Sometimes while I'm browsing the reviews of books, I'll run across some variation of the tag "***WARNING: SPOILER ALERT***". The goal is to let the reader know the reviewer is about to talk about how a book ends or give away a key plot point. It's sort of like on the TV news when the sportscaster is set the announce the final score of a big game you haven't yet watched on TiVo or on a repeat broadcast.
The sportscaster warns you to leave the room before the score is reported. Sometimes they only give you a few seconds to make your getaway out of earshot. Or perhaps you can mute the TV remote's volume and close your eyes. If you are like at our house, you'll never find the elusive remote in time.
By learning how the book ends, you don't have as much fun reading it. In other words, the guilty party has "spoiled" it for you. When I write reviews, I try to be sensitive about giving any spoilers. If I see one, I'll delete it rather than run the Spoiler Alert. I've gotten so now I'm even sensitive about commenting on the ending like saying it was disappointing, surprising, or corny. One thing I've noticed about new movie trailers is they can tip off the plot and ending too much. But that's a different topic for another blog post.
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