Book Review: I'm Thinking Of Ending Things
Updated: Mar 10, 2021
This review is spolier free.
Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can't fake a thought.
― Iain Reid, I'm Thinking of Ending Things
Every now and again I read or listen to a book that gets inside my brain and takes residence like a little parasite. It sticks with me for days or even years. I'm Thinking Of Ending Things is one of those books.
The Plot
Jake and his girlfriend are driving to meet his parents for the first time at their farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. The book is written from the perspective of said girlfriend, who is considering ending her relationship with Jake. She is looking over their relationship and trying to decide what to do. In between her thoughts, her and Jake discuss a number of topics.
Things get weirder as the drive goes on, and they finally arrive at Jake's parent's house. Strange event after strange event lead to the climax of the book (I really don't want to spoil it), and man is it wild!
Characters
Unlike some of my previous reviews *side eyes the Hunger Games* this book has very few main characters. They are:
Jake. A scientific genius who is super stoked to have a girlfriend. Can't wait to show off his girlfriend to his parents.
Girlfriend. Wants to end things with her boyfriend. Has very confusing thoughts that are hard to follow. Confused as to why she agreed to meet his parents in the first place, considering she hadn't told anyone she knows about him. Keeps pointing out how dark and isolated the road is.
Jake's Parents. A bit creepy. Seem like they need to get out more. Mum has some health issues. Very happy Jake finally has a girlfriend.
Audio book
I listened to this on Audible, even though it's only about 225 pages or five hours listening time. In my opinion, this is a book that is AMAZING as an audio book, especially near the end. At one point the narrator's voice acting literally gave me goose bumps!
This book is for you if:
You're looking for a quick weekend read. At only 225 pages it's a breeze.
You loved movies like Get Out and Parasite.
You liked the movie. You'll already know the twists and turns but you might enjoy the story told in a different way. Plus, the book are (almost) always better.
You regret not studying psychology at uni. You'll be thinking about what the fuck happened in this book for weeks to come.
This book might not be for you if:
You get confused by plot twists easily. If you struggled to keep up with Game of Thrones this one's a bit of a brain twister.
Dialogue-driven stories aren't your thing. This isn't an action book, it's a deep dive into the minds of people.
TL;DR if you couldn't read this short review, maybe reading a book won't work out for you.