# Top 100 Last Lines From Novels



## Eli Cash (Apr 29, 2008)

http://americanbookreview.org/PDF/100_Best_Last_Lines_from_Novels.pdf


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## MerryLlama (Apr 29, 2008)

what about 'and it all ends happily ever after'? ;-)


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## papertears (May 3, 2008)

I am disappointed that Great Expectations by Dickens didn't make the list. 

Unfortunately, I cannot remember the last line even well enough to make a guess and paraphrase due to my memory problems.  I just remember that it was a fine ending, typical of Dickens.  My copy of Great Expectations is in a really heavy box I can't reach or lift tonight to look up.  

Thats a great list.  I certainly haven't read all of those books, but there were only a few I hadn't heard of.  At first I was hesitant to look because I thought to myself, what about all those spoilers.  I'm not so sure that just reading the last line necessarily spoils all books though.  

Nifty thread, my thanks for sharing this.


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## Vee (May 3, 2008)

Well I don't rate that link if the end of Dickens Great Expectations didn't make it.  I don't even have to follow it now.  Thank you so much.

My memory is not accurate enough either but something like

"And there was never a shadow of another parting"


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## lilacstarflower (May 3, 2008)

I'm disappointed that not only did Austen only get one credit, but that was for Emma - that line is not the best ending, or the best line in that particular book, ugh!

"...I leave it to be settled by whomever it may concern, whether the tendency of this work be altogether to recommend parental tyranny, or reward filial disobedience"
J.A Northanger Abbey

"...Let it not be ranked as the least considerable, that though sisters, and living almost within sight or each other, they could live without disagreement between themselves, or producing coolness between their husbands"
J.A Sense and Sensibility

Personally I would have chose either of these ones, probably Northanger Abbey as it is the most memorable line in the book


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## Eli Cash (May 3, 2008)

_Sense & Sensibility_ definitely should have made it. Good call Lilac.

I don't know what the hell they have two Becketts on there for, let alone one of them in first place. Seems to me he'd be better suited to a playwright's list.


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## Itsaboysname (May 3, 2008)

Yes! By Night In Chile made it! That's got to be one of my favorites. I'm also a fan of A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.


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## papertears (May 3, 2008)

lilacstarflower said:


> I'm disappointed that not only did Austen only get one credit, but that was for Emma - that line is not the best ending, or the best line in that particular book, ugh!
> 
> "...I leave it to be settled by whomever it may concern, whether the tendency of this work be altogether to recommend parental tyranny, or reward filial disobedience"
> J.A Northanger Abbey
> ...



I completely failed to notice these, being still in shock over my afore mentioned displeasure about Great Expectations!

For some reason Northanger Abbey is overlooked altogether as one of her best works, in favor of the more romanticized Pride and Prejudice.  

That ending line is a brilliant one that deserves to be recognized for its staying power.  I think I'm too biased to make a fair judgment on Sense and Sensibility, its my favorite of her novels!


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## CodeRed (May 4, 2008)

None of my favourite last lines made that list! I'm so disappointed!


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## papertears (May 4, 2008)

Doesn't the book The Princess Bride actually end with "The End?"  Normally, I'd find that a cliche' ending or nothing to write home about.  It just seems like it was a fitting ending for such a great story, and therefore a great ending line.

*ponders that thought*


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## CodeRed (May 4, 2008)

One of my favourite last lines comes from 'Aymara' by Lucius Shepherd:

"...for without you, Aymara, even among miracles I am forlorn." - beautiful even out of context, I think.


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