Most YA authors will say that while a YA novel doesn’t have to have a happy ending, it must give the reader a sense of hope. And I almost always agree with that…except in the case of Rhombus.
I got the edits on Rhombus last week, but I knew I had to change the ending before I received them. And I agree with my editor and everyone else that’s read the novel – I tried to tie up too many loose strings at the end of the novel. It isn’t realistic.
I think the reason I want things to end up happily is less about Rhonda (my MC) and more about the person that I want her to forgive. As much as I relate to Rhonda in the novel, there’s someone else I relate to a lot more. And if I were that person, I would give anything to be forgiven in the way that Rhonda currently forgives him in the novel.
I really, really want things to end happily for Rhonda and for everyone else in the novel. And the characters will end up being happy…just not by the time the novel ends.
::raising my hand::
I’m very guilty of wanting/liking happy endings. But only for my own books. When I read I don’t expect them. Heck, I’m a die hard Stephen King fan, and a happy ending in his book just means at least one person gets left alive….ummm…ususally with their life in shambles!
So I know whatever ending you choose will be right for the book, happy or otherwise.
Interesting. And yeah, I guess it’s not necessarily about “happy” or “hopeful” so much as it is about being…satisfying somehow?
Yup, and “realistic” matters too.