I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

I'm Thinking of Ending Things

by Iain Reid

You will be scared. But you won t know why In this deeply suspenseful and irresistibly unnerving debut novel, a man and his girlfriend are on their way to a secluded farm. What follows is a twisted unraveling and an unforgettable ending that will haunt you long after the last page is turned. Jake and a woman known only as The Girlfriend are taking a long drive to meet his parents at their secluded farm. But when Jake takes a sudden detour, leaving The Girlfriend stranded at a deserted high school, the story transforms into a twisted combination of the darkest unease, psychological frailty, and a look into the limitations of solitude. With remarkable, masterful skill, Iain Reid builds a plot that steadily crescendos into a harrowing ending one that will have you at the edge of your seats and one that you will never see coming. Reminiscent of Jose Saramago s early work, Michel Faber s cult classic Under the Skin, and Lionel Shriver s We Need to Talk About Kevin, I m Thinking of Ending Things is an edgy, haunting debut. Tense, gripping, and atmospheric, this novel will pull you in from the very first page and will never let you go.

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

3 of 5 stars

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Since I read a lot, like 250-300 books a year the subtle clues in this story stood out like neon lights and I figured the plot twist out quite quickly. Having said that, I think many folks will be mind-blown. At two hundred and twenty-four pages Reid takes us on an unsettling ride. The book is strange, freaky, boring, riveting, and disturbing. Despite being uncomfortable the reader is drawn in like a gawker viewing a train wreck. They say curiosity killed the cat....

The story begins in the car on a cold crisp day. Jake is driving and our unreliable narrator known only to us as “the girlfriend” is sharing their story as it unfolds. We get a little recap from “the girlfriend,” her feeling, and her relationship with Jake. She has also been receiving strange calls from an unknown man who has her on edge. From the onset we are an uncomfortable passenger.

The two have not been dating long, but he is taking her to visit his family farm. The story is relayed mostly in her head, with brief exchanges between herself and Jake. The girlfriend ponders life, questions the universe, analyzes Jake. She rambles in her mind about everything from love to what is normal and the reader is made privy to this endless dribble. Through her, we begin to feel on edge. Things are not quite right between them. A part of you wants to get out of the car, but in the corner of your eye, you see/sense something that makes you continue reading.

One would think that being inside “the girlfriend’s” head would be boring, but it was so odd that it had me a little off kilter. Reid had me flipping the pages as the continued sense of wrongness escalated. Once we arrive at the farm things picked up quite a bit for me. I loved Reid's quirky, descriptive writing. He revealed just enough to have me on edge and questioning everything.

At the beginning of each chapter, we are fed information in the form of conversations by unknown gossipers. These give the reader insight into the characters and give the title a second meaning. I found these tidbits interesting.

I will be the first to admit parts bored me, but once I pieced together the clues, I had to see how it all came together. I’m Thinking of Ending Things is full of mind-f@uckery and one you will either love or feel indifferent towards. However you feel, I'm Thinking of Ending Things is a book you will talk about and think about.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 18 May, 2016: Finished reading
  • 18 May, 2016: Reviewed