The Sweet Far Thing
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Needs a different ending!!
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i have to disagree with everyone and say that i don't think this book sucked at all. sure, they could have been together in the end, but it really showed how much he cared for her that he would risk his life to save hers. i think bray did an awesome job with tying it all up in the end.as for felicity, i caught on a little the first time i read it but when you read it the second time around and know that she is a lesbian, you get a lot of hints dropped to you throughout the books. i liked that part about her, it was her "flaw" and it made her more likable and human instead of her acting so catty and tough all the time. it's not that big of a deal, really.
Aaw:'-( I try not think about the ending too much, it made me cry so much as well.. But in a way making people able to cry over it, is a real success and proves that a book is really good - since the readers are so absorbed and affected.I would say that changing the ending might give one a happier memory of the book, but it wouldn't necessarily make it better, sometimes pain and loss is necessary to make a book realistic and go beyond being a "book".
We already have too many books that get overly happy and unrealistic ends simply to satisfy the readers, at the cost of tainting the book. It is satisfactory in a way to know that the book has not been influenced by others' opinions and that the characters have acted in the story as they would, that makes a book come alive.
Also, if it brave of Libba Bray to write such an ending, which she could predict would disappoint and anger some readers.
I HATED the ending!!!! WHY SHOULD KARTIK DIE!?!
Ha ha. I should have guessed that any discussion about this book would be in complaint against the ending. You know, I was definitely mad at first. Kartik turned into a tree? What? I cried a lot. But I've gotten over it. And I was also at first unhappy about Felicity and Pippa, but now that I've become more open minded I like that twist. Despite the ending, "The Sweet Far Thing" was definitely my favourite in the trilogy.
I want Katrik back...Man I was(still am) at what happened to him.I mean she could have at least gave us some more scenes with Gemma and Katrick together.
I loved the series!! I hated the ending and it was so unfair. I wanted him to live!!!!
I dint like the ending. As for Felicity, i don't mind her being lesbian. May be i was a little shocked for i never guessed it coming.Coming back to the ending, I was totally shattered. How could Karthik die? ( i cried my eyes out) what kind of Merlin stuff is this?
I was so looking forward to a happily ever after end, Gemma and Karthik getting married and so on. It may have been victorian England which shunned scandals of this type, still they could have lived their life. Things have changed haven't they?, had ppl not rebelled and liberated, we would not lead this life of independence. One of the flaws in the ending is that miss Bray has given what any normal regency/historical novel would give for an ending. So this doesn't seem to be an unheard of or revolutionizing denouement.
Besides its for the impossible, beautiful and perfect story that steels one away from mundane issues, we read. Real life is full of imperfections; a roller coaster ride, why would any one care to read some book with same regular things when we can forget for at least some time in a dream about something fantastic?
otherwise the trilogy was good.
It was definitely sad, but I thought it was beautifully done, and a necessary part of the plot.And Felicity being a lesbian doesn't mean she possibly liked Gemma. Just because someone's gay doesn't mean they want *everyone* of the same sex.
I actually don't think he died fully he is just stuck in the tree. Plus, maybe Gemma could find a way to get him out.Know one knows for sure. I though it was kind of a cool ending not all stories have to have a happy ending. I kind of knew Felicity was a lesbian as well she was very strong and independent.
the books were amazing all the way through but Kartik should not hav been killed!!! it was absolutely awful. he needed to like....appear at the last moment ok and totally safe. grr
HATED the ending!! Why did the love of her life . . . . go all tree for her? Okay, that's totally sweet, but it totally sucks.
I KNOW!!! I'm still holding out hope that she will write a 4th book where Gemma goes back to figure out a way to release him from the tree. That is the only way I could get through my day after finishing the series. haha I cried every time I looked at the book the week after I finished it... I know, I'm pathetic. But I'm not holding my breath though, I doubt Bray would do that. :(
I KNOW! I TOTALLY cried too!
(G)Emma wrote: "New York was kind of random.... but Gemma was not going back to India, I knew that at least. I felt very selfish for wanting him to live too. For a period of time I would see a guy and I'd be glar..."Totally agree!!!! I may not have been happy with the ending at all! Because of Kartik but it made the story more raw and realistic!
I seriously cried forever after i read what happened to Kartik!!!!! I was so sad and especially after him and Gemma JUST started like really dating! It was sooooooo sad!!! Totally agree with Aden..yea we were all sad about it cuz it was like KARTIK! But it didn't make the whole book suck it just made it more realistic.
