Reading this felt as if my brain was skipping like a cd player does. It was strange and vaguely uncomfortable the entire way through.
I am confused.
But I liked it.
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I'm Thinking of Ending Things Hardcover – Jan. 1 2016
by
Iain Reid
(Author)
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AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2016 "I'm Thinking of Ending Things is one of the best debut novels I've ever read. Iain Reid has crafted a tight, ferocious little book, with a persistent tenor of suspense that tightens and mounts toward its visionary, harrowing final pages" (Scott Heim, award-winning author of Mysterious Skin and We Disappear). 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, suspenseful, and intense literary thriller, debut novelist 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, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is an edgy, haunting debut. Tense, gripping, and atmospheric, this novel pulls you in from the very first page…and never lets you go.
- Print length210 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherGallery/Scout Press
- Publication dateJan. 1 2016
- Dimensions13.97 x 2.29 x 21.27 cm
- ISBN-10150112692X
- ISBN-13978-1501126925
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Review
"In a novel this engaging, bizarre, and twisted, it shouldn't come as a surprise that its ending is even stranger than the narrative route that takes us there...but it does. Reid's novel is a road trip to the heart of creepyness." -- Sjón, author of The Blue Fox, From the Mouth of the Whale, and The Whispering Muse
"I'm Thinking of Ending Things is one of the best debut novels I've ever read. Iain Reid has crafted a tight, ferocious little book, with a persistent tenor of suspense that tightens and mounts toward its visionary, harrowing final pages." -- Scott Heim, author of Mysterious Skin and We Disappear
“Here are some near-certainties about I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Number One: You're going to read it fast. Over the course of an afternoon or an evening. The momentum is unstoppable—once you start, you won't be able to stop. And Two: once you race to the end and understand the significance of those final pages, you won't be able to stop thinking about it. This novel will find a spot in your heart and head and it will live there---for days,weeks, months, or (in my case) the rest of your life. Yes. It really is that good.” -- Nick Cutter, author of Cataract City and The Deep
"I’m Thinking of Ending Things begins with the unnamed narrator setting off with her boyfriend to visit his parents at their remote farm, and soon devolves into an unnerving exploration of identity, regret and longing. Delightfully frightening." ― The Globe and Mail
“I’m Thinking of Ending Things is an utterly compelling modern Gothic that stakes its claim in the inner precincts of horror. Reid builds tension the way Edgar Allen Poe builds brick walls in his basement.” -- Wayne Grady, author of Emancipation Day
“An addictive metaphysical investigation into the nature of identity, one which seduces and horrifies in equal measure. Reid masterfully explores the perversity of loneliness and somehow also creates a very entertaining thriller. I found myself yelling at the characters to put their feet on the pedal and drive.” -- Heather O'Neill, author of Lullabies for Little Criminals and Daydreams of Angels
“Smart, dangerous and spooky as hell. Iain Reid takes you on a harrowing road trip that keeps you riveted until the final destination.” -- Brian Francis, author of Fruit and Natural Order
“Reid's tightly crafted tale toys with the nature of identity and comes by its terror honestly, building a wall of intricately layered psychological torment so impenetrable it's impossible to escape.” ― Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"[Iain Reid] fuses suspense with philosophy, psychology,and horror in his unsettling first novel...Capped with an ending that will shock and chill, this twisty tale invites multiple readings.” ― Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“The construct of this book is brilliant and unusual and should appeal to fans of psychological thrillers, as well as to some horror fans. A dark and compelling debut novel, it is a most uncomfortable read but utterly unputdownable.” ― Booklist, Starred Review
"One of the most anticipated literary thrillers of the season." ― Library Journal
"This slim first novel packs a big psychological punch with a twisty story line and an ending that will leave readers breathless." ― Library Journal, Starred Review
“Iain Reid has written a creepy but enthralling new novel… It’s a psychological thriller that keeps readers guessing.” ― NPR's Weekend Edition
“Reid’s gradually building spookiness and plainspoken intellectualism make I’m Thinking of Ending Things a smart and unexpectedly fun book.” ― New York Journal of Books
“This is the boldest and most original literary thriller to appear in some time.” ― The Chicago Tribune
“Your dread and unease will mount with every passing page.” ― Entertainment Weekly
"This is a deliciously frightening novel, Reid has a light, idiosyncratic touch but never lets his vice-like grip of suspense slacken for a second. Once finished, you will be hard pressed not to start the whole terrifying journey all over again." ― The Independent
"I'm Thinking of Ending Things is an ingeniously twisted nightmare road trip through the fragile psyches of two young lovers. My kind of fun!" -- Charlie Kaufman, Academy Award winning writer and executive producer of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
