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A review by jane_moriarty
The Ending - I'm thinking of ending things by Iain Reid
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was so eerie and creepy and uncomfortable. I don't know if a book has ever made me this uncomfortable. Naturally I loved it.
For once I think the audiobook (german translation on spotify) actually worked better for me. I still get goosebumps just thinking about it. It's not so much the plot twist for me, and this is also not horror in a traditional way, although we get super creepy scenery like an old isolated spooky farm and an old abandoned spooky school building.
It is much more about the scenes that should be normal. Meeting a guy at a pub, starting a relationship, taking a road trip to meet his parents, stopping at dairy queen for ice cream. Normal things. But there is something so unnerving about all of these scenes, something so OFF, like you know there's something wrong but you just can't put a finger on it. And so the sense of impending doom keeps growing until the grand finale...
I could have done with a little less of the pseudo-intellectual philosophy talk though, I feel like the book makes itself seem smarter than it really is. Although considering the solution, that might be more on the character than the book.
For once I think the audiobook (german translation on spotify) actually worked better for me. I still get goosebumps just thinking about it. It's not so much the plot twist for me, and this is also not horror in a traditional way, although we get super creepy scenery like an old isolated spooky farm and an old abandoned spooky school building.
It is much more about the scenes that should be normal. Meeting a guy at a pub, starting a relationship, taking a road trip to meet his parents, stopping at dairy queen for ice cream. Normal things. But there is something so unnerving about all of these scenes, something so OFF, like you know there's something wrong but you just can't put a finger on it. And so the sense of impending doom keeps growing until the grand finale...
I could have done with a little less of the pseudo-intellectual philosophy talk though, I feel like the book makes itself seem smarter than it really is. Although considering the solution, that might be more on the character than the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide