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A review by abigailkokitus
I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
❗️ This review contains spoilers ❗️
Frankly I wish I’d read this before seeing the movie. I went into the book already knowing the twist at the end. However, it was incredibly well written and unsettling and I’m glad I read it regardless. I actually think I like it a bit better than the movie. In the movie there’s a focus on Jake’s feelings of failure/lack of success contributing to his suicide, whereas in the book the main reason for him committing suicide is that he has reached the point where he can no longer endure being alone. I really felt for Jake as a character too. I felt sorry for him, and also like I could empathize with him. One thing that was a bit confusing to me was trying to determine how much of the story was what was in Jake’s notebooks, and how much was “real life”. I think that when Jake saw the janitor in the window of the school was where the notebook story ended, because it was like reality was bleeding into his fantasy, which explains why he was so upset and angry as well. Overall super thought-provoking and interesting. I will probably read it again.
Frankly I wish I’d read this before seeing the movie. I went into the book already knowing the twist at the end. However, it was incredibly well written and unsettling and I’m glad I read it regardless. I actually think I like it a bit better than the movie. In the movie there’s a focus on Jake’s feelings of failure/lack of success contributing to his suicide, whereas in the book the main reason for him committing suicide is that he has reached the point where he can no longer endure being alone. I really felt for Jake as a character too. I felt sorry for him, and also like I could empathize with him. One thing that was a bit confusing to me was trying to determine how much of the story was what was in Jake’s notebooks, and how much was “real life”. I think that when Jake saw the janitor in the window of the school was where the notebook story ended, because it was like reality was bleeding into his fantasy, which explains why he was so upset and angry as well. Overall super thought-provoking and interesting. I will probably read it again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Suicide