Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

39 reviews

abookofwildflowers's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Suicide, and Stalking

Moderate: Confinement

Minor: Death of parent

jaylene's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Ooooooookay..

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Blood

Minor: Body horror, Gore, Mental illness, and Suicide

ohlittleowl's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Body horror

petit_lecteur's review

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Body horror

strange_and_unusual's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Blood

karmapen's review

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was so scary.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, and Abandonment

literatureleaf's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Age: 15+

 

Reading time: 3 days

 

Difficulty level: 1.5/5

 

Rating: 4.5/5

 

 

I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid follows our nameless protagonist and her boyfriend Jake as they embark on a road trip to have dinner with Jake’s parents. Plagued by thoughts of ending the relationship, she spends the car ride mulling over how it got to this point, and wondering if this is how it was always meant to be.

 

Meeting his family does not quell her hesitations, and the journey back home begins in a very similar manner to the trip there. However, after an unplanned stop at the local high school Jake attended as a teenager, things begin to go downhill in a way that neither the characters themselves nor the reader could have predicted.

 

A genuine literary thriller, I’m Thinking of Ending Things intricately weaves suspense and in-depth, authentic character study together in a way that has never been done before. Without holding anything back, Reid puts a new spin on the concept of a plot twist and utilizes it in a way that can be described as nothing short of poetic.

 

Atmosphere reigns supreme in this novel. Built up slowly and steadily, through scarce but vivid depictions of a desolate, snowy setting brimming with despair, and an unfiltered look at the flitting, unfettered thoughts and observations of the main protagonist, consistent, permeating feelings of dread and unease slowly creep up as the plot advances.

 

Written in a deceptively simple, choppy manner, I’m Thinking of Ending Things will sneak up and grab you in a chokehold when you’re least expecting it. As the tale unfolds, and little glimpses of something that is deeply wrong just beneath the surface of what appears to be a straightforward, even somewhat boring, trip between a couple on the brink of a breakup emerge, the reader is left deeply unsettled, wondering what it is that they are missing.

 

Flaws are few and far between, but so much of the story takes place within the protagonist’s mind, that at times it can be a bit stifling. Inner monologues fill much of the story, only broken up intermittently with the stark, vivid imagery mentioned earlier, and although they are incredibly well written, feeling stuck in the narrator’s head is not an uncommon feeling.

 

Invoking feelings of longing, despair, unease, and grief for the characters, I’m Thinking of Ending Things reads and feels like a beautiful punch to the gut that will leave you simultaneously longing for more and begging for it to be over. A devastatingly believable account of a life filled with pain, loneliness, and resentment, I’m Thinking of Ending Things will live on in the minds of those who have read it for months after the final page is read and the book itself is closed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Body horror, Gore, Violence, and Stalking

Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

bitchigo's review

dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting

Minor: Body horror and Cursing

ecravens's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

alexisgarcia's review

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

i have never read any other book like this so far. the concept was fascinating and i thought it was executed well for the most part. the only issue was i wish the ending was explained a little bit better. i did have to do some research to understand the ending which i did not think i should have to do. maybe i just missed something though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Stalking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis