Her Fearful Symmetry: The ending!

[makemineamojito]

Anyone else totally disappointed with the ending of this book? I thought so much else could have happened - e.g. Valentina taking Elspeth's soul out again and then inhabiting her own body once more, or Robert dying and being with Valentina. I thought the ending that Niffenegger wrote was so unsatisfactory - too many things happened but nothing very clever. All very wishy-washy in my opinion! Would be interested to hear what others thought.

Totally agree.

The ending made me cry, not because it was sad but because I was so annoyed and dissapointed in it (and also pregnant and hormonal at the time).

I was especially annoyed because it took me a long time to get into the book, but I stuck with it and it so wasn't worth it.
I also didn't like the way that it was quite obvious to see what Elspeth was planning long before it happened which made it less dramatic when it did happen as it was expected by then.

I definately would not reccomend this to anyone and it has put me off reading Time Travellers Wife.

Have you read TTW? Is it better than Her Fearful Symmetry?

I was quite disappointed with Her Fearful Symmetry, I thought she was almost trying a bit too hard iykwim, I didn't particularly care for any of the characters (apart from the neighbour upstairs) and yes the ending was a bit of a wash out.

I loved Time Travellers Wife, better written and the characters more engaging (whether you like them or not). Having said that, I know people who don't link TTW but I think its worth a go!

It was beyond ridiculous. Inexcusably bad imho - as bad as the travesty of Peter Akroyd's Frankenstein. I liked TTW but again the last quarter (from the foot business) was pretty stupid. I won't bother if she writes anything else tbh.

I only read this because I'd enjoyed TTW so much that it's one of the few books I've read more than once.

HFS however, whilst being good in parts, was disappointing overall and has a most unsatisfactory ending.

I found the ending more implausible than the rest of it, although I did enjoy the first three quarters of the book. The ending was silly and a bit lazy, as thoigh she couldn't think of a decent ending so just stuffed in a very silly one

I couldn't get into the Time Traveller's wife for some reason, though it seems to be muched loved by everyone else

Yes, read The Time Traveller's wife years ago. It was an original plot and I did like it (and cried at the end - so beware if you're still hormonal!) but I remember there being a few holes in the plot that were a bit annoying. I guess neither of the books is plausible in a rational sense, but if you're going to create that kind of a reality I think it has to be pretty watertight. Would recommend TTW though - I think sometimes it just had me in knots, trying to work out what point in time we were at and how old the two characters were at each point (you'll know what I mean if you read it...)

mmm - I might have another attempt to read it :)

I found the whole book difficult to get into (but stuck with it because it was a chrimbo present from my DH). I found the characters unlike-able but not in an engaging way IYKWIM.

The ending was predictable as was the relationship difficulties with the older twins.

Yawn.

I was somewhat underwhelmed - did feel engaged with Valentina's struggle to carve out her own life away from Julia's shadow and rather enjoyed Martin, the OCD character, but Robert OMG what a pathetic creep, eeewwwwww. All will to suspend disbelief vanished long before the end, I just kept plodding dutifully on...

Highgate Cemetery is well worth a visit though.

Yes, the characters were indeed unlikable. Just as you were starting to think they were OK they did something outrageous, like Robert following the twins, or completely selfish and stupid, like Valentina's plan.

Totally agree that the ending was rubbish - but I lost patience with it when they extracted the soul of the cat.....

I loved TTW and would recommend it. It is also quite fanciful, but really really good plot and somehow believeable (even though it is about time travel!!)

Maude I agree the Highgate Cemetry backdrop and descriptions were what attracted me, having "emigrated" out of London to the country last year - kind of miss those marvelous London historical places of great beauty

I agree with dustythedolphin - by far the most likable character in the book was London itself!
I was sort of enjoying the end of the book until the last page, when Elspeth realised Robert wasn't coming back - why the fuck not?

I agree with BG.

One of the main flaws was the way in which she failed to make the twin relationship overbearing enough to warrant actually DYING in order to escape it.

Just a very silly book.