I'm Thinking of Ending Things

"The stream-of-conscious prose works wonderfully, as we're totally thrown into the narrator's uncertain, struggling psyche. That paired with Reid's knack for building suspense and keeping the reader out of the loop, makes for a thrilling, breezy read. It's a very rare occurrence, but I like Charlie Kaufman's film adaptation better than the book."

"I don't quite understand it, but I definitely like it. Actually scared me and creeped me out. Now I get to go figure out that the hell happened!"

"Strange..."

"A fabulous and thrilling swirl of confusion. The author ponders thoughts we have with ourselves and others and what it means to not be able to leave the past behind us. "

"A provocative, interesting read. Really makes you think, and almost question yourself, your own existence. Iain Reid has produced an exceptional debut novel."

"So many references that pass you by if you're not paying attention. Very cerebral book with excellent writing style. If you enjoyed the movie, you should definitely read the source material!"

"That feeling when you have to extensively research the ending to understand. Idk what I just read, but I enjoyed from beginning to end how the author keeps the reader in absolutely suspense. You don’t know what’s wrong you just know it’s not going to end well. You’ll think you know, but you don’t. "

"the audiobook is a must for this one I have genuinely never been so creeped out by an Audiobook like this one I think about it to often ughh I’m so late to the party but if you have not picked up this unsettling book what are you doing I loved it all the commentary was amazing I also enjoy finishing a book and being in awe and confused and looking up those “ending explained” videos idk there’s something about that that I love and that is so fun I truly will forever be thinking about this one "

"Mind blown, the ending was so unexpexted that i had to go online to help figure out what i just read lol. Great book would definetly recommend."

"I will leave a clear indication of spoilers at the very end of the review. Please don't ruin it for yourself. This is a very clever and masterfully done book, it deserves respect. <br/><br/>DO NOT look too far into this book. It is veiled in mystery for a reason. Bloated with twist and turns that are set out to confuse and disorient but don't worry it will all come together in the end....or maybe the beginning it's to soon to tell. <br/><br/>While reading, dread slowly crept into my mind. I could not for the life of me figure out why. There was a since of unease, something not right. Maybe a unexplained shadow in the corner mocking me of my ignorance. The atmosphere was utterly enthralling and had me looking over my shoulder even in the brightest of daylight. This story, was to me, undeniably brilliant. If you don't think so, you didn't do it right. Find the order of things, pay attention, it will take your mind into places you don't want to go, so don't lose yourself. Follow the signs.<br/><br/>Honestly what a way to finish my 100 book reading challenge this year. I'm Thinking of Ending Things is without a doubt the best thriller I have ever read. I will, from this day forward, forcibly make anyone who enjoys literary mack trucks plowing them down, to read this. And even people who do not know yet that they do. The plot shot out it's hand to me and I took it and ran. I don't regret it and I hope you won't either.<br/><br/>Even if thrillers is not your thing, even if you didn't enjoy yourself on the journey which you probably won't. You can't deny that the author pludged you into another world inwhich you may never return. This story will change you. It will open your eyes so don't looking around to much most of what you are reading is in disguise.<br/><br/>I thought Candace Thaxton did an amazing narration. I will tell you though that a few pieces of the tale is left up to your interpretation which makes the book unique for each reader. Honestly I think that my passion for this book will scare people. Since I finish the pages it's all I can talk about. Maybe I have become obsessed. Driven to the point of scrambling the minds of others to match my own. Possibly you will come to dislike what it has done to you. But at least you will think of me when you do.<br/><br/><br/><br/>Spoilers beware read after you figure out the challenge for a great theory I have found from another reader.<br/><br/>Spoilers beware.............<br/>Spoilers beware..................<br/>Spoilers beware......................<br/>Spoilers beware...................<br/>Spoilers beware..................<br/>Spoilers beware.....................<br/>Spoilers beware..................<br/><br/>Spoilers beware......................<br/>Spoilers beware....................<br/>Spoilers beware.................<br/>Spoilers beware.....................<br/>Spoilers beware................<br/>Spoilers beware....................<br/>Spoilers beware.................<br/>Spoilers beware....................<br/>Spoilers beware.......................<br/><br/>Spoilers beware..................<br/>Spoilers beware.............<br/>Spoilers beware.......................<br/>Spoilers beware...................<br/>Spoilers beware.....................<br/>Spoilers beware.........................<br/>Spoilers beware.............................<br/>Spoilers beware.........................<br/>Spoilers beware....................<br/>Spoilers beware..................<br/>Spoilers beware.....................<br/><br/>Spoilers beware..................<br/>Spoilers beware.................<br/>Spoilers beware......................<br/>Spoilers beware....................<br/>Spoilers beware.................<br/>Spoilers beware.................<br/>Spoilers beware.....................<br/><br/>Kira on goodreads<br/>[WARNING: SPOILERS. I agree that the entire book takes place in Jake's head. He is actually the janitor at the school and has been for many years. The one thing that it seems to me people keep missing is when the "girlfriend" finds a little blue blouse she wore when she was a child, but now it has blood on it. Blood is always significant, especially under these circumstances, where we are in the mind of someone who is severely mentally ill. I believe Jake was the man standing outside the "girlfriend's" window when she was a child, and he actually came in the window and killed her (perhaps he carried her somewhere else, probably back to the school, to kill her). Now, when part of him is trying to convince himself to commit suicide and the part of him that wants to survive is trying to show him that he really could have a decent life, he imagines that little girl all grown up and he meets her in a bar. If he'd had the courage to ask her out, maybe they could have had a relationship. But all through the book she is thinking about ending things, because Jake is thinking about ending things, meaning ending his life. Death is all around in this book: cold, snowy winter weather is often symbolic of death; there are the dead lambs and the horrible, grisly death of the pigs. I will never forgive Iain Reid for putting that image into my head because it was so unnecessary, especially since there wasn't anything comparable *anywhere* else in the book. If you're wondering why the ending goes from first person singular to first person plural, the general consensus is that Jake suffers from dissociative identity disorder (multiple personality) and all of the characters in the book are parts of his psyche.<br/><br/>And I have another short review from my cousin that contradicted the dead pig theory....<br/><br/>It DID have a place. As Jake said, and forgive me as this isn't exactly quoted, that from a distance they looked fine... JUST LIKE HIM. Only when you got up close and looked did you see they were vulnerable from something that probably started as a small vunerability then became huge and unyielding eating them from the inside out... JUST LIKE JAKE AND HIS MENTAL ILLNESS. (like the magots slowly consuming the pigs)"