Why does Mary Anne always read a book's ending first? How does this reflect her character? Do you ever do this?

I am not really sure why Mary Anne does it, maybe she is afraid she might not be around to finish it. I do the same thing, not always, but sometimes just because I am impatient and don't want to wait!

She couldn't wait to see how things would turn out. I used to do this, but don't anymore because I don't want to spoil the book.

It is hard to say but she was a woman that liked to be in control of her life and I think she didn't particularly like the uneasy feeling that suspense can give.

It was because she wanted to know how things turned out but it's a foreign concept to me! I've never, ever done this. I don't want to know how a book will end until I get there. The exception is with classics, the great books I'll read no matter if I know the ending or not. I'm as interested in how a writer gets to the end as what the ending is. It's just contemporary books I don't want spoiled. I may choose not to read a modern book if I know the ending.

LReads had a good perspective on this. Perhaps, it was a control issue for Mary Anne. I will look to a book's ending when the suspense becomes too much for me. Otherwise, I enjoy the ride.

I think that by reading the end of the book she had more understanding for where the writer wants to take the reader. I personally find this impossible for me to do, but maybe it makes one pay more attention to the story.

The only time I read the end first is because I am frustrated with the story and writing and want to find a reason to continue the book. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't.

No surprises--she'd know how the story ended; the only surprises would be in what events, characters, etc. led to the conclusion. I have heard people often say that they would like to know what the future holds for them; knowing "What is to come" would perhaps give one a sense of control in circumventing certain events and endings. As an aside, I heard an interview with an acclaimed historical biographer the other day, and he said he writes the final sentence of every book first; I found that interesting.

I think it is a control thing and a dislike of surprises. When I was younger I always read the ending first (it started with Harlequin romances in my teens as I wanted to know which guy the heroine would end up with!). I am not a fan of surprises and knowing the ending made me feel like I was in control. As I have grown older, I am less likely to read an ending as control is not as big a deal for me and I trust authors more to take me on a good journey.

Will says his mother always read the end of the book first because she couldn't wait to find out how things turned out. This tells me she was a bit impatient. She had to know the outcome then she could take her time finding out how the story go there. I can't do that. I don't need the "instant gratification". I like the suspense, the waiting. If the story drags on I may flip ahead a few chapters to see if it picks up but I don't read the ending.

No one loves control or hates surprises more than me, so I wondered why I didn't read the end first as well!
But maybe I don't read the end first because I it is nice to let down that guard every once in awhile...
No one but the pages no when you patiently await a novels' end...

I guess Mary Ann enjoyed the journey more than the destination. I wonder if she ever dropped a book because she didn't like the ending.

I used to read the end first. I think Mary Anne does it is to be sure that she is able to get the true picture of the book as she reads it.

I don't do this as much as I am tempted. I am not sure that Mary Anne always did this or if she began doing it during her illness. Maybe a control issue or maybe just a fear of not being around to finish it. I used to know a woman who ALWAYS ate dessert first:)

she read the end of the book first because she didnt know if she would be around long enough to finish it and also i thinkd she was a little impatient soetimes. as many books as she read she sometimes probably asnt sure she wanted to readrge whole tometimes i do that. to see just where the author is going with a book.

I agree with the others who felt Mary Anne had control issues. I don't think she was a woman who liked to be surprised, but more than that, I think she could apply that critical eye to the unfolding if she knew how it ended.
It is documented that knowing how a book ends won't affect how you feel about the story; one can enjoy it just as much (or more!) regardless. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/aug/17/spoilers-enhance-enjoyment-psychologists
I usually, almost always, read straight through. I can't recall the titles where I HAD to read the ending, but I do recall a few times when I just. could. not. wait. WHen I have read the ending ahead, it has been out of delirious curiosity, not to decide the book's fate, as in whether or not to continue reading.

I tend to agree with Pepper and several of the others. She was a strong woman who had control of her life and was not willing to relinquish that control to the uncertainty of a book.
I have checked the ending (and even the middle) of a book on several occasions. A book is an investment of time and energy. It is a journey that we take with the author. By checking the ending you find out if this book is going to take a direction that is worth your time and is a journey that you want to take. There are just so many books that it is not worth wasting your time on a book that you will not enjoy. Of course, that presupposes that when you sneak-peek at the ending that you are getting a true indication of what the book holds in store. There are some books that if I had peeked at the ending I might not have read, and that would have been my loss.

I agree with pennynm. I'll read theend when I am frustrated with the book, this is not the case with this book. I think I know how it is going to end but I am enjoying the experience of getting there.

I have a good friend who always reads the end first and at first it amazed me. I enjoyed learning that someone else does this as well. As I think about that activity, it occurs to me that it allows the reader to pay closer attention to the book in the reading of it. I loved Mary Anne's ability to get right to the "take away" of any particular book. Knowing the end allowed her to consider how the writer got there.

It might be interesting to try reading the end first on a few books and to see if it changes the way I read.

Maybe, by reading the ending first, Mary Anne determined if it (the ending) is satisfying enough to invest time in reading the book. I think of all the books or movies I have read or seen for which I hated the ending. I felt so cheated! out of my time and money!

I find a whole lot - perhaps as high as half - of books have problems at the 3/4 mark (when the author's deciding how to start wrapping up), occasionally redeeming themselves in the last section. So, for me, I'd have to read the 3/4 section to determine a book's worth. A little harder than peeking at the ending...!

I used to read the last few pages of a book before even reading the first page. I suppose I wanted to "know." I stopped doing this long ago when I figured out it was more enjoyable to let the author tell me the story on the author's terms.

I'm not sure I've ever read the ending of a book first. What I do do, though, is read the end of a review to see the summing up. I read the first paragraph and the last, if I don't have time for the whole review. The end is where all the opinion is, anyway.

I like lisag's idea about reading book reviews. The trick is, of course, finding reviews that are written properly. She has given me ideas for the ones I occasionally write.