Book Review: I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

I’m not sure I have the words for this creepy book review.

First, I will state that I binge read it in about 5 hours via audiobook so it is a short, fast read. I read it right around New Years last year because my best friend texted me and told me I absolutely HAD to read it, because she needed someone to freak out about it with. So I obliged, and I figured just after the end of spooky season and heading into winter this is the perfect read to share with you.

It is undeniably an absolute mind-trip–attempting not to swear on here might be harder than not with how this book makes me feel. First it’s all set in first person, the story of a girl going to meet her boyfriends parents, and the eerie tale that follows. But she’s being called repeatedly, and that is where the story dove-tails. First you’re not sure who is stalking her, next you’re freaked out by the slight uncanniness of the trip, third you realize this goes much much deeper.

As always I’m attempting to not be very spoilery, but this one is hard to no give details on. I will say that I read the book and then made my parents watch the movie with me afterwards, and the movie is weirder than the book but in a slightly gentler way. Additionally, the movie’s ending scenes differ from the books probably because it is such an internal story that it’s hard to get her thoughts across in that way on the screen. I prefer the creepier and more upsetting book over the slightly agog ending to the movie.

If you need a cerebral thriller for this fall I can highly recommend this story, and then please come talk to me about how upset you are.

I listened to this via Libro.fm, which you can as well! But you I also recommend buying through Bookshop. Additionally, the movie is on Netflix!

Note that using either of these links may provide compensation to me or an indie bookstore I support.