{"id":5154,"date":"2026-06-11T20:57:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T19:57:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/?p=5154"},"modified":"2026-06-11T20:57:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T19:57:56","slug":"every-year-after-creators-stunned-by-backlash-to-percy-twist-ending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/2026\/06\/11\/every-year-after-creators-stunned-by-backlash-to-percy-twist-ending\/","title":{"rendered":"Seriously, worse than murder? Every Year After creators stunned by backlash to Percy twist"},"content":{"rendered":"

*Warning: Spoilers ahead for Every Year After*<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

To say readers of Every Summer After were angry about the Percy twist would be an understatement – some were left \u201cscarred for life\u201d. Now the TV adaptation Every Year After has arrived, the creators behind the story are addressing the backlash.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The new Prime Video<\/a> series is the perfect watch to fill the void left by Heated Rivalry<\/a>, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Off Campus<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Based on Carley Fortune\u2019s popular BookTok novel, it tells the story of Percy Fraser (Sadie Soverall), a writer who returns to the lakeside town of Barry\u2019s Bay, where she met and fell in love with Sam (Matt Cornett).<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s love, friendship, heartbreak, death, and plenty of yearning, with both the book and the series showing how one big mistake can impact your life for years to come.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Percy
Credit: Prime Video<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In this case (and I\u2019m assuming you know this if you\u2019re still reading at this point), it\u2019s that Percy slept with Sam\u2019s older brother Charlie<\/a> (Michael Bradway) when she was 17 during a particularly vulnerable moment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By the end of the book, Sam forgives Percy. But the same can\u2019t be said for many of the readers. As said by one on <\/span>Reddit<\/span><\/a>, \u201cThat twist made me so angry. It\u2019s been two years and I\u2019m still not over it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Multiple people said they were unable to read another Fortune book afterwards, while another wrote, \u201cI am so damn uncomfortable about what happened, I think I\u2019m scarred for life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There are plenty of similar comments on TikTok, and while some see the nuance in the situation, others simply \u201chated that.\u201d And similar sentiments are being shared in light of Every Year After\u2019s<\/a> release.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just watched the show and Sam should never have talked to them ever again,\u201d wrote one, while another said, \u201cMy heart is broken.\u201d You get the picture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Charlie
Credit: Prime Video<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is an interesting book change that you should know about: While in the pages, Sam already knew the truth after Charlie confessed to him, he doesn\u2019t find out in the show until Percy breaks the news to him years later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a conversation with <\/span>The Hollywood Reporter<\/span><\/a>, both Fortune and showrunner Amy B. Harris take a more nuanced approach to Percy\u2019s mistake, expressing empathy for her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith Sam and Percy, their relationship as young people doesn\u2019t feel safe to Percy, because he\u2019s being a teenage boy, very wishy-washy. She\u2019s really vulnerable,\u201d Fortune told the outlet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think what I tried to do, and I think what the show does a good job of, is show [that] she makes a mistake. We\u2019re very flawed, and we do make mistakes, but we are still worthy of good things, and love, and that\u2019s the journey that Percy\u2019s on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She also disagreed with fans who claim Percy cheated on Sam with Charlie, saying, \u201cTo me, it doesn\u2019t really matter, but I know to readers it does.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n