London

London asked:

This question contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

12 likes · like
5 years ago
19 answers

To answer questions about Disappearing Earth, please sign up.

John Addiego Like Karen, I loved the ending. A crazily shocking surprise is really hard to pull off, but I thought the author did it. At first I thought there might be a dream narrative or earlier time involved, but the mention of the other abductee made it clear. So, why was it plausible for me (besides the fact that I really wanted it to be true)? The extreme geographical and cultural factors, the isolation, harsh climate, racism, historical and political backgrounds all contribute. It's an amazing novel in stories. Maybe the intention is that if we listen to each other's stories, we can find the answers, even the missing girls, that we failed to believe possible to save.

Karis

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

Vicki

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

Leo Walsh <spoiler>I'm not 100% sure the girls were found. It's ambiguous, which is why it still haunts me.

Remember that their mother Marina is at a festival based on a shamanistic Summer Stolsice rite, which seems to function Halloween does in western Europe: a time when spirits walk and the veil between worlds is very thin. And Marina "jumps" into a flame, engaging in that ritual, losing herself as she waits for the police.

It's only then that we see the girls. But the ending is odd. Are they spirits? If they are alive, it could be the police they hear, but icould be something else. Perhaps the kidnapper got away, Or perhaps, are they being sex trafficked, living in a brothel, and the people they hear clients? Etc.

Very unclear.

PS. I was unsold on the book until the final chapter. I thought it an okay if overly episodic mash-up of vaguely related stories that ended too soon. But that last chapter may have me go back and revisit the book. But I doubt it will ever rise in my estimation to a five-star read, the final chapter moved it from 3 to 4, IMHO.
</spoiler>

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

Seema

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

Erin

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

Amita Gupta The ending is unclear, it left me in want to closure. at the same time ,this feeling persists throughout the book, every story feels like a a moment suspended in space .So its an unusual novel in that regard, it does not aim to provide closure just lets reader feel.

Deb I agree with Leo that this ending was ambiguous. After I initially read it, I was convinced they were found, but then I listened to an NPR Now Read This interview with the author. She said that she left the ending deliberately ambiguous. I think we interpret what happens in the final chapter (as well as the future of all of these characters) just as we ourselves need to.
Which I think is brilliant.

Catherine Harris

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

Chris Witkowski

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

Bethjo Maybe we had an earlier clue in this scene: “In the front seats, Eva and Petya argued over the ending of an Australian horror movie. Eva was winning, speaking with more conviction; Petya kept falling silent as he navigated around potholes in the road. The next time he downshifted, Eva turned in her seat to make her case to Marina. “The end of it is a fantasy, like a dream sequence, don’t you agree?” “I didn’t see the movie,” Marina said. Eva pursed her lips. “From what you heard us describe, though. Doesn’t it seem most likely that it’s a fantasy?” Marina shook her head. “I don’t know.” That familiar pressure began to come down on her chest. Petya, bringing the car back up to speed, glanced at his wife. “She hasn’t seen it. Leave her alone.”

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

More questions about Disappearing Earth…

Image for Disappearing Earth

Disappearing Earth

by Julia Phillips (Goodreads Author)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions