Opinions on spoilers

[Refus de Sejour]

Hi all,

I'd like to know what everyone thinks about plot spoilers in threads. Personally, I feel very cautious - I don't mind reading spoilers too much myself, but I don't want to spoil anyone else's fun by giving away plot details.

If it's not already common knowledge, or included in the first few pages of the book, or included in the publicity blurbs, I feel unsure about how much to reveal.

I know there's a "spoilers" button in the posting toolbar that blanks out text, but I've never seen anyone else using it. Is this just not an issue for most people? I want to start a thread on D.M. Thomas's The White Hotel posing a question about the ending; I await your advice.

[Loki]

I was thinking about this yesterday when I posted my sort of comment on Alien 3: I wrote that I didn't want to spoil the plot to anyone. Still, I hope I've never had.
As for the post, it might be sensible to use the spoiler-button, or you could also write "Spoiler" in the title thread and then write whatever you want without worrying.
But it should be also up to those who read the post to pay attention to what they read.

Anyway, I think either ways would do.

[Bjorn]

I would say that when in doubt, use the spoiler button.

[Refus de Sejour]

Thanks guys!

[Eric]

You can easily spoil crime novels ("the Butler did it" in old-fashioned Agatha Christie terms) and other novels that have a dramatic ending.

But poetic novels or ones involving character and psychology, and where they tell you on the first page that the protagonist is going to die in a car crash, you don't have to be so careful.

Obviously it's almost impossible to discuss a book in depth of you don't give something away, but it is bad manners to, without a spoiler warning, foist your interpretation upon everyone.