“Absolutely chilling. I was constantly checking over my shoulder, closing doors, pulling blinds shut. Reid's fast-paced language is evocative, spine-tingling, and razor-sharp...[This] debut is worth reading for his deft ability to create tension and atmosphere; I can recall very few times in recent memory I’ve been so physically unnerved by a novel.” ― Bustle
"...unrelentingly tense, expertly riding the line between paranoid and horrifying." ― Jezebel
"I'm Thinking of Ending Things is one of the best debut novels I've ever read. Iain Reid has crafted a tight, ferocious little book, with a persistent tenor of suspense that tightens and mounts toward its visionary, harrowing final pages." -- Scott Heim, author of Mysterious Skin and We Disappear
“Here are some near-certainties about I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Number One: You're going to read it fast. Over the course of an afternoon or an evening. The momentum is unstoppable—once you start, you won't be able to stop. And Two: once you race to the end and understand the significance of those final pages, you won't be able to stop thinking about it. This novel will find a spot in your heart and head and it will live there---for days,weeks, months, or (in my case) the rest of your life. Yes. It really is that good.” -- Nick Cutter, author of Cataract City and The Deep
"I’m Thinking of Ending Things begins with the unnamed narrator setting off with her boyfriend to visit his parents at their remote farm, and soon devolves into an unnerving exploration of identity, regret and longing. Delightfully frightening." ― The Globe and Mail
“I’m Thinking of Ending Things is an utterly compelling modern Gothic that stakes its claim in the inner precincts of horror. Reid builds tension the way Edgar Allen Poe builds brick walls in his basement.” -- Wayne Grady, author of Emancipation Day
“An addictive metaphysical investigation into the nature of identity, one which seduces and horrifies in equal measure. Reid masterfully explores the perversity of loneliness and somehow also creates a very entertaining thriller. I found myself yelling at the characters to put their feet on the pedal and drive.” -- Heather O'Neill, author of Lullabies for Little Criminals and Daydreams of Angels
“Smart, dangerous and spooky as hell. Iain Reid takes you on a harrowing road trip that keeps you riveted until the final destination.” -- Brian Francis, author of Fruit and Natural Order
“Reid's tightly crafted tale toys with the nature of identity and comes by its terror honestly, building a wall of intricately layered psychological torment so impenetrable it's impossible to escape.” ― Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"[Iain Reid] fuses suspense with philosophy, psychology,and horror in his unsettling first novel...Capped with an ending that will shock and chill, this twisty tale invites multiple readings.” ― Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“The construct of this book is brilliant and unusual and should appeal to fans of psychological thrillers, as well as to some horror fans. A dark and compelling debut novel, it is a most uncomfortable read but utterly unputdownable.” ― Booklist, Starred Review
"One of the most anticipated literary thrillers of the season." ― Library Journal
"This slim first novel packs a big psychological punch with a twisty story line and an ending that will leave readers breathless." ― Library Journal, Starred Review
“Iain Reid has written a creepy but enthralling new novel… It’s a psychological thriller that keeps readers guessing.” ― NPR's Weekend Edition
“Reid’s gradually building spookiness and plainspoken intellectualism make I’m Thinking of Ending Things a smart and unexpectedly fun book.” ― New York Journal of Books
“This is the boldest and most original literary thriller to appear in some time.” ― The Chicago Tribune
“Your dread and unease will mount with every passing page.” ― Entertainment Weekly
"This is a deliciously frightening novel, Reid has a light, idiosyncratic touch but never lets his vice-like grip of suspense slacken for a second. Once finished, you will be hard pressed not to start the whole terrifying journey all over again." ― The Independent
"I'm Thinking of Ending Things is an ingeniously twisted nightmare road trip through the fragile psyches of two young lovers. My kind of fun!" -- Charlie Kaufman, Academy Award winning writer and executive producer of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
“Absolutely chilling. I was constantly checking over my shoulder, closing doors, pulling blinds shut. Reid's fast-paced language is evocative, spine-tingling, and razor-sharp...[This] debut is worth reading for his deft ability to create tension and atmosphere; I can recall very few times in recent memory I’ve been so physically unnerved by a novel.” ― Bustle
"...unrelentingly tense, expertly riding the line between paranoid and horrifying." ― Jezebel
About the Author
Iain Reid is the author of two critically acclaimed, award-winning books of nonfiction. His internationally bestselling debut novel, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, has been published in more than twenty countries. Oscar-winner Charlie Kaufman is writing and directing a film based on the novel, which Reid will co-produce. His second novel, Foe, was an instant bestseller and feature film rights have been acquired by Anonymous Content, with Reid set to executive produce. Follow him on Twitter @Reid_Iain.
