Audiobook Review: I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

04/04/2018

Audiobook Review: I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

In this deeply scary and intensely unnerving debut novel, Jake and a woman known only as “The Girlfriend” are on a drive to visit his parents at their secluded farm. But when Jake leaves “The Girlfriend” stranded at an abandoned high school, what follows is a twisted unraveling of the darkest unease, an exploration into psychological frailty, and an ending as suspenseful as The Usual Suspects and as haunting as Misery.

Deeply scary and intensely unnerving, Iain Reid’s debut novel is a tightening spiral of a story about a woman’s uncertainty of her relationship with her boyfriend, Jake. After an uncomfortable and confusing trip to meet Jake’s parents at their isolated farmhouse, reality unravels and events spin out of control when Jake and “The Girlfriend” make an unscheduled stop at an abandoned high school. Part murder mystery, part psychological thriller, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is about doubt, psychological fragility, and the lengths we’ll go to avoid the truth. Twisted as Shutter Island, as suspenseful as Under the Skin and as atmospheric as The Sisters Brothers, Reid’s breakout literary thriller is sure to keep readers guessing until the last page.
Audiobook
Published June 14th 2016 by Simon Schuster Audio
Source: Publisher

Three stars: A buzz book that is nothing like you expect. Prepare for trickery and a twist that will shock you.

I have been thinking about ending things....with Jake that is. The relationship between Jake and his girlfriend has been going along fine, but for whatever reason, Jake’s girlfriend is contemplating breaking up with him. She keeps putting off the break up for one reason or another, especially after the strange prank phone calls start. Then Jake takes his girlfriend on a road trip to the country to meet his parents on their farm. The visit is unsettling, and then things get even worse on the trip home. A stop at a local high school at night during a snow storm turns everything upside down. What is real? How well can you really know someone? Do you dare find out?

What I Liked:

I don’t even know how to begin to review I'm Thinking of Ending Things without giving away the twists. This is an unsettling psychological thriller that explores the age old question of how well you can truly know someone while uncovering the fragility of the human mind. This book is nothing like you expect, and it will shock you with the finale. If you want to take a chance on a book that will make you think, try this.
The book utilizes an unreliable narrator, and it adds to the suspense by not giving the narrator a name. The book is told through the eyes of Jake’s girlfriend. The girlfriend is contemplating ending the relationship. She doesn’t have any solid reasons, just a feeling that it isn’t working. Things begin to get weird when she starts getting unsettling prank calls that originate from her own number. Then when she takes a trip to the country to meet Jake’s parents, things are downright strange. I liked that I never had a clear idea of what was going on, and I didn’t know whom I could trust, it added to the suspense.
Once the book hits its stride, things shift. The trip to meet Jake’s parents is unsettling. There is a sense of wrongness throughout, and then it spirals into madness. I liked the creepy atmosphere, the ratcheting up of the suspense, and the stunning finale.
Each chapter opens with a snippets of gossip from local residents who are discussing a peculiar suicide. This dialogue is informative and it drops some helpful clues.
The ending is stunning. Yes, there are some hints to what is going on, but I have to admit, I didn’t completely piece it all together. The book ends with one of those big gotcha moments that will leave you pondering on it for days. This is definitely a thinking book, not for everyone.
Candace Thaxton narrates this one, and I thought she did an excellent job, especially considering the material. I would listen to her again.

And The Not So Much:

Even though the book is short, it tends to ramble on and on about meaningless things. I grew bored with the rambling.
I am still not sure what the point of it all was. Each person will have a different take away, as there is not a clear cut finish. This is not a book for everyone. It is a thinking book, and some may walk away thinking it was a clever, cool book, while others will not care or hate it. I am in the middle. I liked that it was unique, and that I had to think about it, but then I hated that I am not sure what the intent of the author was.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things is one of those buzz books that people are either going to love or hate. It is a weird, suspenseful novel that explores the old question of how well can you really know someone, while exposing the fragility of the mind. If you are up for a suspenseful, unsettling thinking book, give this a whirl. I can only tell you it is a mind bender.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.

Posted on 04/04/2018 at 12:00 AM in Audiobook Reviews | Permalink

Comments

In this deeply scary and intensely unnerving debut novel, Jake and a woman known only as “The Girlfriend” are on a drive to visit his parents at their secluded farm. But when Jake leaves “The Girlfriend” stranded at an abandoned high school, what follows is a twisted unraveling of the darkest unease, an exploration into psychological frailty, and an ending as suspenseful as The Usual Suspects and as haunting as Misery.

Deeply scary and intensely unnerving, Iain Reid’s debut novel is a tightening spiral of a story about a woman’s uncertainty of her relationship with her boyfriend, Jake. After an uncomfortable and confusing trip to meet Jake’s parents at their isolated farmhouse, reality unravels and events spin out of control when Jake and “The Girlfriend” make an unscheduled stop at an abandoned high school. Part murder mystery, part psychological thriller, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is about doubt, psychological fragility, and the lengths we’ll go to avoid the truth. Twisted as Shutter Island, as suspenseful as Under the Skin and as atmospheric as The Sisters Brothers, Reid’s breakout literary thriller is sure to keep readers guessing until the last page.
Audiobook
Published June 14th 2016 by Simon Schuster Audio
Source: Publisher

Three stars: A buzz book that is nothing like you expect. Prepare for trickery and a twist that will shock you.

What I Liked:

I don’t even know how to begin to review I'm Thinking of Ending Things without giving away the twists. This is an unsettling psychological thriller that explores the age old question of how well you can truly know someone while uncovering the fragility of the human mind. This book is nothing like you expect, and it will shock you with the finale. If you want to take a chance on a book that will make you think, try this.
The book utilizes an unreliable narrator, and it adds to the suspense by not giving the narrator a name. The book is told through the eyes of Jake’s girlfriend. The girlfriend is contemplating ending the relationship. She doesn’t have any solid reasons, just a feeling that it isn’t working. Things begin to get weird when she starts getting unsettling prank calls that originate from her own number. Then when she takes a trip to the country to meet Jake’s parents, things are downright strange. I liked that I never had a clear idea of what was going on, and I didn’t know whom I could trust, it added to the suspense.
Once the book hits its stride, things shift. The trip to meet Jake’s parents is unsettling. There is a sense of wrongness throughout, and then it spirals into madness. I liked the creepy atmosphere, the ratcheting up of the suspense, and the stunning finale.
Each chapter opens with a snippets of gossip from local residents who are discussing a peculiar suicide. This dialogue is informative and it drops some helpful clues.
The ending is stunning. Yes, there are some hints to what is going on, but I have to admit, I didn’t completely piece it all together. The book ends with one of those big gotcha moments that will leave you pondering on it for days. This is definitely a thinking book, not for everyone.
Candace Thaxton narrates this one, and I thought she did an excellent job, especially considering the material. I would listen to her again.

And The Not So Much:

Even though the book is short, it tends to ramble on and on about meaningless things. I grew bored with the rambling.
I am still not sure what the point of it all was. Each person will have a different take away, as there is not a clear cut finish. This is not a book for everyone. It is a thinking book, and some may walk away thinking it was a clever, cool book, while others will not care or hate it. I am in the middle. I liked that it was unique, and that I had to think about it, but then I hated that I am not sure what the intent of the author was.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.