Hello all!! I am thinking of going back to something I have...Rediscovered, so to say. I know how it starts, and I know how it ends. I just want to know if the ending is okay because at the end, one of the MC, or you might even call him the MC dies at the end. He basically gets flattened at the end and dies in the arms of his beloved with his friend who loved him dearly standing close by. In some ways this plays an important role because it means that the friend has to take over guardianship of the beloved the next time around if there is a next time around. So the question is, is it okay to kill this guy? I know it's incredibly morbid, especially for young readers, but I think that his death will be a nice emotional touch. Also the "you must carry on" motif is a nice part of the story, despite the fact that it's sort of a cliche. So what do you think? Kill this lovely young fella, or leave him be and have a happily ever after? Or it would be interesting to make it like Asian cinema where everybody dies and nobody gets a happy ending. But no, that would just make a dead end story with a bunch of young characters splattered all over the place. Anyway, thoughts? Thank you!!
Question about character death
- Thread starter gambit924
- Start date
Personally, I like sad endings and am currently revising a MS with one. I can think of several YA books off the top of my head where a major character dies at or near the end (spoilery, so I'm putting in white)
Code Name Verity
Before I Fall
The Fault in Our Stars
Looking for Alaska
Forbidden
If it works for your story, go for it.
Code Name Verity
Before I Fall
The Fault in Our Stars
Looking for Alaska
Forbidden
If it works for your story, go for it.
It's usually not a good idea to kill off the protagonist, As with most rules, it can be broken.
I think the question to be asked is what you've promised your reader and how well you are delivering on the promise. It's okay to surprise the reader a little, that'll probably make the story better than if they could see the ending a mile away.
But, you shouldn't surprise them too much, or they'll be mad with you!
Just my two cents...
I think the question to be asked is what you've promised your reader and how well you are delivering on the promise. It's okay to surprise the reader a little, that'll probably make the story better than if they could see the ending a mile away.
But, you shouldn't surprise them too much, or they'll be mad with you!
Just my two cents...
If that's what your story dictates, go for it. Like Gringa said, as long as you deliver your promise to your reader (whatever it may be), all is fair. 
That said, if you want to kill your MC just to show you can, well, then that may be a problem. But if the death is true to your story, then go for it. I'll add on to Niiicola's spoilery white-font list of YA novels where the protagonist dies at the end:
Curses and Smoke: a novel of Pompeii
Allegiant
All that being said, do take my opinion with a grain of salt: personally, I'm more a fan of ambiguous and/or sad endings. Happy endings seem a little too commonplace these days, IMHO.
That said, if you want to kill your MC just to show you can, well, then that may be a problem. But if the death is true to your story, then go for it. I'll add on to Niiicola's spoilery white-font list of YA novels where the protagonist dies at the end:Curses and Smoke: a novel of Pompeii
Allegiant
All that being said, do take my opinion with a grain of salt: personally, I'm more a fan of ambiguous and/or sad endings. Happy endings seem a little too commonplace these days, IMHO.
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Kill 'em. I like a nice tragic ending.
I seem to remember a MC dying in Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus books too.
I seem to remember a MC dying in Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus books too.
All of this and . . . based on my time spent on Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and especially Pinterest, the more depressed and miserable you make your YA readers, the more they will love/hate you. I haven't noticed any fandoms for happy YA books, but Divergent, Harry Potter, Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments, TFIOS, and I could go on, have kids obsessed with them. So yeah, killing an MC in YA is totally legit as long as you stick to what Sabindanjoup said above.
Kill the bastard.
Kidding. Well...
Killing characters in YA is nothing new or particularly controversial. Harry Potter, arguably the most popular YA series ever, is incredibly blood splattered (and that started as middle grade!). So yeah, go ahead, do it!
BUT. Do it IF it is the right thing for your book. If it fits the tone, the themes, the character arcs, the plot. There's nothing better than a well positioned death to give a story some nice emotional punch. But there's nothing worse than a poorly executed killing to pull a reader out of a book and make them feel annoyed and manipulated. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that emotion/conflict = tragedy = death.
Kidding. Well...
Killing characters in YA is nothing new or particularly controversial. Harry Potter, arguably the most popular YA series ever, is incredibly blood splattered (and that started as middle grade!). So yeah, go ahead, do it!
BUT. Do it IF it is the right thing for your book. If it fits the tone, the themes, the character arcs, the plot. There's nothing better than a well positioned death to give a story some nice emotional punch. But there's nothing worse than a poorly executed killing to pull a reader out of a book and make them feel annoyed and manipulated. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that emotion/conflict = tragedy = death.
I agree with all the others who have posted. It really has to make sense for your story otherwise you'll upset savvy readers.