Publication: June 14th 2016
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Pages: 224 pages
Source: Bookmobile
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Canadian
My Rating: ⛤⛤⛤⛤⛤
You might have to read this book twice.
This is more of a warning than anything else, and one I’ll go into later on in my review for anyone who’s curious about this strange book that seemingly popped out of nowhere. It’s just a warning, but be prepared to start over.
Just be ready.
Even giving a summary for I’m Thinking of Ending Things seems like a spoiler so I’ll do it as simply as I can. A young woman goes on a road trip with her boyfriend Jake to meet his parents at their country home, but she’s thinking of ending things between him.
That’s it. Which is true and not true, which is basically my way of saying you need to read this book and stick with it to find out because to some readers it’s a dull book because not much happens. I personally enjoy books that are seemingly dull if I can be kept engaged by the writing and Reid did that for me, but I understand why people get bored with this book, why people give up on it.
Don’t give up on it.
Not a huge spoiler but the very last line of this book gives you instructions on how you’re actually supposed to read it, basically telling the reader that they’ll have to read it again. Now when I finished this book while learning that, I was pretty pissed. It came off as pretentious and I couldn’t help thinking “don’t you tell ME how to read you book, I’m not going to read you again just because you tell me too.” So I ended up searching discussion groups for I’m Thinking of Ending things and read some reviews because I had some mixed feelings and was a bit confused. Luckily the discussion groups did clear some things up and some of the people on the group had either read or listened to the audio book in the way it’s recommended and did say it was like reading a completely different book.
That’s actually the reason I waited so long to write this review, I was going to re-read this book but just don’t have the time right now. Maybe later in the year I’ll do it and add my thoughts to this review.
But when I was able to really think over I’m Thinking of Ending Things and read some other reader’s thoughts on the book it became a story that really stuck with me. Without spoilers it’s a very different type of thriller than most are used to and is a book that physically just makes you ache. Reid does an excellent job unsettling the reader and making the entire book feel off, like crooked picture on the wall or a misplaced pencil. Something that is so subtle that throws off the entire feel of the book and puts readers on edge. I particularly loved the farm house scenes for their uneasiness and Reid’s talent with suspense as a whole.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a strange and memorable book that sticks with you, and you may have to read it twice. I know I hope to one day.
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