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We Spread
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2022)A new work of philosophical suspense.
Penny, an artist, has lived in the same apartment for decades, surrounded by the artifacts and keepsakes of her long life. She is resigned to the mundane rituals of old age, until things start to slip. Before her longtime partner passed away years earlier, provisions were made, unbeknownst to her, for a room in a unique long-term care residence, where Penny finds herself after one too many “incidents.”
Initially, surrounded by peers, conversing, eating, sleeping, looking out at the beautiful woods that surround the house, all is well. She even begins to paint again. But as the days start to blur together, Penny—with a growing sense of unrest and distrust—starts to lose her grip on the passage of time and on her place in the world. Is she succumbing to the subtly destructive effects of aging, or is she an unknowing participant in something more unsettling?
At once compassionate and uncanny, told in spare, hypnotic prose, Iain Reid’s genre-defying third novel explores questions of conformity, art, productivity, relationships, and what, ultimately, it means to grow old.
Penny, an artist, has lived in the same apartment for decades, surrounded by the artifacts and keepsakes of her long life. She is resigned to the mundane rituals of old age, until things start to slip. Before her longtime partner passed away years earlier, provisions were made, unbeknownst to her, for a room in a unique long-term care residence, where Penny finds herself after one too many “incidents.”
Initially, surrounded by peers, conversing, eating, sleeping, looking out at the beautiful woods that surround the house, all is well. She even begins to paint again. But as the days start to blur together, Penny—with a growing sense of unrest and distrust—starts to lose her grip on the passage of time and on her place in the world. Is she succumbing to the subtly destructive effects of aging, or is she an unknowing participant in something more unsettling?
At once compassionate and uncanny, told in spare, hypnotic prose, Iain Reid’s genre-defying third novel explores questions of conformity, art, productivity, relationships, and what, ultimately, it means to grow old.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 27, 2022
About the author
Iain Reid
8 books4,236 followersIain Reid is the author of two critically acclaimed, award-winning books of nonfiction. His debut novel, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, was an international bestseller, and was translated into more than a dozen languages. Oscar-winner Charlie Kaufman is writing and directing the film adaptation for Netflix. Foe is Reid's second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,713 reviews
October 6, 2022
No one captures the loneliness and terror of everyday life the way Iain Reid does. I loved both of his former novels but I found this one to be uniquely moving, for the way it defines the indignities of old age. It allows me to experience the disorienting terror of everyday life when you are very old, and when you are losing your memories, and when you are completely at the mercy of those caregivers you've been assigned to, after some other person in your life decides you can't take care of yourself any longer--caregivers who may be good at what they do but who have no interest in you or history with you and who don't love you and yet they have complete power over you. They are the ones to decide how they cut your hair--do they listen to your idea, or just start cutting, assuming you're too far gone to really have an opinion? What choice do you have but to eat the food they put in front of you? How do you object to their constant infantilization of you when you are in fact helpless and losing most of your 'self' as the memories fade? There are familiar layers of non-knowingness to this novel that point in the direction of "horror story" and just maybe there is some sort of scary experiment going on and just maybe the protagonist is slowly being absorbed into a giant fungal entity ... but none of that was necessary to believe in, as anything more than a manifestation of one quiet lonely elderly mind ... I chose to read the novel as a profound meditation on what is lost, day by day, when our age catches up with us and when our minds begin to break down in ways nearly as predictable as what is happening to our bodies, as we approach the end.
A gripping story, full of mystery and love.
A gripping story, full of mystery and love.
October 20, 2022
So, this might be my favorite book that I've read this year. This book impacted me emotionally in a way I was not expecting. Iain Reid is one of my favorite authors, after loving his past two books I was highly anticipating this one, and now this one might be my favorite of his. This story is a quiet, slow burn kind of horror following this woman named Penny as she's starting to lose grip on her own memories and her place in the world. This book touches on one of my biggest fears as a person, and that's aging, and the idea of not being able to rely on yourself the way you used to.
Here's the reading vlog where I read it, and at the end I discuss spoilers about this book in great detail, explaining why it means so much to me: https://youtu.be/ZewT0NdeIUM
Here's the reading vlog where I read it, and at the end I discuss spoilers about this book in great detail, explaining why it means so much to me: https://youtu.be/ZewT0NdeIUM
Want to read
July 18, 2023if you write one book i give five stars, you're stuck with me forever. i'm like a barnacle in that way. or a stalker
September 27, 2022
HAPPY PUB DAY THE KING OF SPARSE PROSE
Thank you Simon & Schuster, Gallery/Scout Press, and Edelweiss for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.
THE PLOT
Penny is a widower living out her days entirely alone. But after a bad accident, she's moved to an assisted living facility that was provisioned by her late husband. Sounds sweet right? Not exactly. Something spooky is afoot, but Penny doesn't know if it's a figment of her ailing mind or reality.
MY OPINION
I read and loved I'm Thinking of Ending Things so you can imagine my excitement when I was approved for this book—especially considering Edelweiss always rejects me LOL. Anyways, this was good, but not comparable to the aforementioned. This is a very short read; I finished it in under 2 hours.
With sparse prose, Reid somehow elicits feelings of doom and fear from me as I read on. You feel as confused as Penny as she tries to get a grip on what's happening. It wasn't as ominous as I'm Thinking of Ending Things because it was quite obvious what was occurring, but some scenes will make your skin crawl.
A lot went unanswered, but in the end, the answers weren't necessary for you to understand the theme of the book: is living forever really all its cracked up to be?
I think this would make a great psychological thriller movie. NETFLIX ARE YOU LISTENING?????
PROS AND CONS
Pros: hypnotic writing, evokes spooky feelings despite the limited prose, interesting premise and theme
Cons: unanswered questions, kinda obvious what was poppin off in spooksville
Thank you Simon & Schuster, Gallery/Scout Press, and Edelweiss for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.
THE PLOT
Penny is a widower living out her days entirely alone. But after a bad accident, she's moved to an assisted living facility that was provisioned by her late husband. Sounds sweet right? Not exactly. Something spooky is afoot, but Penny doesn't know if it's a figment of her ailing mind or reality.
MY OPINION
I read and loved I'm Thinking of Ending Things so you can imagine my excitement when I was approved for this book—especially considering Edelweiss always rejects me LOL. Anyways, this was good, but not comparable to the aforementioned. This is a very short read; I finished it in under 2 hours.
With sparse prose, Reid somehow elicits feelings of doom and fear from me as I read on. You feel as confused as Penny as she tries to get a grip on what's happening. It wasn't as ominous as I'm Thinking of Ending Things because it was quite obvious what was occurring, but some scenes will make your skin crawl.
A lot went unanswered, but in the end, the answers weren't necessary for you to understand the theme of the book: is living forever really all its cracked up to be?
I think this would make a great psychological thriller movie. NETFLIX ARE YOU LISTENING?????
PROS AND CONS
Pros: hypnotic writing, evokes spooky feelings despite the limited prose, interesting premise and theme
Cons: unanswered questions, kinda obvious what was poppin off in spooksville
October 25, 2022
“The tragedy of life isn’t that the end comes. That’s the gift. Without an end, there’s nothing. There’s no meaning. Do you see? A moment isn’t a moment. A moment is an eternity. A moment should mean something. It should be everything.”
