--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My test of a good novel is dreading to…" description: "\"My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter.\" — Tom Helm" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/tom-helm-283727_books_my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-b_2751254.png" --- # My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last… ![“My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter.” quote by Tom Helm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/tom-helm-283727_books_my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-b_2751254.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/tom-helm-283727_books_my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-b_2751254.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/tom-helm-283727_books_my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-b_2751254.png) > “My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter.” [Tom Helm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-helm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A good novel keeps you eager to finish, making the final chapter feel inevitable yet dreaded. **In simple terms:** Great books make the ending hard to stop reading. Key Takeaway Cherish stories that grip you till the end. Themes literature anticipation engagement Mood engaged enthusiastic Type literary reflective When to use this quote - reading clubs - book reviews - creative writing Key Concepts narrative tension character development Questions to Reflect On - What makes a story compelling until its last page? - How does anticipation affect enjoyment? A Different Perspective Some readers may prefer closure over suspense. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begin Chapter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin-chapter-1280006/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Dreading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreading/) [Dreading Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreading-begin-3101538/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novel Dreading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-dreading-3101537/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I'm excited to begin the next chapter of my life with an amazing woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-lange/i-m-excited-to-begin-the-next-chapter-of-my-life-with-an-amazing-woman/) [Eric Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-lange/) > [Autobiographies ought to begin with Chapter Two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellery-sedgwick/autobiographies-ought-to-begin-with-chapter-two/) [Ellery Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellery-sedgwick/) > [I have a strong propensity in me to begin this chapter very nonsensically, and I will not balk my fancy.--Accordingly I set off thus:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/i-have-a-strong-propensity-in-me-to-begin-this-chapter-very/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-take-his-hand-holding-on-tightly-preparing-for-the-cameras-and/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“Every gathering has its moment. As an adult, I distract myself by trying to identify it, dreading the inevitable downsing that is sure to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/every-gathering-has-its-moment-as-an-adult-i-distract-myself-by/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [It's not helpful if we spend every day dreading tomorrow ~Jai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/it-s-not-helpful-if-we-spend-every-day-dreading-tomorrow-jai/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Praying for the best, dreading the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/praying-for-the-best-dreading-the-worst/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am dreading the publication, for it will be impossible not to mind what is said. I have exposed my heart to be shot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/i-am-dreading-the-publication-for-it-will-be-impossible-not-to-mind/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [“A man awaits his end Dreading and hoping all; Many times he died, Many times rose again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-b-yeats/a-man-awaits-his-end-dreading-and-hoping-all-many-times-he-died-many/) [W.B. Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-b-yeats/) > [Dreading that climax of all human ills the inflammation of his weekly bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/dreading-that-climax-of-all-human-ills-the-inflammation-of-his-weekly/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [“He worries she’s going to ask what happened. Why he isn’t dead. It’s a question he’s been dreading and preparing for all day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-crouch/he-worries-she-s-going-to-ask-what-happened-why-he-isn-t-dead-it-s-a/) [Blake Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-crouch/) > [“Why was it that when you were looking forward to a specific day, it took forever to arrive, but when you were dreading a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-madow/why-was-it-that-when-you-were-looking-forward-to-a-specific-day-it/) [Michelle Madow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-madow/) > [I'm dreading the time that is not near As a man on a cross I have no fear I can't believe these words I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/i-m-dreading-the-time-that-is-not-near-as-a-man-on-a-cross-i-have-no/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [“He cranks the condo’s AC way down at night and still most mornings wakes up soaked, fetally curled, entombed in that kind of psychic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/he-cranks-the-condo-s-ac-way-down-at-night-and-still-most-mornings/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Helm" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-helm/my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-begin-the-last-chapter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-helm/my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-begin-the-last-chapter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/tom-helm-283727_books_my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-b_2751254.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/tom-helm-283727_books_my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-b_2751254.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/tom-helm-283727_books_my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-b_2751254.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter.” — Tom Helm", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Helm", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-helm/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My test of a good novel...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-helm/my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-begin-the-last-chapter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-helm/my-test-of-a-good-novel-is-dreading-to-begin-the-last-chapter/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```