MovieChat Forums > The Girl with All the Gifts (2017) Discussion > Need more closure? Here's the (cut) endi...

Need more closure? Here's the (cut) ending from the book!

posted 7 years ago by xronbo
34 replies | jump to latest

WARNING: This PDF contains an epilogue that firmly resolves the ending. If you like the idea of always wondering what happened in the end, don't read it.

http://www.orbitbooks.net/wp-content/uploads/GWATG_SecretChapter.pdf

So the author wrote this chapter as the epilogue, but took it out on his editor's advice. At some point it got posted online. I thought it was a nice short read and it helped tie up a lot of loose ends for me. I prefer to know what happens than wonder about it :P

Thought anyone out there who was also curious about "what happens next?" would find this epilogue interesting!

[–] greyvelvet7 7 years ago

Just finished watching this with a friend, really enjoyed it. Thanks for posting that extra stuff, was satisfying to read.

This film also has many similarities to the PS3/PS4 game The Last of Us, amazing stuff, check it out.

[–] umme4uke 7 years ago

I never finished The Last of Us, although the narrative was ok the combat got repetitive and boring to me - but I can see how the fungal thing is similar.

Re the posted ending of the book, it does seem that, as I suspected from the film, it's a metaphor for generational shifts in humans and our current situation in the West with the old refusing to let go of power.

[–] hdtv00 7 years ago

EXACTLY I just kept thinking man, this is the look and feel that movie should have if it comes to be. Similar world with great look.

[–] coyotecha 7 years ago

Shame they didn't find at least one person left to keep her company. You would think with all the possible government buildings protected against bio attacks there would be someone else left thats og human. Creepy how in the book the zombies seem to sex each other get pregnant. ewww. How does that work with decaying corpse.

[–] paulfitzpa 7 years ago

There would be bits of skin falling off everywhere!

[–] tripper-09331 7 years ago

That secret chapter helped a lot. Now I don't feel so angry at the girl killing off humanity. Knowing the 3rd generation (Melanie's kids) are not savages and also they barely need to eat changes my mind about both species being doomed.

"Common sense is not so common"

[–] smoke0 7 years ago

Not savages? They still need to eat raw meat, even if it's only a bite or two once a day, meaning the food supply can last longer. They adapted and evolved to survive the food shortage, that's all.

Revenge is a dish that best goes stale.

[–] thepicturesthatgotsmall 7 years ago

They don't have "the hunger" anymore either. Meaning the 3rd generation don't even qualify as zombies. They're just people who don't sleep and eat raw meat.

[–] tripper-09331 7 years ago

Not savages? They still need to eat raw meat

Based on that extra chapter they are not savages anymore. We know from the movie and book that the meat they eat doesn't have to be human flesh. Now that they only need 1 to 2 bites they could easily farm animals just as we do. In a much more successful manner since they need so little calories to begin with.

And as far as their civilization it was stated they already have created a small form of government. The only savages are the 2nd generation kids who grew up like cave men in the cities. Some of their generation (the ones in the schools) and the rest of the 3rd generation are all brought up from birth being educated. And they can retain the information faster then original humans could.

"Common sense is not so common"

[–] crmycoco-31720 7 years ago

Based on that extra chapter they are not savages anymore.

What the book doesn't touch on is how these "former savages" might respond if they could actually "smell" Justineau outside her rubber suit. I think the only reason they don't have the hungries anymore is because there are no "real" humans left to test them.

The absence of something doesn't mean the eradication of something else.

If they really want to test the evolution of this new species, they should draw a sample of Justineau's blood and leave it in a room with the new generation and see what happens.

As such, I prefer the original ending of the book.

[–] tripper-09331 7 years ago

What the book doesn't touch on is how these "former savages" might respond if they could actually "smell" Justineau outside her rubber suit.

Ohh that's a good point. I didn't think of that. Could be that they were forced to evolve in the direction they did in order to adapt to a lack of a food source. Although it seemed to me that it wasn't humans specifically they craved. It was all animals. As evident with the cat being eaten.

"Common sense is not so common"

[–] crmycoco-31720 7 years ago

I think she settled for the cat. Just going by the book, the world wasn't littered with dead animals, just humans, when they weren't being turned. Since they still needed raw meat to survive, I'm not convinced they wouldn't return to a primitive state upon smelling a juicy human. Hamburger vs steak tar tar. lol

[–] paulfitzpa 7 years ago

OMG they eat meat! You mean like most of the human race? They could start breeding cattle and survive off that. The humans will go the way of the neanderthal.

[–] Chantico667 7 years ago

I wish this had been included in the book and the movie. More hope and makes the Girl and Gifts connection much stronger.

I like him, he says okie dokie. - Dean Winchester, Supernatural

[–] MxSChizo 7 years ago

Whether she evolved a new species or not, she still committed genocide.

[–] tidymuso49 7 years ago

Thank you for posting that link, I really liked the movie and my first thought was about the children left behind in their cells. Some movie endings I'm happy to have it left up to my imagination, but most of the time especially apocalyptic themes I do prefer a decent conclusion. Reading that ending was really heartwarming.
Cheers!

[–] smoke0 7 years ago

The children who had been left behind in the cells were clearly shown attending class at the end. They were the ones in the orange jumpsuits.

Revenge is a dish that best goes stale.

[–] zildjian_x 7 years ago

Thank you! This made the ending a lot better for me, not so depressing.

[–] Afrikoka 7 years ago

I prefer to wonder about it.

[–] Hancockenstein 7 years ago

thanks a lot. makes me glad Melanie released the spores after all lol

Plot hole - Aspect of a film that is misunderstood or missed while using your smart phone.

[–] Ulf_ 7 years ago

thanks for posting the epilogue, very helpful.

useful comments are rare on imdb these days. :-)