The story of We Spread revolves around Penny, an artist by profession, who lives alone in her apartment after the demise of her long-time partner, surrounded by her memories and mementos from a lifetime. A freak accident at home prompts her landlord to shift Penny to Six Cedars Residence, an assisted living facility. Penny initially resents the move and goes reluctantly but gradually settles in, enjoying the company and the fact that the residents are looked after and taken good care of. She even starts painting again. What does seem strange to her is that everyone seems to know about her and the fact that she was planning to take up residence in Six Cedars, a fact that she does not remember discussing with her deceased partner let alone something she had planned for. But it seems that her late partner had made arrangements to that effect. As the narrative progresses, Penny’s memories seem to collapse into one another and her reality seems blurred prompting her (and the reader) to question everyone and everything happening to Penny at Six Cedars.
Beautifully written, thought-provoking yet chilling and fear-inducing, We Spread by Iain Reid is hard to explain. I consider it more of an experience than a read –and an unsettling one at that, touching upon themes of aging, loneliness, advanced age-induced memory loss, and ultimately how we perceive life and death. As we follow Penny through her days at Six Cedars, it is difficult not to feel and share her anxiety, confusion and fear as she encounters the strange incidents and interactions that follow. Iain Reid has created an atmosphere that reels you in and suffocates, and yet leaves you questioning and second-guessing your understanding and interpretation of this short, slow-paced yet heavy narrative.
The story of We Spread revolves around Penny, an artist by profession, who lives alone in her apartment after the demise of her long-time partner, surrounded by her memories and mementos from a lifetime. A freak accident at home prompts her landlord to shift Penny to Six Cedars Residence, an assisted living facility. Penny initially resents the move and goes reluctantly but gradually settles in, enjoying the company and the fact that the residents are looked after and taken good care of. She even starts painting again. What does seem strange to her is that everyone seems to know about her and the fact that she was planning to take up residence in Six Cedars, a fact that she does not remember discussing with her deceased partner let alone something she had planned for. But it seems that her late partner had made arrangements to that effect. As the narrative progresses, Penny’s memories seem to collapse into one another and her reality seems blurred prompting her (and the reader) to question everyone and everything happening to Penny at Six Cedars.
Beautifully written, thought-provoking yet chilling and fear-inducing, We Spread by Iain Reid is hard to explain. I consider it more of an experience than a read –and an unsettling one at that, touching upon themes of aging, loneliness, advanced age-induced memory loss, and ultimately how we perceive life and death. As we follow Penny through her days at Six Cedars, it is difficult not to feel and share her anxiety, confusion and fear as she encounters the strange incidents and interactions that follow. Iain Reid has created an atmosphere that reels you in and suffocates, and yet leaves you questioning and second-guessing your understanding and interpretation of this short, slow-paced yet heavy narrative.
October 31, 2022
4.5 stars: After listening to Iain Reid’s “We Spread”, I read differing reviews and realized I got something different out of this than I think Reid intended. It’s billed as a thriller, a philosophical suspense story about aging, art, and productivity. From the beginning of the story, which is narrated by Penny, we know that Penny is losing her attachment to reality. My biggest fear in life is losing my mind from some sort of dementia. Reading Penny’s thoughts gave me anxiety.
Currently my neighbor has Alzheimer’s. Penny’s thoughts and feelings reflect my neighbor’s, including the increasing paranoia. I don’t know how Iain Reid was able get into the mind of a person suffering from the cloud of dementia, but he did it. Reid shows the gnawing and disjointed thoughts which leads to paranoia. The disease changes personalities, fooling the dementated into strongly feeling that they are rational. Through Penny we feel her fright, her confusion. Sadly, she assumes that her care workers are not acting in her best interest. This is exactly what is going on with my neighbor.
I digress. Penny is living in an apartment when the story opens. Through unfortunate events caused by her diminishing mind, her landlord moves her to Six Cedars, an eldercare facility which she chose when her mind was good. There are only four residents besides Penny. Hilbert is a mathematician; Peter is a violinist; Ruth is a French-language expert, and Penny is a surrealist painter. Penny moved with all her artwork and is encouraged to continue her work. The minders of Six Cedars, Shelley and Jack, do everything for the residents, including bathing and grooming them and encourage them to continue to “work”. As Penny’s dementia increases, her confusion swells. She loses time. She loses memory. She feels her mind is fine and the minders are trying to trick her.
Those who have been or are currently involved with a person afflicted with dementia, this novel will resonate in an aching way. It’s a haunting story of a woman stuck in her failing mind where she’s living a nightmare.
Currently my neighbor has Alzheimer’s. Penny’s thoughts and feelings reflect my neighbor’s, including the increasing paranoia. I don’t know how Iain Reid was able get into the mind of a person suffering from the cloud of dementia, but he did it. Reid shows the gnawing and disjointed thoughts which leads to paranoia. The disease changes personalities, fooling the dementated into strongly feeling that they are rational. Through Penny we feel her fright, her confusion. Sadly, she assumes that her care workers are not acting in her best interest. This is exactly what is going on with my neighbor.
I digress. Penny is living in an apartment when the story opens. Through unfortunate events caused by her diminishing mind, her landlord moves her to Six Cedars, an eldercare facility which she chose when her mind was good. There are only four residents besides Penny. Hilbert is a mathematician; Peter is a violinist; Ruth is a French-language expert, and Penny is a surrealist painter. Penny moved with all her artwork and is encouraged to continue her work. The minders of Six Cedars, Shelley and Jack, do everything for the residents, including bathing and grooming them and encourage them to continue to “work”. As Penny’s dementia increases, her confusion swells. She loses time. She loses memory. She feels her mind is fine and the minders are trying to trick her.
Those who have been or are currently involved with a person afflicted with dementia, this novel will resonate in an aching way. It’s a haunting story of a woman stuck in her failing mind where she’s living a nightmare.
February 27, 2024
SO CREEPY!!!
Ian is crazy 😂 I love how his books always feel like I’m having a night terror: nothing makes sense but it all feels wrong and my anxiety is off the charts. This one esp felt like a fever dream.
Ian is crazy 😂 I love how his books always feel like I’m having a night terror: nothing makes sense but it all feels wrong and my anxiety is off the charts. This one esp felt like a fever dream.
October 5, 2022
Iain Reid has written a short novel that has an emotional and thought-provoking impact. Penny's age is not mentioned at the time she is moved from her home, where she has lived alone for many decades after the death of her partner, who was an artist. Her house was filled with a lifetime of mementos that had to be left behind. I thought she was close to my own age, so I found it especially disturbing. She describes herself as 'very old' but capable of living independently. After a fall, she is moved into an assisted living facility room. She is told her partner arranged this long ago with her consent. She remembers none of this. There are suggestions that her fall was only one of a series of unfortunate incidents which she cannot remember.
