Sorry, days to wait folks...
First, we must muse this week’s musing, from the desk of Miz B at Should Be Reading asks…
Do you read the ending before you start a book? Do you ever skip ahead to read the ending?
Oh my, must all my shameful secrets be revealed?
Is nothing sacred?
Will what happen in 1984 someday come to light?
Oooops....didn't mean to bring that up...
Seriously.. As I think I have mentioned, to great uproar before, I will admit that on occasion, I do in fact read the ending of a book.
Now, before the screams drown me out, let me qualify that statement just a bit.
Read might be too strong a word.
I glance at the ending.
Sometimes.
It is a delicate operation.
I usually just want an idea about one thing or the other.
Does Character X survive? Do Character w and Character Z end up together? Does Character Y get their head cut off?
I do not really want to know Who Done It! No!
I do not want to know the outcome in any meaningful sense!
It is a very, very delicate balance.
Ok, so why do I do it?
Hmmm...Maybe there is only so much anxiety I can take. I must decrease the anxiety..I MUST I TELL YA!
That could be it.
Maybe.
Or maybe I am just a wee bit nuts.
:-)
Here's is my guess, you are not alone - everyone does it. No one admits it, but everyone peeks, just a little bit.
ReplyDeleteI guess peeking at the last page to get an answer and a good night sleep instead of staying awake all night to finish a book is a healthier solution ;). I would be totally afraid I would spoil myself too much by accident.
ReplyDeleteMy MM
I sometimes accidentally (hee) glance at that last page, but I only let my eyes graze over the page, I don't actually read it. I see a handful of words. It is a big perk if I happen to see the name of a possibly threatened character, and rest a little better that night knowing he or she will live. This only might happen one book out of ten though. And it is nothing I do on purpose. But I guess it counts!
ReplyDeleteyes, I do not do it with every book...no, no really I don't. :-)
Deletewhy one and not another is a mystery in my brain.
I guess there is a difference between reading and glancing! But I never have. I think it would defeat the purpose of reading for entertainment, at least for me. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteNoooooooooooooooooooooo, no, no, no. And no!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a peeker or reader or glancer. I hate spoilers!
ReplyDeleteI look at the last page to see how many pages are in the book. However, I DO NOT READ ANYTHING on that page except the page number. I would say you are a 'naughty' girl...
ReplyDeleteGlancing is okay...and checking out the page numbers. Or, if you must, read a little. It is, after all, your read! lol
ReplyDeleteHere's MY MUSING MONDAYS POST
Well, i do too, I also read spoilers for movies/TV shows ... and I always tell people that its not going to spoil anything ... its the getting there thats what matters .... in the case of a book its keeping me from having anxiety attacks ...
ReplyDeletefinally, someone who understands!!
DeleteGreat answer. Here is my post:
ReplyDeleteMM
Completely outrageous! Can't believe you do this. My grandmother used to do that all the time and I never understood it. You have no context for who people are and what happened. Shame!!!
ReplyDeletebut you still loved your grandma, right?? :-)
DeleteI'm actually not a peeker unless the book is so dull I don't think I'll finish it.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit to glancing ahead in books sometimes too - maybe not at the ending, but if the intrigue is just too much and I just have to know more - I'll look ahead a bit.
ReplyDeleteI can understand this, I often feel tempted to skip to the end just to find out what happens, but I rarely do. :)
ReplyDeleteThere was a book I read that the only thing that kept me from doing something like that was knowing there was a sequel so they couldn't all die, surely.
ReplyDelete