Product details
- Publisher : Gallery/Scout Press (Jan. 1 2016)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 210 pages
- ISBN-10 : 150112692X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1501126925
- Item weight : 327 g
- Dimensions : 13.97 x 2.29 x 21.27 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: #836,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #37,939 in Suspense (Books)
- #53,586 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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Top reviews from Canada
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Reviewed in Canada on July 6, 2023
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Reviewed in Canada on January 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
Was a pretty good book. Film was pretty good too. Might recommend to those in search of something quick to read that offers up what it’s like to be in a relationship with an antagonizing meta-voice that won’t leave you alone. Not sure if I’d read his other works but foe has been calling to me
Reviewed in Canada on July 31, 2020
Verified Purchase
I picked this up because Charlie Kaufman said good things and chose to direct the upcoming film. Charlie Kaufman is a very good writer, so I figured it was bound to be good. Not so much.
This novel’s only redeeming quality is its length: the time wasted was relatively brief. The prose was reminiscent of R.L. Stine’s YA novels, with a peppering of some undergraduate musings after taking an Intro To Philosophy class. It gets tedious fast. The material within is poorly developed and could have made for a mediocre short story, instead of a bad novel.
Because the prose is elliptical, the reader plods along the plotless story, vapid insights and stilted dialogue hoping: maybe it’s intentional, maybe the end will justify it? Hey, Charlie Kaufman liked it, right, can’t be as bad as it seems?
Then the ending comes and you know you just wasted a couple of hours of your time. The big reveal is what you feared it would be. It’s the ending to most books and films of this kind: the ending bad “psychological” thrillers have been employing with diminishing returns for decades. The biggest cliche “plot twist” in the genre. Groan.
Any budding novelists out there that care to make something new, rather than rehashing a cheap trope, have at it, please. If this book can sell a boatload of copies and be adapted into a film, then bar for that sort of thing seems pretty low.
This novel’s only redeeming quality is its length: the time wasted was relatively brief. The prose was reminiscent of R.L. Stine’s YA novels, with a peppering of some undergraduate musings after taking an Intro To Philosophy class. It gets tedious fast. The material within is poorly developed and could have made for a mediocre short story, instead of a bad novel.
Because the prose is elliptical, the reader plods along the plotless story, vapid insights and stilted dialogue hoping: maybe it’s intentional, maybe the end will justify it? Hey, Charlie Kaufman liked it, right, can’t be as bad as it seems?
Then the ending comes and you know you just wasted a couple of hours of your time. The big reveal is what you feared it would be. It’s the ending to most books and films of this kind: the ending bad “psychological” thrillers have been employing with diminishing returns for decades. The biggest cliche “plot twist” in the genre. Groan.
Any budding novelists out there that care to make something new, rather than rehashing a cheap trope, have at it, please. If this book can sell a boatload of copies and be adapted into a film, then bar for that sort of thing seems pretty low.
VINE VOICE
Verified Purchase
Once I started this book, I could not put it down. I read the entire thing in one sitting. I expect you will, too. It's less of a thriller than a psychological horror, in my opinion; reading it, I felt an increasing unease not unlike that felt when watching slow-burn horror movies like Mother! and Midsommar. There is also some philosophical conversation in the first half of the book that can feel "heavy" -- if you were expecting a light page-turner, I mean. The ending was spectacular and not at all what I had expected when I started the book. I recommended it to a friend and he read it the very next day. I will read this again. I am thrilled that there will be a film adaptation -- I can't wait to see it.
Reviewed in Canada on September 4, 2020
Verified Purchase
I found this book to be extremely sad. I don't insist on upbeat stories and happy endings - if I did, I wouldn't be reading a book with a title like I'm Thinking of Ending Things - but I didn't expect it to be as sad as it is. It's very good, though, I couldn't put it down - I'll be reading Foe next.