On a personal note, I was lucky as my son arranged for me to move out of my house, needing many repairs and upkeep. I had lived there for many decades alone, and he arranged a beautiful new apartment for me in another province. I took most of my souvenirs, decorations and keepsakes and realized how devastating it must be to leave anything behind. During the pandemic, my friends were elderly and afraid to go out or socialize, so I lacked human contact. I could only see family and grandchildren by video chat, and now I can see them any time in person. I fear that I may share Penny's fate in the future.
Penny's room at the facility seems pleasant at first, but she feels a loss of independence and is subject to a strict daily routine. There is a sinister aura to the house, but there is much she enjoys. She regains her appetite for food when eating and socializing with the three other residents and is sleeping much better than she has for years. Why is this facility limited to only four 'guests', and why are the owner and caretaker constantly controlling their every move? Penny lived with an artist for many years until his death, and she also painted. Due to her lack of confidence, she never showed her paintings to anyone. She imagined a lack of talent and regarded all her paintings as unfinished and never displayed. Now she is encouraged or ordered to continue her painting but is still dissatisfied with the results. The views from the windows show a beautiful forest vista. The doors to the outside are locked, and they are told that it is too dangerous for elderly residents to walk outdoors.
She develops a warm friendship with a former math professor. She talks to him about art and even begins to paint his portrait. He discusses mathematical theories. They have little in common, but their conversations relieve a mutual feeling of loneliness. They plan to look after each other's well-being.
Penny is aware her memory is failing. She has glimpses of her past life and experiences, but there are considerable gaps in her recent memory. Is Penny experiencing a normal part of the aging process, or is something malevolent going on? She thinks four days have passed since entering the facility but is told she has been there for three years. She is regarded as paranoid, suspecting that her every move is being watched, and hears strange noises. What the owner calls a spa consists of subjecting the residents to having their hair and nails cut without regard to the subject's wishes. Penny thinks she and the other residents are part of a sinister experiment. Much we read is ambiguous, and the story has an overwhelming, chilling, eerie atmosphere. How much is real, and how much is the result of Penny's imagination?
Issues about the gradual loss of mental and physical facilities and the loss of independence are addressed. It causes one to think about the screening of caregivers and surveillance of long-term care homes. It raises thoughts about what are the best living conditions for the elderly. It questions the fear of death and if there are conditions that are worse than living a very long life. Recommended.
I wish to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this compelling and thoughtful story about issues we will face about aging and life and death.
On a personal note, I was lucky as my son arranged for me to move out of my house, needing many repairs and upkeep. I had lived there for many decades alone, and he arranged a beautiful new apartment for me in another province. I took most of my souvenirs, decorations and keepsakes and realized how devastating it must be to leave anything behind. During the pandemic, my friends were elderly and afraid to go out or socialize, so I lacked human contact. I could only see family and grandchildren by video chat, and now I can see them any time in person. I fear that I may share Penny's fate in the future.
Penny's room at the facility seems pleasant at first, but she feels a loss of independence and is subject to a strict daily routine. There is a sinister aura to the house, but there is much she enjoys. She regains her appetite for food when eating and socializing with the three other residents and is sleeping much better than she has for years. Why is this facility limited to only four 'guests', and why are the owner and caretaker constantly controlling their every move? Penny lived with an artist for many years until his death, and she also painted. Due to her lack of confidence, she never showed her paintings to anyone. She imagined a lack of talent and regarded all her paintings as unfinished and never displayed. Now she is encouraged or ordered to continue her painting but is still dissatisfied with the results. The views from the windows show a beautiful forest vista. The doors to the outside are locked, and they are told that it is too dangerous for elderly residents to walk outdoors.
She develops a warm friendship with a former math professor. She talks to him about art and even begins to paint his portrait. He discusses mathematical theories. They have little in common, but their conversations relieve a mutual feeling of loneliness. They plan to look after each other's well-being.
Penny is aware her memory is failing. She has glimpses of her past life and experiences, but there are considerable gaps in her recent memory. Is Penny experiencing a normal part of the aging process, or is something malevolent going on? She thinks four days have passed since entering the facility but is told she has been there for three years. She is regarded as paranoid, suspecting that her every move is being watched, and hears strange noises. What the owner calls a spa consists of subjecting the residents to having their hair and nails cut without regard to the subject's wishes. Penny thinks she and the other residents are part of a sinister experiment. Much we read is ambiguous, and the story has an overwhelming, chilling, eerie atmosphere. How much is real, and how much is the result of Penny's imagination?
Issues about the gradual loss of mental and physical facilities and the loss of independence are addressed. It causes one to think about the screening of caregivers and surveillance of long-term care homes. It raises thoughts about what are the best living conditions for the elderly. It questions the fear of death and if there are conditions that are worse than living a very long life. Recommended.
I wish to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this compelling and thoughtful story about issues we will face about aging and life and death.
October 24, 2022
Iain Reid is on a very exclusive list of authors whose books I pre-order, without question. I've loved all his books. I love how each one is so different, but how all of them tinker with horror without fully succumbing (okay, I'm Thinking of Ending Things did a tad more than tinker, I'll grant you that), how they subvert your expectations, how they are built on a foundation of profound human truth and experience.
We Spread, written in first person present point of view, is a fast track into the protagonist's head. Penny is an elderly woman whose day-to-day is lonely and lacklustre. One day she finds herself in an assisted living facility.
As I said before, Reid tinkers with horror. Is there something awful happening in this place? Is it being run by a contemporary Nurse Ratched, or is the true horror that Penny is slowly losing grip....
I'll let you decide that for yourself.
I think Reid really captured something true about the experience of old age. The loss (and fight against said loss) of individuality, memory, agency, value, dignity, even time.
The other thing that struck me about this story is the importance of NOW. The present moment is supreme. The moment, unnoticed but so much more precious than comfort or prolonged existence.
A moment isn't a moment. A moment is an eternity. A moment should mean something. It should be everything.
An unsettling, disorienting, yet oddly empowering novel, one that compels you speedily through the pages - how will it end? And, in that question, is a small and frightened one, how will it end for me?
We Spread, written in first person present point of view, is a fast track into the protagonist's head. Penny is an elderly woman whose day-to-day is lonely and lacklustre. One day she finds herself in an assisted living facility.
As I said before, Reid tinkers with horror. Is there something awful happening in this place? Is it being run by a contemporary Nurse Ratched, or is the true horror that Penny is slowly losing grip....
I'll let you decide that for yourself.
I think Reid really captured something true about the experience of old age. The loss (and fight against said loss) of individuality, memory, agency, value, dignity, even time.
The other thing that struck me about this story is the importance of NOW. The present moment is supreme. The moment, unnoticed but so much more precious than comfort or prolonged existence.
A moment isn't a moment. A moment is an eternity. A moment should mean something. It should be everything.
An unsettling, disorienting, yet oddly empowering novel, one that compels you speedily through the pages - how will it end? And, in that question, is a small and frightened one, how will it end for me?
October 26, 2022
After suffering a fall in her apartment Penny is relocated to Six Cedars a care facility for elderly people. She is told by her landlord that finds her that her long-time spouse, since deceased, had made these plans with her before he died. Penny doesn't remember that. How does she not remember?