Lydia wrote: "I seriously cried forever after i read what happened to Kartik!!!!! I was so sad and especially after him and Gemma JUST started like really dating! It was sooooooo sad!!!"Same!! I was literally devastated, I cried for days :( I've never ever been that upset because of a book before in my life. But yeah, I agree it made it more realistic, it wouldn't have made sense to have a lovey-dovey fairytale ending :(
I'm so glad to read other people saying that even looking at the book weeks after reading it made them cry too XD I felt like such a saddo haha
I don't usually cry in a lot of books, but this one got me. And it's a little hard to get people to understand when I explain to them that I cried because one of my favorite characters became a tree.
Patti wrote: "I don't usually cry in a lot of books, but this one got me. And it's a little hard to get people to understand when I explain to them that I cried because one of my favorite characters became a tree."HAHAHAHHA I laughed so hard at this comment. I cried, too, and was subsequently angry that the romantic lead got turned into foliage.
The ending made me cry soo much!! I was kinda mad about it. Tears of anger and sadness
Stefanie wrote: "The ending made me cry soo much!! I was kinda mad about it. Tears of anger and sadness"Haha totally agree!!! tears of anger and sadness :)
I wanted Gemma and Kartik to end up together D=
Okay, as an overall series, I became easily irritated by Gemma and her actions. However, I could not put the book down and I liked Kartik and wanted them to be together. I was sad when he died, but what else could've happened?
I totally agree with saying the book ended terrible! I was crying my eyes out! It sucked.
I totally agree I was disappointed in the ending with Kartik dying in the tree and Gemma living on. I wished Gemma and Kartik could have lived on forever. I guess I'm used to characters in books having happy endings so in a way I liked it because it was different. In the end I'm mostly upset with the surprise/shocking/awful ending.
I hated it but i loved it at the same time! :D If that makes sense :/ I hated that Kartik died but i loved that it was a twist from the norm of YA books so that made it interesting. But don't get me wrong i HATED that Kartik died D:
I guess I get the idea of fiction being an escape from reality, but I also like my fiction to be relatable. I mean, who hasn't lost someone they love? Who wouldn't be able to relate with the grief and eventual moving on that's portrayed so well?I also love the bittersweetness of it, how I did really hate that Kartik died, and I was sad after finishing the book, but I also would have been disappointed if it had been an "and they all lived happily ever after" story, because that's so trite and overdone. We all need to be able to deal with the reality that characters and people we love are not immortal and that tragedy and loss, though they may seem insurmountable, are in fact, not. The sadness in the book is, for that reason, moving and beautiful and it makes me happy. It brings validation to feelings we've all experienced, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Honestly, I rather liked the ending. Yes, Kartik will be sorely missed. However, his death will be well remembered and it was incredibly heroic. I always knew someone important would go (saw Pippa's coming, almost as much as I saw the fact that Fee was gay coming [LOVED that plot point, though it was sad for Fee, I'm certain]). I'm not entirely surprised, per say, and I'm definitely not happy about it, but I am happy that she gave him justice. He had a very noble ending, and it was fitting for him if he had to die. I absolutely ADORED Gemma's path she chose. It was kind of predictable, but completely perfect for her. I was happy with that since she finally got the freedom she always craved. I think it also leaves it open in case she randomly decides to do some sort of post-trilogy bits and pieces, which I would enjoy immensely.
As someone who was used to expecting books to have a happy ending, this was the first book that I read that didn't end with the couple having a happily ever after. To someone who doesn't realize (or doesn't want to realize) that not all books are going to have the ending that you want them to, I can understand how you would think that the ending sucked. I love a good happily-ever-after, but when a book doesn't have one, it makes it (at least for me) much more memorable. I loved this series and even though Gemma and Kartik will never be together, I can still appreciate it.
But if you were expecting a happily-ever-after (and with what's available in teen books today OF COURSE we all expect happy endings) then you should stick to mediocre books that follow a format instead of going their own way.
I don't mean to offend anyone with this, it's just how I feel :)
deleted user wrote: "I think Felicity's lesbian-ness was a bit predictable (not in a bad way) and not too suprising. I just liked how Libba Bray used the topic of homosexuality without making it a horrific scandal. (an..."I agree- but i NEVER say the Felicity being lesbian coming my way. I had to have a moment of silence to think about what happened. It was like a "I'm sorry what?" moment for me.
Larisa wrote: "deleted user wrote: "I think Felicity's lesbian-ness was a bit predictable (not in a bad way) and not too suprising. I just liked how Libba Bray used the topic of homosexuality without making it a ..."Lol! So did I! xD
I think the ending was quite well done. In the context of everything the three books built towards, a conventional happy ending would not really have worked in the least.As to Fee, I truly loved the way the author dealt with her love for Pippa, and Gemma's reaction.
