That one Tuesday our book club argued about who 'owns' a story

I'm the one who thinks the author's intent actually matters more than reader interpretation. Our book club read 'The Silent Patient' last month, and everyone was saying the ending is about betrayal. But I read an interview where the author flat out said it's about self-forgiveness. I brought that up at our Tuesday meeting at Sarah's house, and three people got really defensive. They said once a book is published, the author loses control over meaning. I just don't get why we'd ignore what the person who wrote it says. Has anyone else felt like a book club turned against the clear point of a book?

2 comments

2 Comments

tyler_hernandez20d ago

Used to side with readers but that author interview changed my whole view on it.

the_sean20d ago

Wait, @tyler_hernandez, are you telling me you actually changed your mind after one interview? I gotta hear which author got to you that bad. Was it one of those interviews where they spill some dark secret about how the sausage gets made, or just came across as a decent human being for once?