Penny arrives at the facility to find she is only one of four residents. Shelley and Jack are the only two staff. She begins losing time. Losing memories. The days all start to blend together. Sleep, eat, paint, repeat. Why are the dimensions of the house changing? Why is she so ravenously hungry? What is going on?
What is going on, indeed, and honestly I'm still not too sure. This is a dread inducing and richly atmospheric novel penned by the wildly creative mind of Iain Reid. I enjoyed this even though I can't say I had it all figured out. There is something about his writing that just lures me in. It seems his books are either hit or miss with readers. This book will be divisive as well. I do wish the ending had provided more of an explanation but the ride getting there was...interesting, to say the least. 3.5 stars!
Thanks to Overdrive for the loan!
Penny arrives at the facility to find she is only one of four residents. Shelley and Jack are the only two staff. She begins losing time. Losing memories. The days all start to blend together. Sleep, eat, paint, repeat. Why are the dimensions of the house changing? Why is she so ravenously hungry? What is going on?
What is going on, indeed, and honestly I'm still not too sure. This is a dread inducing and richly atmospheric novel penned by the wildly creative mind of Iain Reid. I enjoyed this even though I can't say I had it all figured out. There is something about his writing that just lures me in. It seems his books are either hit or miss with readers. This book will be divisive as well. I do wish the ending had provided more of an explanation but the ride getting there was...interesting, to say the least. 3.5 stars!
Thanks to Overdrive for the loan!
August 24, 2022
Penny has lived alone for a long time but after a recent fall, Mike, her landlord brings her to Six Cedars, a long-term care facility. It has all been arranged her informs her by her former partner to make things easier for her once she can no longer live alone.
At first, she is happy here. She is eating and sleeping well, something she did not do when she lived alone. She is making friends and enjoying human contact.
Then things begin to not seem so copacetic to her. Things are off. She is told she has been there for some time, but she knows she has only been there for 4 days. Penny can't quite understand what is happening, she is uneasy and suspicious.
Like Penny, readers will be left unsettled wondering what is going on. Residents are encouraged to eat, sleep, keep busy and be productive. Living a long life is important is stressed.
Is what Penny is experiencing the result of aging? Is there something sinister happening at the home?
I enjoyed how the book touched on loneliness, aging, the need for human connection, cognitive decline, memory, and death. As I mentioned, there is a sense of wariness, unease, and tension in the book. Reid masterfully set the stage in We Spread. Beautifully written and thought provoking.
This would make a great book club selection.
Thank you to Gallery Books, Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
At first, she is happy here. She is eating and sleeping well, something she did not do when she lived alone. She is making friends and enjoying human contact.
Then things begin to not seem so copacetic to her. Things are off. She is told she has been there for some time, but she knows she has only been there for 4 days. Penny can't quite understand what is happening, she is uneasy and suspicious.
Like Penny, readers will be left unsettled wondering what is going on. Residents are encouraged to eat, sleep, keep busy and be productive. Living a long life is important is stressed.
Is what Penny is experiencing the result of aging? Is there something sinister happening at the home?
I enjoyed how the book touched on loneliness, aging, the need for human connection, cognitive decline, memory, and death. As I mentioned, there is a sense of wariness, unease, and tension in the book. Reid masterfully set the stage in We Spread. Beautifully written and thought provoking.
This would make a great book club selection.
Thank you to Gallery Books, Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
September 16, 2022
WOW! I am struck dumb by this book and have no idea how to review it. It's not often I come across a book that I want to read more than once but this one broke the mould. Is it because of my age and knowing I'm closer to the end of my life than the beginning? Is it because I read it so quickly I feel like I may have missed some of the nuances? Perhaps a re-read will answer these questions.
Penny has been living in the same apartment for over 50 years, now on her own but previously with a man, an artist, never named and just referred to as "he". Penny is also a painter, mostly of portraits, but has never shown her work as she always feels like the paintings are unfinished. She suffers a fall in the apartment and is whisked off to Six Cedars, a long term care home in the middle of a forest with only four residents and two staff. She is told that she and her partner had selected this residence years ago, before he died. Initially all is well and Penny enjoys being pampered and cared for but as the days start to blur together, she begins to lose her grip on the passage of time and on her place in the world.
This is a fairly short book, broken into three parts but without chapter breaks, and the narrative is sparse but so meaningful. There is a sense of menace throughout the book which leaves the reader wondering what's real and what's imagined. As others have commented, Iain Reid's writing is hypnotic and unsettling and I can't wait to see what he does next.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this excellent novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Available September 27, 2022
Penny has been living in the same apartment for over 50 years, now on her own but previously with a man, an artist, never named and just referred to as "he". Penny is also a painter, mostly of portraits, but has never shown her work as she always feels like the paintings are unfinished. She suffers a fall in the apartment and is whisked off to Six Cedars, a long term care home in the middle of a forest with only four residents and two staff. She is told that she and her partner had selected this residence years ago, before he died. Initially all is well and Penny enjoys being pampered and cared for but as the days start to blur together, she begins to lose her grip on the passage of time and on her place in the world.
This is a fairly short book, broken into three parts but without chapter breaks, and the narrative is sparse but so meaningful. There is a sense of menace throughout the book which leaves the reader wondering what's real and what's imagined. As others have commented, Iain Reid's writing is hypnotic and unsettling and I can't wait to see what he does next.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this excellent novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Available September 27, 2022
October 16, 2023
Ummmmm wait what
April 7, 2023
It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on elder abuse, body deterioration, grief, body mutilation, & others.
Six (6) people standing in a room, hosting a meeting with the goal of telling stories; singing songs, reminiscing, & sharing memories. Six people complete the entity at Six Cedars, a full number lingering in a small place. However, Penny feels singular, she is one; a Penny, a person, a distinct entity in the throng of others. Six Cedars is not unlike the community of the human species, always pairing, finding links, & seeking one another. Why is Penny unable to grasp that the time she held was time shared, unpossessed by the tendons’ grasp?
Reid is poised to write a good story, he has the tools to sweep a reader into the palm of his hand & whisper little syrupy words of thrill into the ear of the one who listens closely. I cannot say that this book brought me the sentiments of angst that I might assume in texts bound by the horror genre but, I can appreciate that, at face value, Penny’s plight is spellbinding. An unsuspecting 89-year-old woman is taken to a long-term care facility where she resides for three (3) years before passing away in a most melodramatic fashion; one that brings joy to those who hope to escape the confines of detritus.
Penny is introduced to the reader with prose that encumbers the atmosphere; small binding halls of a minuscule apartment; towered by possessions moulding under dust from a lifetime of action. As the main character of this book, one notes how unreliable Penny is, immediately. Though the reader is asked to trust in Penny, to believe Penny, to empathize with Penny; this is a character whom we know not, in the least. We don’t know anyone for, Penny has spent her life feeling confined by a numbers game she never sought to play & is at once unable to appreciate the value of round numbers while simultaneously seeking to venture into the woods as an odd value.
