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A review by literaryjunarin
We Spread by Iain Reid
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is a tense, unsettling read. It talked about the lonely solitude of the elderly, the need to do more, and the fear of growing old. Reid's narration always has a dark, hypnotic atmosphere, which is disconcerting, but I also cannot stop listening.
When Penny, an elderly woman in a long-term care residence started losing grip on the passage of time, I was holding my breath. Sadly, my last remaining brain cell cannot think critically and I could not solve the mystery. Did she just move in or is she in the residence for years already? Why can't she go out? Are the carers doing something insidious to them without their knowledge? Or is it just Penny's delusions caused by her deteriorating mind?
At the end of the book, I was like, "Uhm wait what?".
When Penny, an elderly woman in a long-term care residence started losing grip on the passage of time, I was holding my breath. Sadly, my last remaining brain cell cannot think critically and I could not solve the mystery. Did she just move in or is she in the residence for years already? Why can't she go out? Are the carers doing something insidious to them without their knowledge? Or is it just Penny's delusions caused by her deteriorating mind?
At the end of the book, I was like, "Uhm wait what?".