Pleasant Valley Library Online Book Group discussion

This is the discussion place for our October book. I'm Thinking of Ending Things.

"In this deeply suspenseful and irresistibly unnerving debut novel, a man and his girlfriend are on their way to a secluded farm. When the two take an unexpected detour, she is left stranded in a deserted high school, wondering if there is any escape at all. What follows is a twisted unraveling that will haunt you long after the last page is turned. "

I started this book this week and I'm thoroughly confused. I have a TON of questions, but I know the only way to get answers is by reading further. I'm also wary because I feel like I know where the book is going, but I've seen a ton of reviews that say the plot twists in this book are crazy. I'm not really very attached to the narrator so far, but I'm hoping that changes. She just seems very emotionally distant to me right now. I want to know what happens though, so I will definitely keep reading.

So I have finished this book and I am going to have to re-read it. I am still so confused about it! I am wondering if I missed something in reading it the first time.

Cat wrote: "So I have finished this book and I am going to have to re-read it. I am still so confused about it! I am wondering if I missed something in reading it the first time."

I'm about 2/3rds of the way through and I'm pretty confused myself! I can't see how this is all going to tie together yet.

I finished it, and I THINK I get it, but can't wait for others to be done so I can see what you all think!

Dizzy wrote: "I finished it, and I THINK I get it, but can't wait for others to be done so I can see what you all think!"


So I didn't re-read it yet. But I did go and read some reviews. I was half right in my thinking. Im having my mom read it as well and patiently waiting for her to finish to find out her thoughts.

This book says you will be scared, I wasn’t. I didn’t find this book creepy, I found it irritating. I didn’t feel frightened but very bored. I thought the writing blah and felt disconnected and at times confused. I get it, but there wasn’t anything I enjoyed about reading this book, couldn’t wait for it to end. Just didn’t do it for me.

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD



I have really mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I appreciate the cleverness of the plot. The double meaning behind "I'm thinking of ending things" was pretty cool. I think this was a really "smart" book. On the other hand, I was so bored all the way through (which might say something about me!). I wasn't attached to any of the characters, (view spoiler)[especially the narrator. When it got to the part in the school, I didn't really care whether or not the "girl" lived. This was not remotely scary for me, and not particularly thrilling because I had just no emotional attachment to the characters. The way I understand the ending is that the old man was Jake the entire time, just older. He created the other characters to help him decide whether or not to "end things".

I feel like this book hurts itself. Because the narrator is unreliable and detached from things, it's really hard for the reader to care (or at least me). However, that kind of characterization totally makes sense after learning who Jake really is. I'm torn between appreciating what the author was doing and being frustrated that I couldn't connect more with the characters. What do you all think of the ending? (hide spoiler)]

Courtney wrote: "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD



I have really mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I appreciate the cleverness of the plot. The double meaning behind "I'm thinking of ending things" was pretty cool..."

Courtney I completely agree. First of all... (view spoiler)[ the narrator was schizophrenic, and both he and the girlfriend (and the man at the end), were one and the same I'm guessing? I still don't understand then what the girls at the Dairy Queen meant when they "warned" the narrator, but this was the ending that seemed to make the most sense to me. (hide spoiler)] I agree about not feeling connected to the characters, but I definitely was spooked throughout the book. It just had an odd feeling to it, and I can't say that I loved it or hated it, it jut was.

Dizzy wrote: "Courtney wrote: "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD



I have really mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I appreciate the cleverness of the plot. The double meaning behind "I'm thinking of ending things..."

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way! I think
(view spoiler)[ the girl from Dairy Queen was another character he made up and wasn't real, but honestly I could be wrong. (hide spoiler)] It was the kind of book that made me feel uneasy, but never really scared. I totally agree with the book having an odd feeling.