Reviewed in Canada on November 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
My second time reading this book, after a number of months and it still drew me into the story.
It’s tense and psychologically insightful. The author builds an ongoing sense of mystery, of not being completely sure of what is happening.
Questions of identity, the disintegration of personality and death actually make a beautiful book. You wonder, why did this have to happen? But it had to be this way, there was no escape really, no other possibility.
It manages to maintain its sense of disorientation, of psychological rather than physical terror. Something remaining hidden but waiting to crop up, that can no longer be avoided.
It sits in the mind. Or to borrow the words of the author, “it stays, it sticks, it lingers”. And that’s what the book does, while you’re reading it and even after you’re finished. Very worthwhile.
It’s tense and psychologically insightful. The author builds an ongoing sense of mystery, of not being completely sure of what is happening.
Questions of identity, the disintegration of personality and death actually make a beautiful book. You wonder, why did this have to happen? But it had to be this way, there was no escape really, no other possibility.
It manages to maintain its sense of disorientation, of psychological rather than physical terror. Something remaining hidden but waiting to crop up, that can no longer be avoided.
It sits in the mind. Or to borrow the words of the author, “it stays, it sticks, it lingers”. And that’s what the book does, while you’re reading it and even after you’re finished. Very worthwhile.
Reviewed in Canada on March 7, 2022
Verified Purchase
This left me feeling incredibly uncomfortable in the best possible way. I'm not sure I can fully convey the sense of dread that just crept higher and higher up my back until I felt eyes on the back of my head at every turn. What a wonderful and thrilling story line. Highly recommend!!!
Reviewed in Canada on May 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
Alot of build up for a lame plot. Nothing really happens. Predictable story line for last three quarters of it. Had to force myself to finish it. At least it wasn't too long.
Top reviews from other countries
Nikita
4.0 out of 5 stars
Deprimierend
Reviewed in Germany on September 28, 2023Verified Purchase
Ich habe vor einiger Zeit „I‘m thinking of ending things“ von Charlie Kaufman auf Netflix gesehen. Der Film hatte etwas sehr beunruhigendes und tieftrauriges an sich und ist mir lange nicht aus dem Kopf gegangen. Nun habe ich die Romanvorlage lesen, die dem Film um nichts nachsteht (in dem Fall ist der Roman aber auch nicht deutlich besser als der Film).
Ich möchte nicht viel schreiben, da ich nicht spoilern will, aber depressiven Menschen würde ich raten ganz genau darüber nachzudenken, ob sie dieses Buch lesen wollen. Meine Stimmung war durch den Roman (und den Film) deutlich gedämpft, weshalb ich an dieser Stelle eine Warnung aussprechen möchte.
Ansonsten lässt sich das Buch zügig lesen und wird an keiner Stelle langweilig. Die Prämisse errät man unter Umständen im Roman schneller als im Film. Ich wusste natürlich worauf es hinausläuft, was das Buch für mich umso trauriger gemacht hat.
Ich möchte nicht viel schreiben, da ich nicht spoilern will, aber depressiven Menschen würde ich raten ganz genau darüber nachzudenken, ob sie dieses Buch lesen wollen. Meine Stimmung war durch den Roman (und den Film) deutlich gedämpft, weshalb ich an dieser Stelle eine Warnung aussprechen möchte.
Ansonsten lässt sich das Buch zügig lesen und wird an keiner Stelle langweilig. Die Prämisse errät man unter Umständen im Roman schneller als im Film. Ich wusste natürlich worauf es hinausläuft, was das Buch für mich umso trauriger gemacht hat.
Alexandra Ingram
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ending is sooo good and unexpected
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2023Verified Purchase
I found this book really slow and not super interesting in the beginning. I actually almost DNF, but persisted mostly just because it is such a short book. I'm so glad I read it completely. Once you get to the middle it is just so creepy and then the ending is soooo good and so crazy!! I will think about this book for a while and am planning to watch the movie!
Bob Lewis
4.0 out of 5 stars
An intriguing little thriller
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2020Verified Purchase
I bought this book because I was told it would be scary. The back of the book promises: "You will be scared. But you won't know why." Well, I wasn't. This isn't really a horror story so much as it is a psychological thriller. But overall, I did enjoy it, though not consistently the whole way through.
