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justinkhchen's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars
Clever storytelling with substance, I'm Thinking of Ending Things is a haunting tale with an ingenious 'switcheroo' third act, turning the narrative from a simple horror/mystery to something more melancholic/personal.
A *super* random observation: because I've read it quite recently, but this book, along with Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove, can make for quite a compelling literary pairing on loneliness; there are obvious overlaps in their intent, but yielding completely opposite reading experience.
Having already seen Charlie Kaufman's film adaptation (and loved it), I knew going in what the story was building towards, yet I still found myself completely captivated. Without Kaufman's additional layers of hallucinatory visuals and meta-commentary on cinema, Iain Reid's original is leaner, and arguably much more decipherable; the puzzle pieces are more clearly laid out, and the 'secondary timelines/voices/dimensions' element throughout (which was not present in the movie) paves a smoother transition towards the final revelation.
Except for a very minor gripe (the last act in the school feels a tad long and aimless), I'm Thinking of Ending Things is a near perfect magic trick of a story, one that becomes more substantial upon reflection, without feeling cheated for the sake of shock value.
And thanks to rovic for recommending the audiobook—I would argue it's the definitive way to consume this novel.
Clever storytelling with substance, I'm Thinking of Ending Things is a haunting tale with an ingenious 'switcheroo' third act, turning the narrative from a simple horror/mystery to something more melancholic/personal.
A *super* random observation: because I've read it quite recently, but this book, along with Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove, can make for quite a compelling literary pairing on loneliness; there are obvious overlaps in their intent, but yielding completely opposite reading experience.
Having already seen Charlie Kaufman's film adaptation (and loved it), I knew going in what the story was building towards, yet I still found myself completely captivated. Without Kaufman's additional layers of hallucinatory visuals and meta-commentary on cinema, Iain Reid's original is leaner, and arguably much more decipherable; the puzzle pieces are more clearly laid out, and the 'secondary timelines/voices/dimensions' element throughout (which was not present in the movie) paves a smoother transition towards the final revelation.
Except for a very minor gripe (the last act in the school feels a tad long and aimless), I'm Thinking of Ending Things is a near perfect magic trick of a story, one that becomes more substantial upon reflection, without feeling cheated for the sake of shock value.
And thanks to rovic for recommending the audiobook—I would argue it's the definitive way to consume this novel.
jess0220's review against another edition
3.0
What just happened. What did I just read?
It's not bad, not at all; just not what I was expecting.
It's not bad, not at all; just not what I was expecting.
rkauffman's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
sillyyellow's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
therockyraccoon31's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
ouchie
tessa_faith's review against another edition
2.0
The description for this book says you’ll be frightened, but you won’t know why, but I didn’t find it remotely frightening. I was confused (not in a good way) for most of the book and I’m not even sure I completely understood the ending.
maggiebryson7's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
erinastin's review against another edition
5.0
At one point I was huddled under a blanket trying to slow my breathing yet couldn't tear my eyes away from the page. That is the definition of a good thriller. I know at some point I will have to reread it!
honeybee2002's review against another edition
3.0
Its a good book but it almost just seems like a slightly long story off of reddit. Definitely creepy.