Nicole wrote: "Fee being gay was foreshadowed since A Great and Terrible Beauty when she accused Sarah and Mary for being lesbians. And I agree that there is nothing wrong with that and that it is a nice twist, i..."I completely, completely agree. I saw something coming from A Great and Terrible Beauty and wasn't that shocked. I actually really liked that addition to the story.
I didn't like the way Kartik died. I didn't like THAT he died, but I understand people we love die in books. I'm with those who just found it a really strange way to do away with a character. Maybe a re-read will bring more insights, but my initial reaction was just...huh?
I cried at the ending, but Ms. Bray made her point. Feminism will always win. The Realms were supposed to be a world where women are free, where women rule and reign and are allowed to be strong. Of course the man, nomatter how wonderful and lovely he is, would be absorbed by the magic of the realms. Ms. Bray took away Gemma's love, but she gave her something also valuable: education. It was bittersweet.
And Felicity and Pippa were women who were subjected to the cruelty of popular opinion. Their relationship was sad and beautiful.
The ending was not what I had expected; it was sad and I felt like something had been torn out of my heart when Kartik "dies", but I can't picture it ending any other way.
Kelly wrote: "Honestly, I love this book exactly how it is. I mean I loved Gemma and Kartik together, but if it had ended with the same stereotypical happily ever after as every other book out there, I wouldn't ..."completely agreed!
Yj wrote: "I cried at the ending, but Ms. Bray made her point. Feminism will always win. The Realms were supposed to be a world where women are free, where women rule and reign and are allowed to be strong. O..."I couldn't agree with you more. I seriously bawled at the end, and I was SO sad that Kartik died. But at the same I can't picture any other ending.
No way, I hated the ending. Usually Im against cliché endings, but in this book, it was a MUST. It sucked, it was awful seriously! A tree?!=_= sure it was touching and poetic, but its a BIG NO. I didnt want a Romeo x Juliet. I wanted a cliché ending where they at least if they didnt stay together, promised to meet in the future bla bla bla. I would rather have that "open" ending than this. I got utterly depressed, and for depression real life is already enough.
It's not really random that she moves to New York because in the time that she's in it was very common for people to immigrate from Europe to "The New World" (America) I literally cried so much the night i read the ending that the next morning i couldn't open my eyes because they swelled
There's so much beauty in this book, but i believe it could of been greater if Kartik lived.
Well since Bray won't write an alternate ending I decided that He did live and they got married in India and had five kids
I think the fact that Felicity turned out to be lesbian only makes the book better because Bray put so much life into them by having REAL, AND RELEVANT issues like prejudiced toward gays along with: suffering from self-harm - being handicapped - being insecure about the way you look - drug addiction (this one really pulled me in, b/c i dealt with an addict parent) - and i'm sure there some i'm leaving out but it's great that Bray was able to tie those things in, it really touched me
I was crying at the end. What a ending for her. Kartik was gone. it was what Kartik did that was sweet far thing
LOVED the series, but HATED the ending. When I reread the series, I had a better appreciation for the ending, but I still can't help want Kartik and Gemma together.
I wish Kartik wouldn't have died.
Ok, it's more than 10 years now that I read the trilogy for the first time. I remember that at that time, I was so sad about the ending that I didn't touch the books again. This is quite unusual for me, as I like to re-read my favorite books from time to time. One week ago I finally read it again. And I'm touched the same way I've been ten years ago by the ending.
Yes, a good book must not necessarily have a happy ending and in this case, it is only consequent. But still I cried and kept on thinking of it all day long. Gemma and Kartik are one of my favorite 'lovers' in literature and this is so bittersweet.
I was always wondering if there will be one day a fourth part as many things at the end have been left open. Some sort of a 'ten years after', to see how the girls have made their way, what has happened to the other characters in the book (Mrs. Nightwing, Gemma's brother and father), what has happened to the realms and -of course- Kartik !!
About Fee it was a big surprise for me when I read the books for the first time, but re-reading it, you find a lot of hints to it already in the first two books. I like this twist.
Wow, this notification was a blast from the past. But I agree with you, this series really has some staying power. I am also one who loves to reread my favorites, but every time I think about reading it again my heart twists and I can’t do it.My daughter who was in middle school when I read this is now in college and she still likes to make fun of me, “Hey mom remember when you were crying over that book where the boy turns into a tree?!”
*sigh* She just doesn’t understand. And she won’t read it because I really ruined the ending for her.
Dang it. Ruined. I really RUINED the ending for her.
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How is she going to go to the realm if she lives in America? Same dif except she could've had true love with her