Throughout this story, separated into three (3) parts, consumed by one (1) reader, written in one tangibility, & authored by a single man; the parts come together to form a six (6), the embodiment of the heart & so, what is the essence of this book if not the decline of the essence of our lives, time.
Penny’s time is slipping away from her all the while she grapples with its meaning. One may read this entire book & note all the patterns that float around like loose anima. What is particularly delicious about this story is the revulsion of a timeline. There is no linear marker about the years the reader spends with Penny for she herself knows not one day from a moment. Though Wilde’s words regarding a single moment reflecting a lifetime of who an individual has & shall be, tied into Penny’s existence accurately, it remains a sad series of events which lead her to the realization that she has been no one for all of her time here.
For who is the main character of this book? In all the patterns that Reid presents, the ones that shape Penny into the narrator we listen to today, remain the most impactful. She reflects on memories of her father & how their partnership altered the gloom of an otherwise difficult childhood. They were simply two; an absent mother subtracting herself from the sum of their family’s parts to leave a pair, Penny & the patriarch. When she adventured into meeting new people she participated in activities numbering highly, she was part of a group. Every date with a possible suitor reflected a pair, a link, a new lane through life. The invisible man she spent all her years tied to remains the driving force behind all of the changes Penny experiences under our watch.
Even in the moments where Penny lives within her apartment alone, she is tethered to the reader, forming, once again, a pairing. So arises the struggle of the few who seek to remind themselves that they are nothing like the collective; entities set apart, always singular, solitary, alone. I should wager to say that few members of humanity have not been told that they are not alone, that their experiences bring them closer to others; these moments lived under the guise of a great stone on one’s back broken down into the pebble that is carried by all. However, how can that be true in all things? Is it not eternally frustrating to feel connected to one another? Is it enough to state that our species remain united by a specific set of biological genes, those forming the baseline for our eyes, our skeletons & our framed bodies in this life?
Penny’s struggle to make life meaningful, to have her time valued in some way, even by avoiding the watchful gaze of others—as is seen by her avoidance of an art exhibit—grants her the illusion of her power. Are the presences of Shelley & Jack antagonistic or is Penny the villain set to bring about her own demise? Who, in fact, is the antagonist of the story & whom should the reader encourage? Ultimately, what we have the opportunity to read is that neither Penny nor her foes, friends, & lovers are either of these things, completely.
One is both the protagonist & antagonist of one’s own life. The time we have is ours, though shared into fractions & slivers between the people we encounter & the things we come to love. As we watch Penny’s agility, maneuvering her way in the meeting circle, we learn that this character is shadowed by her own desire to be solicitous. She boasts about being able to be alone, living by herself, & caring for all her needs. Would the story be read the same if Penny had been 43 or maybe 13? Would her self-imposed solitary restrictions be viewed as matured action to the betterment of the self or, a weathered lingering of comforts yet to be fulfilled?
It is not wrong to want to be alone. I find myself with the pleasure of my own company very often, outnumbering the times I find myself in a top-heavy fraction of folks. Yet, I do not attempt to dissuade myself from the truth. I am a single being in a slew of my species. Next door there are people & if they are gone, down the street there are others. Across an ocean are more still who laugh & find enjoyment in the same things I do, even if we never meet, I know this to be true. Enjoyment & comfort found in one’s own company is certainly better & grander than the company Penny seemed to share with a man she felt nickelled into spending her time with.
Yet, all this can be said for many things. Why did Penny keep mementos from the past? Why were her hallways lined with tangible objects that could trip her, & cause her cuts & bruises? Why did she need to be reminded of the tactful things she did in life? Why was her memory not enough? Part of our time in this life is split between what is happening & what our mind has the ability to replay. Never to be seen in the same way again, we have the illustrious vivacious instances waddle around in our membrane in an attempt to bring back what once was.
The impossibility of relying on a tissue so fragile with abilities so outstanding is humbling. Our minds wander when we forget to remember & they linger in confines when we attempt to rekindle a thought we wanted to think. The description of exuberance & dusk within Penny’s apartment represents all these things within the physical space. As Penny herself said, she would hate to lose her mind; her memory, the last thing that she can rely on, So, she leaves herself notes so she never has to wander through life like a unicellular organism amputated from its tissue.
Should I have to choose, I might say that my favourite aspect of this story is hidden within the dialogue. There are many cultures of people who believe that a story that takes many laneways to arrive at the end, is succulent & ripe with the information the listener needs. For, it is due to stories shared, through song, spoken language & the written word, that we begin to pour ourselves into the listener. Reading this story one might view themselves within the character of Penny & think that the author was able to see them for who they were. Someone else might find that Shelley was hopeful & kind, not unlike another person they know who was misunderstood in their appreciation for the ethereal.
Within stories we share, & whether or not Penny realized that her connection to the other inhabitants was increased by her partitioning her memories into words for them to hear, it does not change the fact that she participated in the essence of transference. It’s wonderful that Reid was able to present the extremely haunting scenarios of becoming another without delegating necessary dialogue to explain how one might adopt a pattern of speech, for example, after spending time around another person.
The tenses are both timid & dry throughout this story; Penny is no rambling soul, she knows what she lacks but, she is also hollow, unbound from any meaningful connection in her adult life. Whilst she plummets forward into recollection, the verbs constrict to seamlessly entangle the reader into her narrative. She is both speaking to the reader while also standing alone, mumbling silly parables to herself. The muffled voices intimate a literal wall between what Penny is able to comprehend & what her mind has worked itself around. Those voices could have been hers with her partner, they were also Shelley & Jack, while they could have been our own à-la “The NeverEnding Story” (1984).
Whenever Penny’s inhibitions are down before she sleeps or while she is trying to remember, she converses with those around her who shift as quickly as light into the iris. Much of what is said is didactic. The conversations read throughout this story do not necessarily appear to be mutual but rather singular monologues of expression. Hilbert truly wants others to feel & know how much he adores mathematics, so he talks about it all the time. Penny remains disconnected from what she hopes others begin to know about her & so their conversations vary in tone & emphasis. It always seems that Penny is the odd man out in a set of paired numerals.
When all is said & when time has run out, Penny’s body decomposes outside of the Six Cedars residence, a place where her mind wandered beyond the confines of what she could recall. The walls were shallow partitions, the people boogeyman of flesh once leaned upon in the throngs of self-imposed chill.
It does not matter to have an extra day a week; every single blimp, a single moment, a speeding second; rattles itself open to expose the atom of all our hours. Hands moving forward do not change the circular motion of our bodies on the circumference of the earth. It is up to the existentialist to remain satiated with the countdown believed to be numbered by mycoplasmas. For all else, more than anything, we have each other.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, & Iain Reid for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Six (6) people standing in a room, hosting a meeting with the goal of telling stories; singing songs, reminiscing, & sharing memories. Six people complete the entity at Six Cedars, a full number lingering in a small place. However, Penny feels singular, she is one; a Penny, a person, a distinct entity in the throng of others. Six Cedars is not unlike the community of the human species, always pairing, finding links, & seeking one another. Why is Penny unable to grasp that the time she held was time shared, unpossessed by the tendons’ grasp?
