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March 29 My Favorite Plot Twists
I love a good twisty moment in a book but I don’t go out actively seeking them. I tend to be a pretty oblivious person at the best of times and small details fly far, far over my head while I hum along, blissfully ignorant below. Hi, I’m Dory.
This makes things like walking down a hallway without banging my elbows on doorknobs something of an adventure. But it also means that I tend to miss little instances of foreshadowing, so when the big plot reveal happens I am genuinely excited and surprised. Here are some books/authors who gave me a nice surprise.
Romance:
Kresley Cole pulls out some masterful twists in her epic, multi-layered world building. I think my favorite so far has been Josephine’s big power reveal to Rune in Sweet Ruin. For just a second I wanted to jump into the book to do a touchdown dance and rub it in Rune’s face a little.
Horror:
I Am Legend is kind of the gold standard of plot twists for horror. If you haven’t read it, I really recommend giving it a try. Yes, even if you don’t like horror. Don’t worry, the gore factor is very low. This is more an examination of what it means to be human, the origin of myths, and what it costs to survive after the world around you has ended. All in a novella.
‘Salem’s Lot gets a mention just because everything you think is going to go right, goes exactly wrong, and King barely gives you time to catch your balance. So. Much. Fun.
The Girl With All the Gifts is on the list just for Melanie. She brings around the only possible ending to a lot of suffering by initiating one hell of a twist.
YA Fantasy
Tamora Pierce pulls the biggest bait-and-switch in her Trickster’s Duology. Then a huge doozy of a twist in the finale of her Beka Cooper trilogy (this is aside from, you know, the regular murder and mayhem twists in all three books). I’m 99% sure she sits there in front of her computer cackling when she comes up with these ideas.
6 comments
Ooo sometimes it’s impressive. I have a cozy mystery by Abbott that just did that to me. Left me floored going whoa whoa WHOA! lol
Have you read Zanetti? She’s great with a twist.
Not yet, but I have a reading buddy who absolutely ADORES Rebecca Zanetti and keeps recommending her. It’s only a matter of time! haha
The Girl with All the Gifts was so twisty and awesome. I Am Legend is up there among my faves of horror, which is super not my genre of choice because I’m a big ol fraidy cat.
I Am Legend was just that good of a story! haha. I was sad with all the changes they made in the movie. As an apocalypse movie, it was fine. As an adaptation of the book? Yeah, nope. The Girl with All the Gifts genuinely creeped me out a few times!
Hi! I’m also Dory! lol, I am oblivious to so many things, not just in books, but also life. I used to date a guy who usually had like a full on beard. He would shave it off and it would take me days to notice *facepalm*
Also, I reaaaaaaaalllllllly need to get to my reread of Trickster’s Choice/Queen because I have like zero memory of the plot twists in that one so it’ll be like reading it for the first time!
Oooh, maybe it’s on audio book! I don’t know for sure, but it might be. That would be a great way to re-read. And, okay, I do at least notice when my husband shaves his beard off. Mostly because I really love him in a beard and I miss it.