The story's a little slow to get started, focusing intently on a conversation between two characters as they drive to a farmhouse for dinner. This conversation covers a lot of philosophical ground, ranging from the genuinely interesting to the "pretentious undergraduate," but always seems to fit within the established framework between the characters. The reader eventually begins to wonder why we're reading these thoughts, though, and where this thing is going. Just as those feelings begin to percolate, the novel takes a turn to the strange. Not a large turn and not even a sudden one, but a slight and gradual shift in which the reader begins to detect that things feel "off" for some inarticulable reason.
It's in that ground that the novel spends the majority of its time. The armchair philosophizing never quite goes away, but it does yield some ground to this growing sense of something "just not quite right" about the events being depicted. This place--if not quite the uncanny valley, then at least within the same neighborhood--is fertile ground for a novelist, and Reid exploits it well. I've always had a certain affinity for a book that keeps me reading if for no other reason than to figure out just what in the world is actually happening.
Of course, that's not the only reason to keep reading. The characters might not be as fleshed out as they could be in a longer novel, but they do exhibit the fundamental humanity that keeps readers attached to their story. The writing is tight and overall of high quality (though I take issue with the author's liberal use of shifting tenses throughout the book, even if I do understand his purpose in doing so). And, as I've already mentioned, the brief philosophical interludes, though occasionally an annoying distraction from the story proper, more frequently provide a brief pause in the story for the reader to reflect on some interesting ideas.
A novel that spends so much of its energy making the reader detect a nearly imperceptible "offness" has to rely on the force of its ending to justify the rest of the story. In this case, the author manages to pull it off, but only just. I did not predict the ending very far in advance, though I did have a feeling early on of the "kind" of ending it was likely to be (and that feeling proved correct in general terms, though the details eluded me). Was it a satisfying ending? Partly. Without spoilers, I will say that it did bring the story to a satisfactory conclusion, but I'll also say that I didn't find the "punch" of the ending nearly as interesting as the "weirdness" of the preceding pages. I can somewhat forgive that, though. The ending is probably the hardest part of a story, and that goes doubly for a story like this.
Will this book become enshrined as one of my favorites? No. But it's a good quick read, likely to keep you interested until you finish in just a sitting or two, and worth a few hours of your time and a few dollars of your money. Despite a few flaws, I do recommend it.
The story's a little slow to get started, focusing intently on a conversation between two characters as they drive to a farmhouse for dinner. This conversation covers a lot of philosophical ground, ranging from the genuinely interesting to the "pretentious undergraduate," but always seems to fit within the established framework between the characters. The reader eventually begins to wonder why we're reading these thoughts, though, and where this thing is going. Just as those feelings begin to percolate, the novel takes a turn to the strange. Not a large turn and not even a sudden one, but a slight and gradual shift in which the reader begins to detect that things feel "off" for some inarticulable reason.
It's in that ground that the novel spends the majority of its time. The armchair philosophizing never quite goes away, but it does yield some ground to this growing sense of something "just not quite right" about the events being depicted. This place--if not quite the uncanny valley, then at least within the same neighborhood--is fertile ground for a novelist, and Reid exploits it well. I've always had a certain affinity for a book that keeps me reading if for no other reason than to figure out just what in the world is actually happening.
Of course, that's not the only reason to keep reading. The characters might not be as fleshed out as they could be in a longer novel, but they do exhibit the fundamental humanity that keeps readers attached to their story. The writing is tight and overall of high quality (though I take issue with the author's liberal use of shifting tenses throughout the book, even if I do understand his purpose in doing so). And, as I've already mentioned, the brief philosophical interludes, though occasionally an annoying distraction from the story proper, more frequently provide a brief pause in the story for the reader to reflect on some interesting ideas.
A novel that spends so much of its energy making the reader detect a nearly imperceptible "offness" has to rely on the force of its ending to justify the rest of the story. In this case, the author manages to pull it off, but only just. I did not predict the ending very far in advance, though I did have a feeling early on of the "kind" of ending it was likely to be (and that feeling proved correct in general terms, though the details eluded me). Was it a satisfying ending? Partly. Without spoilers, I will say that it did bring the story to a satisfactory conclusion, but I'll also say that I didn't find the "punch" of the ending nearly as interesting as the "weirdness" of the preceding pages. I can somewhat forgive that, though. The ending is probably the hardest part of a story, and that goes doubly for a story like this.
