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

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. Let me start this off by saying, if you plan on reading this book, don't look up a single thing about it. Go in blind and see where it takes you. Trust me, you'll have the best experience. ~ I'D RECOMMEND NOT READING THE FOLLOWING IF YOU PLAN ON READING THE BOOK ~ This book is insane. It's petrifying, grotesque, but all the same, relatable and, at times, quaint. It starts out as a sprawling account of thoughts and a relationship fizzling away. And, I suppose, it ends the same way. Sort of. I'm so impressed with how this book managed to scare me. It had me jumping at every noise, plummeting down existential spirals, and hiding from a man who wasn't there. It's so tightly written that each and every detail comes into play in those final few scenes. When I started the book, not knowing what it was about, I was surprised to see that it was about a woman thinking of ending things with her boyfriend. Huh. I had assumed I'm Thinking of Ending Things referred to suicide, but I guess my dark mind must have just jumped to conclusions. As I kept reading I realized some of what was being done, but the snippets of reveals are woven in so seamlessly, so perfectly that it's impossible to fully understand until after you close that last page and start all over again. When I finished the book, I set it down in front of me, and went back through its details and events in my head. Every single one can be viewed in a new light, through a new lens, when thinking through what actually occurred. This book is gonna be on my mind for a long time. I'm so so so excited for the movie. I mean Toni Colette and Jesse Plemmons with Charlie Kaufman at the helm?? Yes. I cannot wait to see what it brings, and how people will react to it as it becomes more mainstream. (Also, did anyone else notice that the actors of the protagonists are both named Jessie (or Jesse)?? Coincidence? I think not.)

Song I was reminded of while reading: Darkness