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A review by _chelseachelsea
I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
4.0
What. The hell. Did I just read.
All I can say about this book is, it’s profoundly sad and bizarrely scary. Certainly not “give you nightmares” terrifying, but frightening in a much more psychological way. It’s creepy and perfect for a cold night.
I wish it had moved faster; it’s a long, slow build to the end, which is odd because it’s not a particularly long book. The audio is only about 5 hours on regular speed, but very immersive. I feel like if I’d been reading a hard copy, I would’ve flown through in 2 hours, tops. Once the characters hit the high school, it’s a rapid and confusing sprint to the finish line.
The ending is honestly a bummer, but a thoughtful one. Things get a little exposition-heavy but not in a “horror movie villain delivers lengthy monologue” kind of way. It’s much more moving.
While I can’t say that I didn’t see the twist coming a little bit (Reid drops so many hints in the 3rd act that it’s hard not to get there early), I CAN confidently say that this novel has one of the most unique takes I’ve seen on what’s become a rather tired and overused plot device. I was pleased with the emotional release that came with the reveal, and the use of melancholy regret to drive the tragedy spike in just a little bit deeper. Multiple red herrings and misdirects along the way definitely help, too.
I recommend the audiobook if you’re a fan of those. This is a really great October read.
All I can say about this book is, it’s profoundly sad and bizarrely scary. Certainly not “give you nightmares” terrifying, but frightening in a much more psychological way. It’s creepy and perfect for a cold night.
I wish it had moved faster; it’s a long, slow build to the end, which is odd because it’s not a particularly long book. The audio is only about 5 hours on regular speed, but very immersive. I feel like if I’d been reading a hard copy, I would’ve flown through in 2 hours, tops. Once the characters hit the high school, it’s a rapid and confusing sprint to the finish line.
The ending is honestly a bummer, but a thoughtful one. Things get a little exposition-heavy but not in a “horror movie villain delivers lengthy monologue” kind of way. It’s much more moving.
While I can’t say that I didn’t see the twist coming a little bit (Reid drops so many hints in the 3rd act that it’s hard not to get there early), I CAN confidently say that this novel has one of the most unique takes I’ve seen on what’s become a rather tired and overused plot device. I was pleased with the emotional release that came with the reveal, and the use of melancholy regret to drive the tragedy spike in just a little bit deeper. Multiple red herrings and misdirects along the way definitely help, too.
I recommend the audiobook if you’re a fan of those. This is a really great October read.