Will this book become enshrined as one of my favorites? No. But it's a good quick read, likely to keep you interested until you finish in just a sitting or two, and worth a few hours of your time and a few dollars of your money. Despite a few flaws, I do recommend it.
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shelliefromtirau
4.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2023Verified Purchase
My only complaint is that I had to stay up late to finish the book, which I started late that afternoon. I reluctantly stopped to feed the family, then it was straight back into it. By the time I finished it my eyes were bleeding but I could not go to bed without knowing how it ended. So when I read the last page I was exhausted, and now I have to read the final act again so I can fully appreciate the ending. This is one of those books that you CANT WAIT to read again, knowing that you are going to see so much more than during the first read. Some people are saying they saw the end coming, and in a way they are correct. You understand before the climax the 'twist' for want of a better word, but you don't understand the complexity and intricate nuances of it at all. That is why I'm so excited for the re-read, I suspect I will enjoy it even more than the first.
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Emil Ennui
4.0 out of 5 stars
I'm thinking of Charlie Kaufman
Reviewed in Germany on October 1, 2020Verified Purchase
Ja, ich bin vermutlich einer perfiden Marketing-Falle aufgesessen: Ich habe das Buch gekauft, nachdem Charlie Kaufman's Verfilmung (ich bin ein großer Fan von CK) meine Freundin und mich mit seinem verworrenen Ende ratlos gelassen hat. Es hieß, das Buch würde vieles erklären. Nun ja ...
Es ist schnell gelesen. Für langsame Leser wie mich fünf Sitzungen vor dem Schlafengehen und man ist durch. Sprachlich nicht sehr komplex und für den unbedarften Non-Native-Speaker locker mit einem Dictionary oder Google Translate zu handlen. Es ist gespickt mit ein paar philosophischen Betrachtungen zum Leben und der Liebe, die mir wirklich sehr gefallen haben und zum Nachdenken anregten. Noch selbst in einer halbwegs frischen Beziehung trafen ein paar Aussagen im Buch bestimmte Stellen in mir. Man ist beim Lesen immer wieder einem Fluidum an Angst, Terror und dem scheinbar Unausweichlichen ausgesetzt. Obwohl ich Vielleser bin, hatte ich selten ein Buch, das sich in seiner Simplizität so in meinen Kopf einhakte und mich auf der Schwelle zum Gefühl von Unwohlsein tanzen ließ (dazu muss man sagen, dass ich privat gerade ein paar kleinere Schicksalsschläge abbekommen habe und deswegen vielleicht etwas empfindlicher bin als sonst).
Der Schreibststil ist wie gesagt recht einfach, aber verzichtet auf große Plauderei. In so gut wie alles kann man Symbolik hineininterpretieren oder entdeckt im Laufe des Romans kleine Verknüpfungen. Dieser reduzierte Stil hat mir gefallen. Die Tonalität ist auch sehr passend zu der Protagonistin, gerade wenn man Ms. Buckley im Film noch vor Augen hat, auch wenn die Dame im Roman anders beschrieben wird.
Was einen dann letzten Endes ein wenig fallen lässt, ist das Ende. Es gibt wirklich viele fantastische Bücher, auch Weltliteratur, die einfach sehr undankbar zum Ende kommt. Der vermeintlich unvorhersehbare Plot-Twist bietet für film- und bucherfahrenen Konsumenten jetzt keine Offenbarung. Man wird das Gefühl nicht los, hier hätte mehr passieren können. Reid wusste, dass die Art, wie er den Roman enden lassen wollte, gut gewürzt und verpackt werden musste, da seine Idee im Grunde ein Zitat einiger anderer bekannter Werke ist. Oder vielleicht eine schreiberische Ausflucht, weil der Autor eventuell selbst kein Ende fand. Das verblüffte "Wow!" bleibt leider aus.
Was Kaufman aus der Sache gemacht hat, ist wieder eine andere Geschichte und meine Meinung ist, dass er sich da tüchtig verrannt und großes Potential vergeudet hat. Ich hätte hier einen David Fincher in der Lage gesehen, etwas besseres abzuliefern. Sei's drum, ich sehe das Buch nicht als Zeitverschwendung an und den Film, trotz seiner Überlänge, bietet ein interessantes Setting und uns hat es Spaß gemacht, die Unterschiede zwischen Film und Buch gegenüberzustellen und in unsere teils wilden Interpretationen einfließen zu lassen.
