The Myth of Happily Ever After

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t read Allegiant and/or don’t want to know what happens, do NOT read this post! You've been warned.

Real life isn’t a fairy tale, and I believe that literature is allowed to reflect that. In most fairy tales there is a happily ever after, at some point after the main characters get past all their scruples and are together/engaged/married, and ta-da! Happy.

 

But in the real world, that’s not how it works. Marriage is not the finish line, but a starting point at a life together. And for many people, marriage is not the end goal, but maybe a career or friendship or travel or something else entirely. There will not be a point in life when everything comes together and from that point on, life is good. There will always be bad mixed with good, which is what makes life interesting.

 

A happily ever after is hard to come by in real life. So why do we require it in our fiction?

 

I understand that some people want an escape. That’s why we read books that take us to fantasy worlds or far away galaxies or the distant future when no one’s heard of the United States. We read about wizarding wars, Hunger Games and the quest to destroy the one ring in an attempt to escape from our everyday routine of work, eat, sleep.

 

The worlds to which we escape are not perfect. We wouldn’t want them to be! So, why do we want the endings to be perfect? Why do we require a happily ever after?

"As a reader, I don’t feel a story has an obligation to make me happy. I want stories to show me a bigger world than the one I know… Basically I would argue that books are not primarily in the wish fulfillment business. " –John Green

 

I was about 100 pages from the end of Allegiant when the dread starting creeping in. Suddenly, the end was upon me, I knew I was reading toward it, and I was afraid for what it would hold for Tris and Tobias. Apparently, I was right to be worried.

What Tris did for Tobias, Caleb and all those she left behind, was noble. It was brave, self-sacrificing and a little crazy. It was Tris. I truly believe she was the only one who could have fought her way into the Weapons Lab and I know she was the only one who could fight the effects of the death serum. In the end, it was a difficult irony that she survived the serum that would have killed everyone else just to be killed by one enemy with a gun.

 

Yes, life is unfair. Sometimes literature is too. But I know that Tris is the only one who could have completed it all, so that Chicago could be reborn as the fourth city. Don’t get me wrong, I was heartbroken the moment her mother came for her. But I kept reading and when I finished I took a step back and realized something important. In sacrificing herself, Tris saved numerous lives, she rescued a city from the brink of destruction and she pushed back on inequality.

 

The end of Allegiant was a different kind of ending. It was not a happily ever after, but a thought-provoking closure that was hard to swallow. It was elegant, powerful and (obviously) controversial. However, the lack of a happily ever after will not make me love Tris and Tobias, the Divergent series nor Veronica Roth any less. Because the ending was a reflection of real life. Every now and again, we need some real life in our literature. Occasionally, we need some reality in our escape.

 

Most Anticipated Teen Books: Fall 2013

Autumn is upon us! Leaves are falling and the breeze has turned cool, so grab your favorite pumpkin-flavored drink and curl up with these new YA releases!

October 1

Perfect Ruin –Lauren DeStefano

What it’s about: Morgan Stockhour knows getting too close to the edge of Internment, the floating city in the clouds where she lives, can lead to madness. If she ever wonders about the ground and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in her best friend, Pen, and in Basil, the boy she’s engaged to marry. Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city and Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially once she meets Judas. Betrothed to the victim, he is being blamed for the murder but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find—or whom she will lose.

Why I’m excited: Because a floating city in the clouds makes me think of the Cloud City and all the awesome developments and devastation that took place there. The concept behind this new series is intriguing (even minus the Star Wars correlation): murder mystery in a floating city. Yeah, I’ll be reading this one, especially since DeStefano has already hooked me with her Chemical Garden trilogy and hilarious Twitter feed. 

October 8

Tandem –Anna Jarzab

What it’s about: Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson never believed her grandfather’s stories of parallel worlds—until she finds herself thrust into one against her will. To prevent imminent war, Sasha must slip into the life of an alternate version of herself, a princess who has vanished on the eve of her arranged marriage. If Sasha succeeds in fooling everyone, she will be returned home; if she fails, she'll be trapped in another girl's life forever. As time runs out, Sasha finds herself torn between two worlds, two lives and two young men vying for her love—one who knows her secret and one who believes she's someone she's not.

Why I’m excited: Because I adore Jarzab’s previous two novels, and consider her debut one of the best teen books of 2010. All Unquiet Things and The Opposite of Hallelujah were realistic fiction novels, so I am thrilled that this novel is fantasy. Okay, I’ll admit that I’ve already read the DRC, but I’m still excited for this book’s release, so I can grab my own copy and shout its greatness to the world!

October 10

Just One Year –Gayle Forman

What it’s about: After spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, Just One Year is Willem's story, picking up where Just One Day ended. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson's own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.

Why I’m excited: Because Just One Day grabbed my heartstrings and pulled in all the right places. I devoured Allyson’s story and I’ve been waiting for Willem’s side ever since. I feel that these books are two parts of a whole, and this companion novel will help fill in all the missing pieces of their engrossing, relatable yet foreign love story.

