Spiral

It's been probably 6 or 7 years since I last read this book but I am revisiting this series now as an adult reader. At the time when I first read this book I remember it being terribly tragic and upsetting as a young teen. I think up until that point I was used to the happy endings you normally see in children's books. Soon after reading this I think I started to move on to slightly more adult literature like Stephen King, Clive Cussler, Lovecraft, Poe, and so on. After exploring more adult literature and just gaining more real world understanding in general, I no longer find this book or even the ending to be too terribly disturbing. In life, things often turn out fine but at an expense. There are few examples of a completely satisfactory outcome in life and I believe this book highlights that. That being said, if you find this ending an absolute travesty, I recommend you never pick up Stephen King's Dark Tower series. It's longer than this and has a worse ending.