I think plot twist are incredible, and the story ending in a way you never thought it would is great… When done right, meaning, when it makes sense. Like, in Love Me Black & Blue I didn’t understand why they didn’t get together… Not because I wanted them to get together (I really didn’t), but because I didn’t make sense? I mean, they’re both unhappy (or not as happy as they supposedly could be together), and while the girl doesn’t have it that bad, because she’s into the guy she’s dating, the dude is in a relationship with a woman he hates just because they have a kid together? (which is a super unhealthy environment for that kid. I know there’s this whole thing in Episode where the parents of a kid are supposed to be together for the sake of the kid, but… No? Like, as a daughter of recently divorced parents, I wished my parents had gotten a divorce years ago, instead of putting my sister and me through their messed up relationship because they were clinging to a flawed idea of what a family should be.) Like, it could have made sense for them not to end up together, maybe if they could just never manage to actually forgive each other, and though they loved each other, each moment together hurt them cause the relationship was toxic, or whatever… But the way it ended, for me, it was just like the author wanted it to be a sad ending? Not because it made sense, not because she had something to say, but rather… Cause it was “sad”?
Anyway, onto your actual question
I would never expect the following things:
- The parents of a new born baby not ending up together (
)
- The MC not forgiving everyone for everything
- The side characters actually having a personality (and I’m not saying all of the characters, cause sometimes authors surprise you and give the main characters a personality beyond their cliché)
- More than two POC or LGBTQ+ main characters in a story without the story being super preachy (like, either the authors are totally clueless (and sometimes other things…)] about the issues of the world and end up including either one stereotyped or no POC/LGTBQ+ characters, or they end up only having “diverse” characters for the sake of preaching how “diverse” and “progressive” their story is, and how that makes them better than everyone else?)
- All of the problems not being magically resolved in the last chapter.
- The villain winning (Which, in some cases, would make for such a cool ending?)