Bridge to Terabithia and mortality

My interview with Katherine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia, was cited again yesterday — this time in an excellent article by Emily Bazelon at Slate.com on how both the book and the film treat mortality, denial, anger, and related themes.

And while I like the film overall, I do agree that it “nearly wrecks” the final scene “by bursting into Disney fantasy” — a point that I considered making myself, in my review, but you never know just how closely you should flirt with giving away major spoilers.

Anyway, the book’s ending was perfect, powerful, unexpected, and raised so many questions. The movie’s ending … doesn’t.

And I thought the rickety wooden bridge was much, much more evocative and alluring than the CGI thing that replaces it.