October 15

Unsouled –Neal Shusterman

What it’s about: Connor and Lev are on the run after the destruction of the Graveyard. They’re running toward answers, in the form of a woman Proactive Citizenry has tried to erase from history itself. If they can find her, they may discover the key to bringing down unwinding forever. Cam, the rewound boy, knows that if he can bring Proactive Citizenry to its knees, it will show Risa how he truly feels about her. And without Risa, Cam is having trouble remembering what it feels like to be human. With the Juvenile Authority and vindictive parts pirates hunting them, the paths of Connor, Lev, Cam, and Risa will converge explosively—and everyone will be changed.

Why I’m excited: Because I had no idea this was coming so soon! I was expecting another many year wait (which was the case between Unwind and Unwholly.) So the fact that the final novel in this evoking trilogy is nearly within my grasp makes me want to dance down the teen aisle of my local bookstore! Don’t worry, I won’t… probably.

October 22

Allegiant—Veronica Roth

What it’s about: The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties and painful memories. But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Why I’m excited: Because… well, do I really need to explain? The cliffhanger at the end of Insurgent made me want to throw the book across the room, in a good way. The possibilities for this trilogy-ender are outstanding, and I can’t wait to dive into what will surely be a thrilling, heart-wrenching, provoking novel.

November 26

Pawn—Aimee Carter

What it’s about: Kitty Doe can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country. If she says yes, Kitty will be surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous, adored and for the first time, she will matter. There's only one catch. She must stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered and the same one that got her killed. She must decide which path to choose and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game.

Why I’m excited: Because tough choices are what makes good books into great ones, and there are many such choices laid out for Kitty in this novel. Therefore, I’m expecting Pawn to be a nail-biting, edge-of-my-reading-chair, great story. I haven’t read Carter’s Goddess Test series, but I’ve heard wonderful things, so I imagine that her foray into dystopian fiction will be captivating in its own right.

December 3

Rebel Spring—Morgan Rhodes

What it’s about: Auranos has been conquered and the three kingdoms are now unwillingly united as one country called Mytica. Cleo is a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people. Magnus stands to inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia, while she is haunted by the deadly outcome of her magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms. Jonas watches at the palace gates, a troop of rebels behind him, planning to overtake King Gaius. When Gaius announces that a road is to be built into the Forbidden Mountains, linking all of Mytica together, he sets off a chain of cataclysmic events that will forever change the face of this land.

Why I’m excited: Because Falling Kingdoms was an epic tale of four teens poised to change their world, which was already on the brink of war and revolution. I loved flying across the kingdoms to the adventures of each Cleo, Magnus, Lucia and Jonas, and I’m anxious to see how their paths cross in this sequel.

 

Happy Fall!

*Book descriptions were adapted from those appearing on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites.

Destination YA: Chicago

When I think of Chicago, I think of deep-dish pizza, Lake Michigan, the Sears Tower and the bean. I think of Oprah, windy politicians and the chilly breeze that sweeps in from the lake. I think of the times I saw U2 at Soldier Field. And after (finally!) diving into Divergent last fall, I also think of the novelized version of the city (or in the case of Divergent, the dystopian version). Chicago is right up I65 for me—four hours to Lake Shore Drive, outrageous parking fees and general big city fun. For me it’s not a vacation destination or a dream destination (as I’ve been there many times) but a realistic, within-my-budget, weekend away destination. Here are some YA books that will take you there:

Divergent/Insurgent/Allegiant: Veronica Roth

In this series, Chicago is a torn-apart, worn-down city where Tris and Four live. Its shadow remains but the city itself is barely recognizable. Every now and then, Roth will provide a well-known visual of Chicago usually when Tris is outside her faction's boundaries, and the reader is reminded the truly unpredictable nature of the future. Even though the story itself could be based in any big city, I think setting it in Chicago added a sense of Midwestern reality, helping offset the futuristic feel with a down-to-earth sensibility. With the final book in the trilogy out this October and the Divergent movie coming next year (see Roth’s post on visiting the set here), I imagine we will only be hearing more about this amazing trilogy in the months to come.

Time Between Us: Tamara Ireland Stone

It’s 1995 in Chicago when Anna and Bennett meet in the snow and ice. On the outside, their romance seems simple and nostalgic, much like the version of Chicago that the reader sees in this story. Chicago is portrayed through Anna’s parents’ bookshop, their suburban-type home and her typical high school. It’s a wholesome Chicago, which only begins to break as the truth about Bennett’s time-traveling abilities is revealed. For Anna, Chicago is home, but it’s also a net under which she’s trapped. Will she have the courage to escape, or will she wait forever to see if Bennett manages to travel back to her windy city?

 

Will Grayson, Will Grayson: John Green & David Levithan

Chicago is a city of coincidence when Will Grayson meets Will Grayson on one snowy night downtown. Green and Levithan weave together the story of two teens, each with their own distinct voice, through an examination of relationships. The story has a suburban, could-happen-anywhere feel but it also highlights the quirkiness of Chicago when the Wills meet in an adult bookstore. Green and Levithan have many outstanding books to each of their respective names, but such an accomplishment as this co-authored novel only makes me wish they will someday meet again, maybe in Chicago.

A few more Chicago-centric adventures:

XVI: Julia Karr

Perfect Chemistry: Simone Elkeles

Cold Fury:  T.M. Goeglein

Hope the wind stays away!