"I'm Thinking of Ending Things" ist in seiner Buchform ein kurzer Mitternachtssnack und doch enthält es viel Food for Thought. Darf im Regal bleiben.
Zusatz: Das Buch-Cover ist vorne an der rechten Seite etwas gekürzt und bietet dadurch Sicht auf die darunterliegende rote Seite. Zuerst dachte ich, das könnte ein Druckfehler sein, aber ein anderes Buch hat das gleiche Design. Ich frage mich wozu? Der Buchdeckel schützt ja auch in gewisser Weise die Seiten. Da hat jemand nicht zuende gedacht! (Wortspiel beabsichtigt, sorry)
Es ist schnell gelesen. Für langsame Leser wie mich fünf Sitzungen vor dem Schlafengehen und man ist durch. Sprachlich nicht sehr komplex und für den unbedarften Non-Native-Speaker locker mit einem Dictionary oder Google Translate zu handlen. Es ist gespickt mit ein paar philosophischen Betrachtungen zum Leben und der Liebe, die mir wirklich sehr gefallen haben und zum Nachdenken anregten. Noch selbst in einer halbwegs frischen Beziehung trafen ein paar Aussagen im Buch bestimmte Stellen in mir. Man ist beim Lesen immer wieder einem Fluidum an Angst, Terror und dem scheinbar Unausweichlichen ausgesetzt. Obwohl ich Vielleser bin, hatte ich selten ein Buch, das sich in seiner Simplizität so in meinen Kopf einhakte und mich auf der Schwelle zum Gefühl von Unwohlsein tanzen ließ (dazu muss man sagen, dass ich privat gerade ein paar kleinere Schicksalsschläge abbekommen habe und deswegen vielleicht etwas empfindlicher bin als sonst).
Der Schreibststil ist wie gesagt recht einfach, aber verzichtet auf große Plauderei. In so gut wie alles kann man Symbolik hineininterpretieren oder entdeckt im Laufe des Romans kleine Verknüpfungen. Dieser reduzierte Stil hat mir gefallen. Die Tonalität ist auch sehr passend zu der Protagonistin, gerade wenn man Ms. Buckley im Film noch vor Augen hat, auch wenn die Dame im Roman anders beschrieben wird.
Was einen dann letzten Endes ein wenig fallen lässt, ist das Ende. Es gibt wirklich viele fantastische Bücher, auch Weltliteratur, die einfach sehr undankbar zum Ende kommt. Der vermeintlich unvorhersehbare Plot-Twist bietet für film- und bucherfahrenen Konsumenten jetzt keine Offenbarung. Man wird das Gefühl nicht los, hier hätte mehr passieren können. Reid wusste, dass die Art, wie er den Roman enden lassen wollte, gut gewürzt und verpackt werden musste, da seine Idee im Grunde ein Zitat einiger anderer bekannter Werke ist. Oder vielleicht eine schreiberische Ausflucht, weil der Autor eventuell selbst kein Ende fand. Das verblüffte "Wow!" bleibt leider aus.
Was Kaufman aus der Sache gemacht hat, ist wieder eine andere Geschichte und meine Meinung ist, dass er sich da tüchtig verrannt und großes Potential vergeudet hat. Ich hätte hier einen David Fincher in der Lage gesehen, etwas besseres abzuliefern. Sei's drum, ich sehe das Buch nicht als Zeitverschwendung an und den Film, trotz seiner Überlänge, bietet ein interessantes Setting und uns hat es Spaß gemacht, die Unterschiede zwischen Film und Buch gegenüberzustellen und in unsere teils wilden Interpretationen einfließen zu lassen.
"I'm Thinking of Ending Things" ist in seiner Buchform ein kurzer Mitternachtssnack und doch enthält es viel Food for Thought. Darf im Regal bleiben.
Zusatz: Das Buch-Cover ist vorne an der rechten Seite etwas gekürzt und bietet dadurch Sicht auf die darunterliegende rote Seite. Zuerst dachte ich, das könnte ein Druckfehler sein, aber ein anderes Buch hat das gleiche Design. Ich frage mich wozu? Der Buchdeckel schützt ja auch in gewisser Weise die Seiten. Da hat jemand nicht zuende gedacht! (Wortspiel beabsichtigt, sorry)






