Making Up For Monday: The Last Word

 Time for Making Up For Monday

Question: If you could rewrite the ending to any book, what would you change? (Please note that this post has SPOILERS!)

If I could change the ending to any book, it would be Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell.

The ending to this book drove me crazy. Eleanor runs away and Park doesn't hear from her for like a year (OK, I can't remember how long it was exactly, but I feel like it was a long time). Then she sends him a postcard with "three words".  Although its never said, as a reader, I assumed it was "I love you". 

I was less than thrilled with this ending.  It bugged me that she just left him hanging. He helped her so much and tried so hard to be there for her.  He helped he escape.  She had his address and his phone number.  And she decides to wait a ridiculous amount of time just to tell him "I love you" and literally nothing else?  Ugh!

Here's the ending I hoped for:
Eleanor goes to her aunt and uncle's and Park hears nothing for about three weeks. He does notice that her mom and stepdad's house is empty but knows nothing.  He hears rumors from Tina that the police were there after Eleanor disappeared. Finally, after three long weeks, Eleanor writes. When she arrived at her uncle's, he called the police. The police went to Richie's that night to do a "welfare check" and he was drunk and beating her mom in front of the young siblings. He was arrested. Eleanor's mother bailed him out and her uncle sent Eleanor away to another home so that Richie couldn't find her.  They tried to get the other kids, but since the mom did not agree, they were unsuccessful.  Richie's trial came and he was sentenced to two years in prison (for hitting a cop when they tried to restrain him). Eleanor is staying with her aunt and uncle until after graduation. She tells Park she wants to "start again" with him after graduation.  Then she ends the letter "PS: I love you".

What do you think? Agree or disagree?

What about a book you'd want to rewrite?



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