After finishing a book, it can feel like a wave of relief. It’s somewhat like making it to the end of a race and gasping for air, eager to take a break. There is a sense of accomplishment, especially if the book took several days or weeks to finish. We’re proud of ourselves for staying until the end. There were times when we yawned from the boring parts and wanted to give up. But we told ourselves to not quit, to finish the book.
If the book was exciting and enthralling, we never want it to end. When we do reach the end, however, it’s like a rollercoaster ride that abruptly comes to a halt. We want the adventure to keep going, to experience new twists and turns. Alas, there are no more tracks (in this case, pages).
Even though the experience is over, the ideas are still turning in our mind. We still hear the characters voices, thoughts, and continue to wonder what will happen after we’ve closed the book.
Fallton Havenstonne 