If you need the disgraceful truth about me, it is this . for most of my teenage years all I say was my class assigned texts and Harlequin (Mills & Boon in Australia) historical romance novels. It's the cause why I take a passion of, and use, words like 'pain' and 'persnickety' in every day language. On the positive side it instigated a bed of chronicle which then (inexplicably) directed itself into a fascination with war.
Anyway - the ground I take up my shameful (and sometimes revisited) past is that epilogues are a big pot in romances. Big pot in that the reader usually catches a glance into the character's 'happily ever after' and more importantly, what the happily married (ugh) couple name their children. Part of me has to wish it, the subconscious part, as I proceed to take these kinds of books but I do get them to be unnecessary. Almost wish that annoying girl that we all possess in our lives that needs to assemble on a tidbit more information than is necessary. I wrap my eyes at that girl and I do the like for the humble epilogue. In price of the three current grand poobahs of young adult literature we get the Twilight saga, the Harry Potter series* and the Hunger Games trilogy. I am going to discourse the use of epilogues in price of these three cultural phenomenons - two of which I have read recently, one in which I would know to move from my memory. (There will be spoilers for all 3 series so consider yourself warned. I consider it is essential for me to determine what an epilogue is - "The epilogue is the final segment of a new or story, which provides a notice or end to what has happened. It follows the book's climax, and ties up any loose knots." A poorly written and/or unnecessary epilogue isa garnish on a scale that hasalreadygone cold - limp and stressful to disguise the main. Personally, I don't remember epilogues unless they're bad and I suppose that should be the case. An effective epilogue gently completes the story, it shouldn't declare itself with a blast as the definition states ."follows the book's climax".
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (or HP7) came out in 2007 and successful tied up a superfluity of story lines from the six previous books. There were so many necessary narrative facets of this record that the movie adaptation necessitated two parts to admit them all. Alas, there is the 20 page epilogue that firmly split the Harry Potter reading community. I sat firmly on the 'what the heck?' bandwagon. I truly liked the final title to this series but the epilogue left a very bad taste in my mouth. Why were my panties in a twist? Firstly, it was rushed and the quality of the writing wasn't on par with the balance of the book. It was near as if Rowling tried to crush the first third of a continuing title into HP7's remaining pages. Secondly, an epilogue should not be that long or expansive. Everyone was paired off and bred. Each spawn was named (preposterously at that) to render fan fiction writers with spin off material. It was not so much the presence of the epilogue but the absolute size and range of it. Rowling would have beenbetter off making the epilogue short and less bogged down with minutiae or written another claim for the series set a) in Hogwarts and the issue of the HP characters or b) middle aged Harry, Ron and Hermione doing something.okay, that idea sucks. What we did have was a thinly written, detail ridden piece of fan girl nonsense about what happened to the characters if death didn't feel them. They would, of course, find their destined one in a fellow Hogwarts alum to which they get married and supply future students for their alma mater. While it moved on the angle of those that passed out during the series' history and attempted a exploration of living after battle and an avalanche of hope. It but didn't go really well, it only seemed trivial. (And on a complete fangirl note.I've never liked Ginny and thought Harry should have died so this just rubbed salt into my wounds.)
Mockingjay, unlike HP7, has about the precise opposite problem. There was no desire left. It topped off a fairly desperate, destructive and depressing title with an epilogue that featured Katniss existing but not really living. Sure she bred. But she had to be talked into it. This is the start factor of the epilogue that sat poorly with me. Katniss, who would always stated she didn't want children, allowed herself to be whittled down into having children. Children she didn't particularly want or associate with (if my interpretation of the epilogue is with the majority). Secondly, the whole series featured Gale as a firm friend, enough so that some people thought he was a viable romantic option but the friendship completely died. Their connection gone. Boo. Lastly, I detest that with the end of District 12 and the last of Prim - both Gale and more importantly, Katniss' mother, aren't a gene in her future. She lost pretty much everyone and this girl, with mammoth amounts of moxie, failed to push for her home and pardon of a friend. In losing her leave to fight, she missed her spark. I wanted to see some of that still remain.though I get the epilogue true (somewhat) to the character.
Breaking Dawn didn't get a epilogue, though its late chapter was titled Happily Ever After. Those three words encapsulate my issues with epilogues - HP7 chased it whereas Mockingjay subverted it but also didn't (I know, confusing. Why am I bringing up Breaking DawnCullens and even Jacob accepted her determination and no sacrifices were made. Really? Happily Ever After with no sacrifices.other vamps might not have kicked Bella's arse but Harry and Katniss might.Breaking Dawn is the extended happily ever after epilogue. Except its extension removed the fun bits (the baby making) and left us with bruises, a terribly long and unnecessarily gruesome birth scene and an aberration (the kid that I decline to name). Again people are paired up willy nilly, Jacob and the aberration? Really? I deny to discuss this one anymore as my memory has faded with sentence and Google is not having the joy of me typing 'Breaking Dawn what happens?' But if you are leaving to weaken the opinion of an epilogue and try to go out with a bang.make the eruption a bang, instead of a whimper. The pressure field thingy was anti-climatic and really lame. Good luck, film makers. I will add that Breaking Dawn also has the joy of being adapted into a two separate film. But we all recognize that has naught to do with addressing story points with adequate screen time and everything to do with the all powerful dollar. I sound jaded, it might be time for me to close my rant. What immediately springs to your brain when a bad epilogue is discourseed? Though I chose not to discuss it in this spot I would wish to indicate that the epilogue in Simone Elkeles' Perfect Chemistry made an otherwisegreat read finish on a bum note. Evidence that sometimes an epilogue is the wrong thing to attempt? * For those of you who contend that HP isn't YA, I would hold that as a series it isn't wholly YA but the bulk of it is. For those of you who want to argue.go forward BUT he attends a magical high school for goodness sakes.
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