Reid is poised to write a good story, he has the tools to sweep a reader into the palm of his hand & whisper little syrupy words of thrill into the ear of the one who listens closely. I cannot say that this book brought me the sentiments of angst that I might assume in texts bound by the horror genre but, I can appreciate that, at face value, Penny’s plight is spellbinding. An unsuspecting 89-year-old woman is taken to a long-term care facility where she resides for three (3) years before passing away in a most melodramatic fashion; one that brings joy to those who hope to escape the confines of detritus.
Penny is introduced to the reader with prose that encumbers the atmosphere; small binding halls of a minuscule apartment; towered by possessions moulding under dust from a lifetime of action. As the main character of this book, one notes how unreliable Penny is, immediately. Though the reader is asked to trust in Penny, to believe Penny, to empathize with Penny; this is a character whom we know not, in the least. We don’t know anyone for, Penny has spent her life feeling confined by a numbers game she never sought to play & is at once unable to appreciate the value of round numbers while simultaneously seeking to venture into the woods as an odd value.
Throughout this story, separated into three (3) parts, consumed by one (1) reader, written in one tangibility, & authored by a single man; the parts come together to form a six (6), the embodiment of the heart & so, what is the essence of this book if not the decline of the essence of our lives, time.
Penny’s time is slipping away from her all the while she grapples with its meaning. One may read this entire book & note all the patterns that float around like loose anima. What is particularly delicious about this story is the revulsion of a timeline. There is no linear marker about the years the reader spends with Penny for she herself knows not one day from a moment. Though Wilde’s words regarding a single moment reflecting a lifetime of who an individual has & shall be, tied into Penny’s existence accurately, it remains a sad series of events which lead her to the realization that she has been no one for all of her time here.
For who is the main character of this book? In all the patterns that Reid presents, the ones that shape Penny into the narrator we listen to today, remain the most impactful. She reflects on memories of her father & how their partnership altered the gloom of an otherwise difficult childhood. They were simply two; an absent mother subtracting herself from the sum of their family’s parts to leave a pair, Penny & the patriarch. When she adventured into meeting new people she participated in activities numbering highly, she was part of a group. Every date with a possible suitor reflected a pair, a link, a new lane through life. The invisible man she spent all her years tied to remains the driving force behind all of the changes Penny experiences under our watch.
Even in the moments where Penny lives within her apartment alone, she is tethered to the reader, forming, once again, a pairing. So arises the struggle of the few who seek to remind themselves that they are nothing like the collective; entities set apart, always singular, solitary, alone. I should wager to say that few members of humanity have not been told that they are not alone, that their experiences bring them closer to others; these moments lived under the guise of a great stone on one’s back broken down into the pebble that is carried by all. However, how can that be true in all things? Is it not eternally frustrating to feel connected to one another? Is it enough to state that our species remain united by a specific set of biological genes, those forming the baseline for our eyes, our skeletons & our framed bodies in this life?
Penny’s struggle to make life meaningful, to have her time valued in some way, even by avoiding the watchful gaze of others—as is seen by her avoidance of an art exhibit—grants her the illusion of her power. Are the presences of Shelley & Jack antagonistic or is Penny the villain set to bring about her own demise? Who, in fact, is the antagonist of the story & whom should the reader encourage? Ultimately, what we have the opportunity to read is that neither Penny nor her foes, friends, & lovers are either of these things, completely.
One is both the protagonist & antagonist of one’s own life. The time we have is ours, though shared into fractions & slivers between the people we encounter & the things we come to love. As we watch Penny’s agility, maneuvering her way in the meeting circle, we learn that this character is shadowed by her own desire to be solicitous. She boasts about being able to be alone, living by herself, & caring for all her needs. Would the story be read the same if Penny had been 43 or maybe 13? Would her self-imposed solitary restrictions be viewed as matured action to the betterment of the self or, a weathered lingering of comforts yet to be fulfilled?
It is not wrong to want to be alone. I find myself with the pleasure of my own company very often, outnumbering the times I find myself in a top-heavy fraction of folks. Yet, I do not attempt to dissuade myself from the truth. I am a single being in a slew of my species. Next door there are people & if they are gone, down the street there are others. Across an ocean are more still who laugh & find enjoyment in the same things I do, even if we never meet, I know this to be true. Enjoyment & comfort found in one’s own company is certainly better & grander than the company Penny seemed to share with a man she felt nickelled into spending her time with.
Yet, all this can be said for many things. Why did Penny keep mementos from the past? Why were her hallways lined with tangible objects that could trip her, & cause her cuts & bruises? Why did she need to be reminded of the tactful things she did in life? Why was her memory not enough? Part of our time in this life is split between what is happening & what our mind has the ability to replay. Never to be seen in the same way again, we have the illustrious vivacious instances waddle around in our membrane in an attempt to bring back what once was.
The impossibility of relying on a tissue so fragile with abilities so outstanding is humbling. Our minds wander when we forget to remember & they linger in confines when we attempt to rekindle a thought we wanted to think. The description of exuberance & dusk within Penny’s apartment represents all these things within the physical space. As Penny herself said, she would hate to lose her mind; her memory, the last thing that she can rely on, So, she leaves herself notes so she never has to wander through life like a unicellular organism amputated from its tissue.
Should I have to choose, I might say that my favourite aspect of this story is hidden within the dialogue. There are many cultures of people who believe that a story that takes many laneways to arrive at the end, is succulent & ripe with the information the listener needs. For, it is due to stories shared, through song, spoken language & the written word, that we begin to pour ourselves into the listener. Reading this story one might view themselves within the character of Penny & think that the author was able to see them for who they were. Someone else might find that Shelley was hopeful & kind, not unlike another person they know who was misunderstood in their appreciation for the ethereal.
Within stories we share, & whether or not Penny realized that her connection to the other inhabitants was increased by her partitioning her memories into words for them to hear, it does not change the fact that she participated in the essence of transference. It’s wonderful that Reid was able to present the extremely haunting scenarios of becoming another without delegating necessary dialogue to explain how one might adopt a pattern of speech, for example, after spending time around another person.
The tenses are both timid & dry throughout this story; Penny is no rambling soul, she knows what she lacks but, she is also hollow, unbound from any meaningful connection in her adult life. Whilst she plummets forward into recollection, the verbs constrict to seamlessly entangle the reader into her narrative. She is both speaking to the reader while also standing alone, mumbling silly parables to herself. The muffled voices intimate a literal wall between what Penny is able to comprehend & what her mind has worked itself around. Those voices could have been hers with her partner, they were also Shelley & Jack, while they could have been our own à-la “The NeverEnding Story” (1984).
Whenever Penny’s inhibitions are down before she sleeps or while she is trying to remember, she converses with those around her who shift as quickly as light into the iris. Much of what is said is didactic. The conversations read throughout this story do not necessarily appear to be mutual but rather singular monologues of expression. Hilbert truly wants others to feel & know how much he adores mathematics, so he talks about it all the time. Penny remains disconnected from what she hopes others begin to know about her & so their conversations vary in tone & emphasis. It always seems that Penny is the odd man out in a set of paired numerals.
