I’m Thinking of Ending Things - Ian Reid - Horror Literature Review
I’m Thinking of Ending Things Cover
I have read this novel twice now, and only just found out that it’s a debut novel. This means that Ian Reid must be seriously talented because each time I have read this book I have both noticed something new and been more freaked out than the last time I read it!
I’m Thinking of Ending Things is an incredibly unique psychological thriller that follows a female narrator who is debating breaking up with her boyfriend; as she is visiting said boyfriends parents. Things start to take a nasty turn when they are caught up in a snowstorm whilst returning home.
At first, I will be honest, I struggled to see where exactly this novel was going to go, indeed, I struggled to see where it could go. But somehow, Reid creates such a tense atmosphere that I found myself carried along for the ride, almost like I was crowd-surfing whilst asleep. I can entirely understand why it has been made into a Netflix series, because the whole thing reads a little bit like an indie horror movie, and this was one of the main reasons I was gripped. Without really knowing what, you know something is coming and are waiting, tense, for whatever that may be.
The characterisation of Jake and his family is excellent. They are just the right level of creepy, without being overtly insane. It helps keep that low thrum of anxiety burning in readers. The female narrator is also very well characterised and her reactions especially are realistic which, frankly, makes the whole thing a lot more terrifying! The ending was not at all predictable and felt like a snowball effect. I was rushing to the end and could hardly stop myself! I cannot fault, therefore, the pacing or the plot of the novel. It was like being starved of oxygen, I had to get to the end before it killed me! This is definitely not a novel to read alone or at night.
Well, I think I have raved enough, there is little bad to say about this novel, for me. I understand the negative reviews though, because the plotline is certainly not for everyone as it is not the conventional horror. I also felt that there might have been a moral or message in the author’s mind when he wrote it, I just could not quite pinpoint it. This did leave me a little deflated once I had finished and I would have perhaps preferred a little more definition in the ending. But these are, honestly, minor things.
Overall, if you enjoy indie horror movies, or indie horror video games, then I would highly, highly recommend this novel. It’s short and terrifying, best read perhaps on a train or a plane in perfect light and with plenty of company. My rating of the perfect 10 is, I think, no less than is deserved!
