I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Iain Reid

Jun 2016 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Candace Thaxton

About this audiobook

Now a Netflix original movie, this deeply scary and intensely unnerving novel follows a couple in the midst of a twisted unraveling of the darkest unease. You will be scared. But you won’t know why…

I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always.

Jake once said, “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.”

And here’s what I’m thinking: I don’t want to be here.

In this smart and intense literary suspense novel, Iain Reid explores the depths of the human psyche, questioning consciousness, free will, the value of relationships, fear, and the limitations of solitude. Reminiscent of Jose Saramago’s early work, Michel Faber’s cult classic Under the Skin, and Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk about Kevin, “your dread and unease will mount with every passing page” (Entertainment Weekly) of this edgy, haunting debut. Tense, gripping, and atmospheric, I’m Thinking of Ending Things pulls you in from the very first page…and never lets you go.

Ratings and reviews

Controversial opinion - the book has an excellent premise once you realize what's happening but it is not very well executed. This is one of the few times I would say a movie improved upon a book, as the film fixes almost every issue I had with it. This book drags for long portions and gets interesting at the very end. Literally the very end. I understand what the author was going for, but you shouldn't force your audience to wade through so much with few hints of the real premise. I kept zoning out and letting my mind wander during the car ride at the beginning. It couldn't hold my attention. I was getting frustrated while listening (audiobook) to this as I felt that my time was being wasted, but then the end twist came and I thought it was brilliant. The movie does a better job at hinting at the true premise throughout instead of just having it click at the end. Perhaps with a premise like this, it is easier to tell it visually rather than through written word.

I get what the author was trying to do. It's a great, if not difficult, concept that had a disheveled wrap-up. I have no regrets reading this book as it had some quality takeaways, but it's not something I'm likely to revisit.

Honestly, this didn't need a Netflix adaptation. There is nothing overtly special about this book. A sort of Jacob's Ladder Lite. It's all been done before and done better.

About the author

Iain Reid is the author of four previous books, including his New York Times bestselling debut novel I’m Thinking of Ending Things, which has been translated into more than twenty languages. Oscar winner Charlie Kaufman wrote and directed the film adaptation for Netflix. His second novel, Foe, is being adapted for film, starring Saoirse Ronan, with Reid cowriting the screenplay. His latest novel is We Spread. Reid lives in Ontario, Canada. Follow him on Twitter @Reid_Iain.