A while back I got the idea for a new December blog series so I’m starting it today! This new series is called “All I want for Christmas is” and then I’m going to talk about more topics or characters, or whatever, I want in books.
Today I’m stating with something a lot of you might find strange, but All I Want for Christmas is more books that don’t have happy endings!
Don’t get me wrong… I love a happy ending when the time is right or something particularly traumatising has happened to a character, but I feel like a lot of the time, authors, writers, or directors create scenarios for a happy ending out of thin air where it would have simply been better to leave a situation open. Or sometimes, in my own dark twisted way, I would just prefer for a killer to not get caught or for someone to not escape the clutches of evil… is that fucked up? Probably, but so is life, where that kind of thing happens so often, apparently something that’s completely forgotten about in fiction.
I guess most members of public would prefer a happy ending, but I personally LOVE an ambiguous ending in books and movies. No spoilers, but one of my favourite horror/thriller movies ends with everyone dying and this is one of the reasons I love it so much. I remember the time I saw the movie and I was blown away by the shocker of an ending!
This is not to say I want loads more books or movies with bad endings because then the effect of it would wear off, I just wish there were a few more. It would just be nice if there were more authors who would allow for a darker, more realistic conclusion to crime stories.
So there we have it, that’s the start of this Christmas series! What do you wish there was more of in fiction?
Have you read any great books where the bad guy(s) get away with it?
BookBum 
I’m with you on this! When everything gets tied up too neatly in a bow, it can feel really forced and sentimental. Dark and gritty is much more my bag!
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Definitely, authors sometimes need to realise a happy ending isn’t always the answer!
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All I want for Christmas is more magical realism in books! I’m in love with this subgenre and wish more writers would use it…
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I don’t think I’ve ever read a magic realism book… hmm, I could be wrong though!
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If you want to try something new, I highly recommend Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s books!
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Thanks for the rec!!
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YES 100000%. I love dark and realistic fiction and ambiguous endings are my jam. I wouldn’t normally recommend YA to you but I don’t like YA either so I think it’s ok, lol, but you actually might like Sadie by Courtney Summers. I was really taken aback by just how gritty that book was. And did you read Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton? That one isn’t quite a mystery, but it’s dark as hell and no one is happy and the ambiguous ending is perfection.
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Thanks for the recommendations!! I’ve heard Sadie is really good, I’ve been seeing it on the blog and Instagram all the time.
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I loved this post. 🙂
It’s true that far too many stories end in happily ever after, so to speak. Bring on #happilyneverafter ?
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Ha I love it! I would love more #happilyneverafter books 😀
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Nothing fucked up with that!
I think that would be realistic. I’m perfectly fine with an ending that is not happy, but still satisfying. Like you can feel that the story is finished, and this is how it ends, it just sucks for some 😀
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Haha, agreed! I like open endings too, where I’m left with loads of questions!
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Great new feature, really looking forward to your next post!
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Thanks, new one coming up soon 😀
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I can agree with this. Also, sometimes authors forget that not ending a book with a happy ending doesn’t automatically mean the book ends with a bad or sad ending. Ambiguous endings can be really good and powerful. (The Giver was one of my favorite reads this year, and it has a perfect ambiguous ending.)
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Definitely! I really love ambiguous endings too (when they’re done well!)
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As much this made me giggle when I first saw it, I actually have to agree. Life isn’t wrapped in this tight little pretty bow where everything turns out perfectly. I think if I was exposed to both happy and sometimes sad endings, I would be able to handle more things mentally. I remember studying about that in psychology, that our ability to handle stresses and what not can be greatly defined to what we’re exposed to.
However…I’m going to wish for more LGBT books and more bromance… ❤
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I totally agree with you! But I guess we’re exposed to so many unhappy endings in the news etc that most writers want to give their audiences an escape – which is fine – I just wish there were more realistic endings in books 🙂
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This is true … I’m totally one of those people that doesn’t watch the news specifically for that reason ha-ha!! I’m still informed about the world, but I really don’t need to see all the chaos going on.
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I know what you mean, it’s so awful to watch all the horrible stuff happening!
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Definitely agree… ambiguous endings are often better than happy ones. I think it’s more memorable.
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Oh definitely! I’m far more prone to remembering the more shocking endings that make me want to ask a load of questions 🙂
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Yes!!! As nice as a happy ending is, it’s would be nice if more books had realistic endings!
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Definitely!!
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I love ambiguous endings!!! The worst are when everything’s tied up in a nice bow. I like there to be some questions, or some openendedness!
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Yes! I hate when there are no loose ends, especially when it feels really forced 😦
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Ooh love this idea! I want more books that can really surprise me or have a unique twist I haven’t seen before.
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Definitely! More twisty stories would be amazing 😀
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Agree! I find myself enjoying books and movies more when they are unpredictable and have unhappy ending. I don’t like Allegiant, but it’s not because of the ending- I’m perfectly fine with that- it’s more on how the story is executed. 90% of my favorite books actually have sad ending, so that’s saying a lot 😀
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Wow, I need to find me some more books with unhappy endings! It doesn’t feel like I’ve read enough 😀
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THIS! Unhappy endings are so great, but it’s so rare to find them in books. Sometimes you just don’t want to see sunshine and rainbows! 😊 great post
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Thank you! I’m glad other people agree 🙂
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THIS! I am essentially a horrible person and love my characters to be put through the ringer… I love the unexpected and having things not end up sunshine and rainbows is the ultimate shock to me.
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Yes!! I love all this bad stuff too hehehe
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