Endings by Danielle Younge-Ullman

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On Monday I told you how everyone who reads Falling Under wants to talk about The Sex. I think it's fitting, on my final day here at the Penguin blog, to also discuss endings-in particular, endings of books and even more specifically, the ending of my book.

Because, hot on the heals of comments about The Sex, people want to talk about The Ending of Falling Under.

I wrote three other versions of the final few pages of the book, before deciding on the one that finally went to print (which was, by the way, very close to the ending I'd written on the very first draft). I wanted to get it right and I felt I'd built a certain world-view and hopefully a trust with readers, which the wrong ending could ruin or cheapen. I wanted, too, to let my protagonist, Mara, surprise readers the way she so often surprised me as I was writing. I wanted to leave her alive with possibility and with her future in her own hands.

Well...! in addition to strong reactions from people I know personally, here are a few things coming in from reviewers about The Ending:

"Book clubs everywhere should read Falling Under... this book is likely to cause a lot of strong opinions. And the ending...it was just perfect!"—Booking Mama

"PS the ending is realistic but not easy to swallow."—(4 star review from Harriet Klausner)

"There are compelling subjects for book clubs...and then that wonderful ending. Believe me, the discussions will be heated."—Book Room Reviews

"The ending will leave you either quietly contemplative or throwing the book against the wall."—(starred review, Romantic Times)

As I start to talk with people about Falling Under and its ending, with readers, I am fascinated to see such varying opinions and strong reactions. Above all this delights me because as readers engage in debate and speculation, it tells me they were invested in the story and that Mara is alive and fully formed in their minds. One might say she is hard to close the book on.

Thank you for joining me here this week at the Penguin Blog! I love hearing from readers and would be happy to hear from you. (Bring on the questions about the ending!) I can be contacted through my website: www.danielleyoungeullman.com and I also blog at www.thedebutanteball.com.

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Danielle Younge-Ullman, Falling Under, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, relationships, Penguin Books, books, Plume