How Does 'Beyond Black' End?

'Beyond Black' ends with a haunting yet strangely hopeful resolution. Alison, the medium, finally confronts the dark spirits that have plagued her, particularly the malevolent Morris. After a series of eerie and violent encounters, she manages to sever her psychic ties with him, symbolically reclaiming her autonomy. Colette, her pragmatic assistant, leaves to start a new life, but not before acknowledging the profound impact Alison had on her. The novel closes with Alison alone but peaceful, no longer tormented by the voices of the dead, suggesting a fragile but hard-won liberation. The ending is ambiguous—Alison’s future remains uncertain, but the oppressive weight of her past seems lifted. It’s a quiet triumph, underscored by Hilary Mantel’s signature blend of the mundane and the supernatural.

The final scenes linger on Alison’s newfound silence, a stark contrast to the cacophony of spirits that once dominated her life. Mantel leaves readers with a sense of unresolved tension, as if the ghosts might return, but for now, Alison has carved out a space for herself beyond the darkness. The ending doesn’t offer neat answers but instead reflects the messy, unresolved nature of trauma and survival.

The ending of 'Beyond Black' is a masterclass in subtlety. Alison’s journey culminates in her breaking free from Morris’s grip, a moment that’s both terrifying and cathartic. Colette’s departure feels inevitable—she’s outgrown Alison’s world, but their bond lingers. Mantel doesn’t tie up every loose thread; instead, she leaves Alison in a state of uneasy calm. The spirits recede, but their absence feels almost as eerie as their presence. It’s a ending that sticks with you, unsettling and profound.

In the final chapters of 'Beyond Black,' Alison achieves a bittersweet victory. Morris, her abusive spectral companion, is finally exorcised from her life, but the cost is high. Colette leaves, and Alison is left alone, though strangely at peace. The novel’s closing image—of Alison sitting quietly, free from the relentless chatter of the dead—is both poignant and unsettling. Mantel doesn’t offer closure, but she gives Alison a moment of respite, a rare gift in her chaotic world.

'Beyond Black' ends with Alison finally escaping Morris’s torment. Colette moves on, and Alison finds solace in solitude. The last pages are quiet, almost anticlimactic, but they carry a deep emotional weight. Mantel leaves the reader with a sense of lingering unease, as if the ghosts might return any moment. It’s a fitting end for a book about the unseen forces that shape our lives.