Seconding the rec for Owen Meaney.

For all that the story may make people grind their teeth, I thought The Sparrow ended strongly, in part because the entire story was a build to the revelations in the end--this probably had a great deal to do with the structure of the novel.

ETA: Watership Down is another example of an ending that was earned, and draws from the entirety of the rest of the novel. Thanks, Strega.

Or an example of a great book that went completely off the rails with the ending?

The Poisonwood Bible by Anne Kingsolver, and Corelli's Mandolin by wassname. I remember being peeved because I read them both in the same month and they both collapsed at the end, after being so strong at the start.

I tend to think that a strong ending requires an actual plot, not just good prose and interesting characters. You have to know where you're going, and set it up along the way. The characters and the reader both have to earn the ending, and it's frelling hard to do properly. (JJ Abrams, I'm looking at you!)

Anyone read The Magicians by Lev Grossman? My younger brother's friend came over yesterday for a birthday/New Years party and basically threw the book at me saying that she absolutely loved it until the last 100 pages, and then something happened that made her furious.

I'm not sure it made me furious, but I do remember liking it until towards the end, although that's true of the majority of books I read.

I thought the whole thing was self-consciously derivative, but kept trying to throw the reader a wink and a nod as if to say, "Look, with Harry Potter and Narnia, OF COURSE it's going to be derivative!" (With a strong dash of Phillip Pullman thrown in.) As if he was doing it on purpose, to be overtly meta. And if that's what Grossman was doing, I don't think it worked. In the end, I was still just left with the overall feeling of...derivative.

As if he was doing it on purpose, to be overtly meta.

Based on an interview I heard recently, that was his intention.

I've heard really polarized reviews of this: people tend to either really like it, or really dislike it. I haven't seen a lot of "meh" on it. I'll probably read it, but I will probably wait until I'm over the current Narnia binge.

As if he was doing it on purpose, to be overtly meta.

Based on an interview I heard recently, that was his intention.

Hmmm. I just don't think you can write a book about a school for magicians, even with the intent of being all meta about Harry Potter et al., without coming across as just an imitation (rather than a meta commentary on Harry Potter et al.). I just don't think it worked.

Although it was the very strong Narnia streak in it that I disliked more than the Harry Potter streak.

Don't get me wrong; I almost always finish reading something I start, and this was no exception. I wanted to find out what happened, and there were a few things I didn't see coming.

Although it was the very strong Narnia streak in it that I disliked more than the Harry Potter streak.

I definitely consider it an adult mash-up of Harry Potter and Narnia, which was fine and interesting, but what bugged me was that he explicitly referenced Harry Potter within the text, but felt he had to create a faux-Narnia for the main plot (although I assume that might have been a rights/permission issue more than anything else).

I can see why you would hate the Narnia element if you are a Narnia fan (I'm not particularly), but I thought what he did with it was interesting. Up to the point where it went off the rails, that is.

A great ending of a book is Life of Pi. I was in awe for days. One of my favourite books, generally.

Amy, the challenge has begun: The Great Unread.

That's fantastic and I will join you all! I'll start by finishing Eoin Colfer's And Another Thing, which I started about a year ago and still haven't got even half way through.

I'll start by finishing Eoin Colfer's And Another Thing, which I started about a year ago and still haven't got even half way through.

I'm starting with books I haven't finished, too. Right now it's a tossup between The Strain and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

I only put twelve on my list, and I'm tempted to do another twelve of classics I've never read, but I also don't want to doom myself to failure. Maybe short classics I haven't read?

I only put twelve on my list, and I'm tempted to do another twelve of classics I've never read, but I also don't want to doom myself to failure. Maybe short classics I haven't read?

My reading this past year was completely derailed by the longer books on my should-read list. That is one reason I'm playing this year's challenge by ear (or eye) and not choosing all twelve books now, but rather going by what jumps out at me when I need to choose another, or by what book salon themes we vote on, which is dictating my first two choices ( The Name of the Rose and Possession ), both of which I'm eager to read.

Right now it's a tossup between The Strain and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

I find the The Girl... books very hard to finish. Larsson starts wandering about half way through. I've been trying to finish The Girl Who Played With Fire - I might have to give up. I find them frustrating reads - although I love the films.

A Prayer for Owen Meany, one of my fave books of all time, has a great ending. The entire book builds up to it, and it doesn't disappoint.

This, yes. Very much so.