Gallery/Scout Press I'm Thinking of Ending Things

This is one of my favorite books ever. I keep re-reading it when I'm in the mood. Incredibly dark and disturbing but very introspective.

I had no idea what I was embarking on when I picked up ‘I’m thinking of ending things” by Iain Reid. It was bookstagram that made me do it, and I just went in without asking too many questions. I can totally see why it has become Netflix film by Charlie Kaufman. Jake and his girlfriend are on a drive to visit his parents at their remote farm. After dinner at the family home, things begin to get worryingly strange. And when he leaves her stranded in a snowstorm at an abandoned high school later that night, what follows is a chilling exploration of psychological frailty and the limitations of reality. This is more than just a mystery, it is a book about relationships, what connects us, there is a lot of life wisdom packed up in its 208 pages. Ian Reid is definitely on top of his game here. It takes a skilled writer to be able to truly shock a reader, guiding them in one direction, all the while preparing a surprising detour in another. Reid did exactly that to me. The subtle foreshadowing with a storytelling arch that kept the right balance between unpredictability and a convincing revelation. And this will be an unforgettable book. I am curious about the Netflix film now, but not sure if I am ready for it yet, the book is quite filmic in some ways, however there is so much from the main character in the in-between that I worry is not completely translatable onto screen, but I guess it will just be a whole new story. “Just tell your story. Pretty much all memory is fiction and heavily edited” I'm Thinking of Ending Things, I agree, is, as many are claiming, a highly original literary thriller. It grabbed me from the start, I finished reading it in one sitting. There are lots of quotable passages too!

“Reality happens only once.” (Quotation page 48) Content: Two people in a car, driving on a cold winter day somewhere in the rural country. Jake and his girlfriend are going to visit his parents who live on a lonely farm. The girl is thinking about the future, but mostly about ending things. They could stay overnight but the girl wants to dive home, although it is late, snowing and freezing. Theme and genre: This is a gripping, dense, psychological thriller with many unforeseeable twists and chapters that seem not to fit into the story. A simple road trip that ends different from anything the reader would expect. Characters: The girl, we do not even know her name, is thinking about ending things, maybe after having met his parents. She is scared by many calls and voice messages from a stranger, telling her “there is only one question”. Jack is intelligent and the girl seems somehow attracted to him. Plot and writing: It seems a simple car ride, written in the first person as told only by the girl and her thoughts. Interrupted by pieces of a written conversation that gives some frightening hints. A special twisted story, chilling and very entertaining the same time. Conclusion: Words are missing to explain this gripping psychological thriller, the genius of the author, without giving too many hints. I would recommend just reading it and enjoying.

I have barely started the book and I've had to break the bottom of several pages because they came stuck together. Also, I hate the "NETFLIX A NETFLIX FILM" circle on the cover. It's not a sticker, it's part of the cover. I don't care about the movie, I bought the book for a reason. Update: I have finished the book and it was one of the worst waste of times I've ever wasted my time on. Perhaps the 13 pairs of stuck pages were begging me to return it not for being defective, but to save me precious hours. And the movie is probably even worse.

I LOVED this book! I ENJOYED it very MUCH! I have a stack of TBR books on my desk. I've started more than one. This one gripped me so much that not only did I forget the other books, but I actually FINISHED this one in TWO sittings! It starts off normal, but the idea that the woman is "thinking of ending things" stays in your mind. As other reviewers said, you get this sense that something is off. That something strange is going on in the periphery. She seems to be getting along with her boyfriend quite well. She likes several things about him, is even attracted to him. So why does she really want to end things? It's certainly strange, but NOT off-putting, at all! People are strange! That's just a fact of life! I wanted to tell you what movies this story reminds me of, but I thought better of it. I would be giving too much away, and I really want you to enjoy this book. It was certainly my type of story! A scary psychological thriller! It has THE PERFECT ending! And you'll never guess what the ending will be! And what it is, that ends! As the story progressed and things started to unravel and become clear, I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on "end." Which is, after all, what a GOOD book is supposed to do! It's supposed to suffuse you with emotions! It's suppose to catalyse a response, a reaction, within you! This was a quick and HIGHLY enjoyable read! It stayed with me for a few days after finishing it! It left an indelible imprint in my psyche! I LOVED IT! Now I want to find another book just like it! I HIGHLY recommend this book! No reservations!