[#1]

The ending of a book has a major influence on your experience of it, I think. So I thought it would be interesting to start up a discussion about the ending of One Summer and what everyone thought of it.

For what it's worth, I thought the book's ending served as a major relief from a number of tense threads set up in the story: the delicate matter of the chemistry between Jack and Jenna, the low rumbling trouble of Jack's growing obsession with the lighthouse, Mikki's quick ascent to adolescence and Bonnie's bitter resentment towards Jack.

Do you feel like the ending was everything you wanted it to be? Do you wish the loose threads had been more thoroughly tied up or do you prefer your stories more open ended?

[#2]

The ending of a book has a major influence on your experience of it, I think. So I thought it would be interesting to start up a discussion about the ending of One Summer and what everyone thought of it.

For what it's worth, I thought the book's ending served as a major relief from a number of tense threads set up in the story: the delicate matter of the chemistry between Jack and Jenna, the low rumbling trouble of Jack's growing obsession with the lighthouse, Mikki's quick ascent to adolescence and Bonnie's bitter resentment towards Jack.

Do you feel like the ending was everything you wanted it to be? Do you wish the loose threads had been more thoroughly tied up or do you prefer your stories more open ended?

[#3]

I liked the ending of the book and hoped it worked out in the end.

Was glad it jumped forward a few years before Jack & Jenna were together, gave you a sense of his grief for Lizzie and how The Palace helped him through.

The only thing i wanted at the end was his final letter to Lizzie he wrote after proposing to Jenna but i suppose it was just a final goodbye.

[#4]

I know what you mean about wanting to see the final letter, but I thought that there was something quite poetic and touching about the author's witholding it from us. Like it's Jack and Lizzie's 'little secret', after all we did get to nose at all his other letters throughout!

[#5]

I liked the ending - it was a nice tribute to Lizzie to see Jack waited a couple of year before asking Jenna to marry him.

It would have been nice to read the last letter but i think its also good for us to imagine what he`d have wrote instead.

Jane

xx

[#6]

I think we all hoped Jack and Jenna would get together so it's nice that they did!

I'd also be interested to hear what you all think about Bonnie's (Lizzie's mother) turn-around at the end. Bonnie was probably one of the least sympathetic characters throughout (bar Tiffany, of course) - she hostile towards Jack from the outset and it seemed to grow into a deep hatred. It took her to witness Jack rescuing Mikki from a certain death for her to realise that he's a good guy.

Did this quick turnaround surprise you and did this make you feel more sympathetic towards her?

[#7]

Bonnie did seem to hate Jack all the way through the story, it could have started by watching Lizzie have to deal with 3 children and a terminally ill husband and then add to that her sudden death. She would have to change her opinon of him after saving Mikka but didnt she realise that the children wanted to stay with there dad before that.

I think she wanted to have the children to hold onto something as Lizzie was gone but maybe realised she was too old to look after 3 young children.

I was more sympathetic to her towards the end of the book but only when she changed her mind and let the children stay with Jack.

[#8]

Yes, I think that's an interesting way of looking at it - Bonnie was in mourning and her behaviour could be explained as a combination of an evolutionary instinct for protection: wanting to be the principle guardian of her grandchildren, as well as Bonnie's desperate need to cling on to what's left: again, the children.

[#9]

I really liked the ending too and was also glad that he waited a couple of years before proposing.

I too had been hoping for the last letter, especially as all of the other letters were repeated, but I do like that idea that it's Jack & Lizzie's secret.

xx

[#10]

It would be so tempting to read the last letter had Baldacci made it available, but can you imagine the tears??

[#11]

i really liked the ending. so many sad things happened in the book that it was a relief for it to end on a happy note!