Birds Without Wings

This is a wonderful, beautiful, and gripping book full of engaging characters and humor and the brilliant language I expect from de Bernieres.

But I can't do it. I'm half way through and given the historical setting, it can't end well and I am simply not in the mood to be haunted for the next six months.

So here is the question: if a book is really, really good, but you know the ending is going to be painful – beautiful and realistic and well done, but painful – is it okay to stop?