in my mind is the one at the end of Harry Potter which I didn’t love because it did feel a little too neat and tidy
I generally love epilogues because I have an intense desire to know how things turn out. I actually get upset and annoyed when an ending is ambiguous. It also doesn’t bother me if the ending it too “neat and tidy” because I’m happy for the characters, even if it’s not necessarily realistic…
I’m not sure if I like epilogues, but they don’t usually bother me. I’m going to be that unpopular person that didn’t mind the ending of the Harry Potter series. It was a little bit too neat and tidy and closed circle, perhaps, but it gave me warm fuzzy feelings anyway 🙂
They didn’t bother me until this year either! And HP seems to be a hot topic on this post…I haven’t read it!
I have mixed feelings about epilogues. Sometimes they’re absolutely essential to wrapping up a book in a satisfying way and other times they just ruin a good ending. I like the “where are they now?” type of epilogue for long series. For example, I actually enjoyed the epilogue in Harry Potter 7. It was a bit strange being flung forward in time like that, but after such a long epic, I wanted to know what happened to the characters. I guess it just depends.
HP seems to be a hot topic on this post…with people coming down on both sides. I still haven’t read them…I know, it’s crazy.
I don’t usually like epilogues either. I read a book recently where the author literally listed each character and wrote a paragraph about what happened to them. I find it terribly unnecessary and a bit boring, to be honest.
UGH – that would annoy me too.
Oooh, great topic, Sarah! I’m definitely going to pay more attention now, but my gut reaction is to respond that I don’t particularly like them. They usually feel rather forced to me, like the author had a deadline to meet yet had some unfinished business to tie up – ha! Now, I want to go back and check several books on this!!
I can’t answer this because I no longer even really pay attention to epilogues- unless that’s an answer? I used to feel this way about prologues- in fact I never used to even read them. I felt that if the author couldn’t tell the story within in the chapters then it wasn’t a good book. Maybe an epilogue is the same way?
I do think that’s an answer in itself! I don’t mind Prologues as much b/c I think they can create suspense and tension…I think, now I need to start paying more attention to Prologues!
I’ve never thought too much about epilogues, but you bring up some great points. I’m going to have to think about it some more (though I’m leaning toward, ehhh they’re usually unnecessary!)
I hadn’t thought about them much until this year when I got a string of really annoying ones! Now I’m on the hunt for one that works.
I actually enjoy reading epilogues. But I always see them as independent of the rest of the book so when I read them, it’s mostly to know what the author thinks of what happened next. Like you said, it doesn’t affect what I think of the rest of the book.
Yep – they don’t have the power to kill a book for me!
I’m a bit of a sucker for an epilogue, I like to know where characters have gone. I loved the Harry Potter one.
Saying that, I agree that there are occasions where they just aren’t needed, not all stories should have a neat conclusion.
Harry Potter seems to be the hot epilogue topic of the day! I still haven’t read it…
I am one of the rare ones that actually like epilogues. I feel like they do have a purpose and have never found one that I disliked. To me, it is something the author wanted to add and therefore is a part of the novel. Who am I to judge whether it is necessary or not?