picnic at hanging rock

[bronte]

Has anyone read "Picnic at Hanging Rock" by Joan Lindsey? I would like anyone who has read it to comment on it. The ending is very vague and the reader must decide what to believe. I think this would make a great discussion on here!

[tamtam]

Thanks, I might consider that. I picked up a copy a few months ago and it's still on my "to read" list. The cover looks like it came from a movie and it reminded me of my copy of "The Haunting of Hill House".

[random capitals]

This was one of the few assigned school texts that I actually liked.
They did make a movie from the book back in the 1970's I think. Mostly I remember lots of pan pipes in the soundtrack.
I quite enjoyed the book's inconclusive ending and wish I hadn't read the 'final chapter' which was published after the author's death. I can't remember details now, I must have read it 20ish years ago, but I do know it was huge at the time and that I was disappointed in it.
I think a lot of this book's mystique can be found in the fact that nobody knew what had really happened, including the only survivor of events.

[tamtam]

I don't know about the "final chapter" - was it published separately? Or do you mean the last chapter of the book?

First, I need to ask, do you think this was purely fiction or a fictionalized account of a factual event?

In my opinion, it was a work of pure fiction. I think the author's statement at the beginning leaving it to the reader to decide was a very effective tool.

[random capitals]

Hi Tamtam, the "final chapter" was published separately after the author's death under the title The Secret of Hanging Rock. It was the original ending to the story that was dropped when the book was initially published.

Though this is purely fiction the idea for the story came from an actual event. Three school girls did get lost on the rock but they turned up the next day on a neighbouring farm none the worse for wear.

The whole 'is it a true story or not' question was a brilliant marketing ploy. And the legends that have grown up around the rock itself over the years are no doubt a result of the story and not the other way around.

[tamtam]

It's great that you know a little of the background history, living down under.

So, there was a different ending? Do you know why the ending was changed when it was finally published? Also, did they ever restore the original ending in any printing? I'm curious to read the other ending. Of course, the vague ending allows me to put my own construction on events.

[random capitals]

As far as I am aware they never published Picnic at Hanging Rock with the original ending. The original ending is available seperately as The Secret of Hanging Rock.
I don't know for sure why the ending was changed but I suspect it was for publicity purposes. The vague ending leaving a mystery yet to be solved and a sense that the story might have been a true one-the original ending leaves no doubt that this is a work of fiction.

[romanticdress]

I have only seen the movie. I liked it, not loved but liked it. My reading was that "Botticelli angel" blonde was chosen and taken away by pure nature and she went willingly, others who disappeared were chosen because they were with her.

[Claire]

Picnic at Hanging rock is semi gothic. It is a mysterious enchanting scary tale.
but the thing is that the story does not has the central character and the so called central character vanishes after 15 minutes into the movie only to be never seen again . I was left in confusion as to who was main lead later was it Miranda? Sara? or Mrs.Apple