When all is said & when time has run out, Penny’s body decomposes outside of the Six Cedars residence, a place where her mind wandered beyond the confines of what she could recall. The walls were shallow partitions, the people boogeyman of flesh once leaned upon in the throngs of self-imposed chill.
It does not matter to have an extra day a week; every single blimp, a single moment, a speeding second; rattles itself open to expose the atom of all our hours. Hands moving forward do not change the circular motion of our bodies on the circumference of the earth. It is up to the existentialist to remain satiated with the countdown believed to be numbered by mycoplasmas. For all else, more than anything, we have each other.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, & Iain Reid for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2022
Penny is an elderly woman who has become confused. She was once a painter, a painter who never finished her paintings. Not because she couldn't, but because she liked them that way. She lived for many years with a man who was an artist as well, but he is long gone. She is now alone but it soon becomes apparent that with her failing memory and confusion, she is a danger to herself. Although she doesn't remember her partner before he died, and with her approval, chose a home for her to reside. So, she finds herself in Six Cedars, a small place with only three other residents. And here the confusion, for the reader, begins.
This is my first read by this author and maybe if I had read previous novels by him, I would have a better idea of what is going on at Six Cedars. But maybe not but regardless this was a very unusual read, a read that messed with my mind. I couldn't discern if what was happening was meant to be a portrayal of Penny's deteriorating mind or if nefarious actions and intent were being implemented with horrifying results. Is this a horror novel? At books end I still wasn't sure what was true or not, but I'm a reader who likes uncertainty, like books that make one ponder.
ARC from edelweiss.
This is my first read by this author and maybe if I had read previous novels by him, I would have a better idea of what is going on at Six Cedars. But maybe not but regardless this was a very unusual read, a read that messed with my mind. I couldn't discern if what was happening was meant to be a portrayal of Penny's deteriorating mind or if nefarious actions and intent were being implemented with horrifying results. Is this a horror novel? At books end I still wasn't sure what was true or not, but I'm a reader who likes uncertainty, like books that make one ponder.
ARC from edelweiss.
Read
October 9, 2022I'm unsure what to think, much less say...
I read the last third of this book twice and still can't coherently explain or reiterate what happened.
Is it senility? Is it coercion? Is it literary horror or literal horror? I have no f*cking idea.
I loved the confusion and edge of my seat feeling I got with I'm Thinking of Ending Things.
This one probably never stood a chance of having the same affect on me because I have a huge fear of losing my mental agility and losing control over my life and my self. When faced with those thoughts, my mind goes blank and avoidant. It's like when I'm on a rollercoaster and I'll shove everything to the back of my brain and go "hmm, this is nice" and pretend I'm on the ground. Listen, I'm an enneagram 6 and too accustomed to fear.
That being said, while reading I largely disconnected out of distress and wasn't able to enjoy the horror the way other people will.
So, I won't rate this because I don't want to lower it's rating based on my personal mental issues. But if I did rate it, I guess I'd give it a 3?
I read the last third of this book twice and still can't coherently explain or reiterate what happened.
Is it senility? Is it coercion? Is it literary horror or literal horror? I have no f*cking idea.
I loved the confusion and edge of my seat feeling I got with I'm Thinking of Ending Things.
This one probably never stood a chance of having the same affect on me because I have a huge fear of losing my mental agility and losing control over my life and my self. When faced with those thoughts, my mind goes blank and avoidant. It's like when I'm on a rollercoaster and I'll shove everything to the back of my brain and go "hmm, this is nice" and pretend I'm on the ground. Listen, I'm an enneagram 6 and too accustomed to fear.
That being said, while reading I largely disconnected out of distress and wasn't able to enjoy the horror the way other people will.
So, I won't rate this because I don't want to lower it's rating based on my personal mental issues. But if I did rate it, I guess I'd give it a 3?
October 27, 2024
3.5
Creepy and suspenseful!
Would it make sense if I say the book was super-slow but at the same time fast-paced?
Penny, who is an elderly woman, has been living alone, contentedly, albeit with a bit difficulty, in her house after the death of her partner.
But after a nasty fall from a chair, she finds herself at a care residence surrounded by trees, with three other elderly people for company.
It’s not right. It’s not good. I’m not safe. Not here. This place is bad.
But where is she, really? What is she doing there? Is it paranoia or something is very wrong with the house?
Thanks, Chris for recommending this book to me. 😊
Creepy and suspenseful!
Would it make sense if I say the book was super-slow but at the same time fast-paced?
Penny, who is an elderly woman, has been living alone, contentedly, albeit with a bit difficulty, in her house after the death of her partner.
But after a nasty fall from a chair, she finds herself at a care residence surrounded by trees, with three other elderly people for company.
It’s not right. It’s not good. I’m not safe. Not here. This place is bad.
But where is she, really? What is she doing there? Is it paranoia or something is very wrong with the house?
Thanks, Chris for recommending this book to me. 😊
September 27, 2022
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
“You’re one of us now. That’s the important thing. One of us.”
Iain Reid explores the nature of loneliness and the effect it has on a person’s psyche in his third novel, We Spread. If you were confused by I’m Thinking of Ending Things, this book will also leave you with more questions than answers.
Perfect for book club discussions, this psychological horror/suspense is filled with atmosphere, tension, and unease. Its disturbing and thought-provoking take on life and death begs the question, Is living forever the best solution?
Penny is a painter who lives by herself after her partner passed away. She is aging and finding it difficult to manage life on her own. After falling down and hitting her head, she is taken to Six Cedars long-term care facility.
Penny joins Ruth, Hilbert, Pete, and Gorky the cat as one of its inhabitants. Cared for by Shelley and Jack, Penny is happy to finally be looked after by others instead of always fending for herself.
“The secret to longevity is for us to stay positive and productive.”
But, Six Cedars is not what it seems...
Told in three short parts, the plot slowly becomes more menacing and leaves the reader completely unsettled.
Reid explores the themes of art, getting older, the relationships we form, and losing control over our lives. Through rules, order, structure, and neatness Penny and the others pursue life at all costs.
“I was scared of becoming an old person. Terrified. I guess I still am. I was so scared of losing parts of myself and running out of time,” I say. “Of forgetting.”
“It’s an understandable anxiety of matter, of mass,” says Hilbert. “Of life. A density. A burden to remain upright, to produce, to persist. I’ve felt it, too.”
Iain Reid proves that he is a master of the psychological horror genre. Similar to his last, this book will leave readers scared, anxious, unsettled, and pondering deep philosophical questions.
It is absolutely brilliant!
5/5 stars
Expected publication date: 9/27/22
Thank you to Edelweiss and Scout Press for the ARC of We Spread in exchange for an honest review.
“You’re one of us now. That’s the important thing. One of us.”
Iain Reid explores the nature of loneliness and the effect it has on a person’s psyche in his third novel, We Spread. If you were confused by I’m Thinking of Ending Things, this book will also leave you with more questions than answers.
Perfect for book club discussions, this psychological horror/suspense is filled with atmosphere, tension, and unease. Its disturbing and thought-provoking take on life and death begs the question, Is living forever the best solution?
