You’re all familiar with the epilogue. It’s an extra chapter after the final events of the book, usually offering some closure on what the characters go on to do after the story ends. But there’s a growing trend for extended epilogues (epilogues that can actually go on for several chapters) and even bonus scenes (sometimes deleted scenes from the book, or a chapter from a different character’s POV, or something otherwise fun).

I often don’t like epilogues because they’re usually clichéd. The couple marries or becomes pregnant. The hero is lauded for their effort and settles into the mundane life they always wanted. The students graduate and go off to college. Which is all fine, except for the fact that it’s boring and overdone.

There are those who enjoy “slice of life” scenes in books. I can’t begrudge readers for liking to read about happy characters. If that’s your thing, by all means, read away. It’s just not for me. Let’s talk about why.

Some publishers use extended epilogues and bonus scenes as a money grab.

Special editions that come with bonus scenes that are exclusively available through specific retailers is okay as a strategy. It’s just a small way to nudge readers toward buying physical books at physical bookstores, which isn’t a bad thing. But Bloomsbury’s recent move for House of Flame and Shadow takes it to an extreme.

If you haven’t kept up with the drama, let me give you a quick run down. Book 3 of the Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas is set to release on January 30, 2024. Bloomsbury, the publisher, just announced last week that there will be a whopping five different special editions, each with a different bonus scene available from different retailers. (I’m not linking the announcement here because it has HOSAB spoilers, so look it up at your own discretion.) A lot of fans are miffed because they feel this is setting up the expectation that readers will buy multiple of the same book just for those bonus scenes.

Important side note: Maas herself has not spoken on this point, so I don’t want to point any blame her way. This is the publisher’s decision, and it’s unclear how much Maas approves of the strategy. Authors are usually paid with an advance, so Bloomsbury is naturally going to be hustling to make that money back. So please don’t go throwing around hate at authors.

I want to point out something here, and this is my personal opinion, but bonus scenes aren’t actually important – in the same way that novellas aren’t important to the main series. They only matter if you want hints for future books or to see more about the characters. It’s like sitting until the end of a Marvel movie for the post-credit scene. Are they fun? Yes. Do they actually matter? Nah. If you can read the next book without it, then it wasn’t actually important.

So really, all that to say I’m not necessarily disappointed by Bloomsbury’s strategy. But I’m also not going out of my way to buy any of those special editions. I will say, though, Bloomsbury sure has drummed up some chatter, haven’t they? And isn’t that the goal?

Listen, I barely like regular epilogues, and I skip novellas.

Personally speaking, the story is over at the end of the last chapter. There are few books I can recall doing the epilogue justice. Most are forgettable, at best. If the epilogue goes on for several chapters? Count me out.

I skipped most of the extended epilogue at the end of A Dowry of Blood even though the book was a 5-star read for me. I definitely skipped it for The Duke & I, which was a 2-star read.

The only bonus scene I read in the ACOTAR series was at the end of A Court of Silver Flames. I got the Barnes & Noble exclusive paperback edition because I liked the black cover better than the orange, and didn’t even realize it came with a bonus scene. If you’re wondering what the bonus scene was – it was just the two main characters from the earlier books getting busy on a couch. So. Nothing groundbreaking here.

If you’re a big character person, though, this stuff will be your jam.

We can be best of friends, because you’ll read all the extra content and tell me what I can skip or give me a summary. Please and thank you.