Penny is a painter who lives by herself after her partner passed away. She is aging and finding it difficult to manage life on her own. After falling down and hitting her head, she is taken to Six Cedars long-term care facility.
Penny joins Ruth, Hilbert, Pete, and Gorky the cat as one of its inhabitants. Cared for by Shelley and Jack, Penny is happy to finally be looked after by others instead of always fending for herself.
“The secret to longevity is for us to stay positive and productive.”
But, Six Cedars is not what it seems...
Told in three short parts, the plot slowly becomes more menacing and leaves the reader completely unsettled.
Reid explores the themes of art, getting older, the relationships we form, and losing control over our lives. Through rules, order, structure, and neatness Penny and the others pursue life at all costs.
“I was scared of becoming an old person. Terrified. I guess I still am. I was so scared of losing parts of myself and running out of time,” I say. “Of forgetting.”
“It’s an understandable anxiety of matter, of mass,” says Hilbert. “Of life. A density. A burden to remain upright, to produce, to persist. I’ve felt it, too.”
Iain Reid proves that he is a master of the psychological horror genre. Similar to his last, this book will leave readers scared, anxious, unsettled, and pondering deep philosophical questions.
It is absolutely brilliant!
5/5 stars
Expected publication date: 9/27/22
Thank you to Edelweiss and Scout Press for the ARC of We Spread in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2022
The intimacy of memories, the fear of growing old and the accompanying indignities that come with it. Running out of time, losing your independence, becoming seemingly invisible. Six Cedars, a very special long-term care facility, houses only four residents. The owner and her helper tend to their needs, and encourage them to be productive. The meals are delicious, sleeping is easy. Life is good here. Isn't it? So what if the hallways appear to change, proportions seem a little off, and time is slippery? Could be all in the perception and the mind of the beholder. Probably is.
This author is a superstar when it comes to conveying an ongoing sense of dread. No neat wrap-ups here, so if that is a deal-breaker for you, just go ahead and step off now. I am in my element when an author leaves me questioning things, even at the end.
This author is a superstar when it comes to conveying an ongoing sense of dread. No neat wrap-ups here, so if that is a deal-breaker for you, just go ahead and step off now. I am in my element when an author leaves me questioning things, even at the end.
July 23, 2022
day five of my "i have covid readathon!"
thoughts to come when my brain comes back from this, but i'm glad i read this one when i did - reid is very good at developing mood and tension and tapping into a reader's secret stores of fear and distress.
************************
i give every author three chances to WOW me, and while both I'm Thinking of Ending Things and Foe sounded SO MUCH like my kinda thing(s), they didn't win me over, so fingers crossed for this one...
thoughts to come when my brain comes back from this, but i'm glad i read this one when i did - reid is very good at developing mood and tension and tapping into a reader's secret stores of fear and distress.
************************
i give every author three chances to WOW me, and while both I'm Thinking of Ending Things and Foe sounded SO MUCH like my kinda thing(s), they didn't win me over, so fingers crossed for this one...
May 19, 2023
Oh, this book! "We Spread" slayed me. It hooked me and then slowly reeled me in.
I had no choice.
I was gasping for air. There would be no escape.
What the hell is this? Is it horror? Is it sci-fi? Is it suspense? A psychological thriller? A character study?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes.
Ian Reid is a genius. Everything on the surface looks okay but when you look closely...Is that a crack, a hole, a mirror into another dimension?
Are connections breaking down, or mutating, spreading undetected, invisible? Are the threads intertwining, forming something new; different but not?
Damn, he knows how to ratchet up the tension.
Was I holding my breath?
So many angles. Is nothing as it appears or is it the betrayal of the mind that sometimes comes with age? The familiar turned on end. A hall of mirrors. Which version is real? Are any of them real?
Just the four of us, locked in this house in the middle of a damn forest. She won't even let us go outside. It's too dangerous. Is it more dangerous inside or out? Sometimes they wrestle with their versions of reality, Sometimes it's just easier to give in. Fight! Fight! Is there even anything to revolt against? It feels like Groundhog Day. Is time just an illusion?
Do you hear the whispering, the murmuring?
Put on your headphones. Drown them out!
What the hell? What is that on your skin?
Stay productive. Stay productive and you'll live longer. Is living longer always the best path? When is it time to let go?
Penny wants to float. Float Penny! Float!
Amazing! Just amazing!
I received a drc from the publisher via Netgalley.
Publication slated for 9-27-22. Preorder or put it on hold at your local library.
.
.
I had no choice.
I was gasping for air. There would be no escape.
What the hell is this? Is it horror? Is it sci-fi? Is it suspense? A psychological thriller? A character study?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes.
Ian Reid is a genius. Everything on the surface looks okay but when you look closely...Is that a crack, a hole, a mirror into another dimension?
Are connections breaking down, or mutating, spreading undetected, invisible? Are the threads intertwining, forming something new; different but not?
Damn, he knows how to ratchet up the tension.
Was I holding my breath?
So many angles. Is nothing as it appears or is it the betrayal of the mind that sometimes comes with age? The familiar turned on end. A hall of mirrors. Which version is real? Are any of them real?
Just the four of us, locked in this house in the middle of a damn forest. She won't even let us go outside. It's too dangerous. Is it more dangerous inside or out? Sometimes they wrestle with their versions of reality, Sometimes it's just easier to give in. Fight! Fight! Is there even anything to revolt against? It feels like Groundhog Day. Is time just an illusion?
Do you hear the whispering, the murmuring?
Put on your headphones. Drown them out!
What the hell? What is that on your skin?
Stay productive. Stay productive and you'll live longer. Is living longer always the best path? When is it time to let go?
Penny wants to float. Float Penny! Float!
Amazing! Just amazing!
I received a drc from the publisher via Netgalley.
Publication slated for 9-27-22. Preorder or put it on hold at your local library.
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June 21, 2024
The End Comes for Us All...
WE SPREAD by lain Reid
Possible spoilers. 4 stars. Penny had lived with her lover, an unnamed artist, for many years until his death...
Afterward, Penny herself entered old age and had lapses of memory, but one thing she knew...
Someone was watching her from the street below and when she fell while changing a light bulb...
Falling unconscious...
She woke up to someone in her apartment watching her in the dark...
The next time she was aware of anything...
Penny was being taken to Six Cedars Residence Home, where she will be living with four other old residents and two caretakers...
The residents are cared for and well fed, but Penny senses something sinister about the old home hidden in the forest...
And its bizarre staff...
The end comes for us all. It's the tragedy of life, so we must form a symbiotic union with others to stave it off...
POSSIBLE SPOILER:
This was a well-written story, but I'm not sure I understood its message. Was it just about death and dying, or was there more to it?
The answer eluded me, and for that, I removed a star, but I definitely enjoyed the easy, breezy writing style and read the book in one day, I just didn't care for the ending.
FOE by this author is an excellent novel.
WE SPREAD by lain Reid
Possible spoilers. 4 stars. Penny had lived with her lover, an unnamed artist, for many years until his death...
Afterward, Penny herself entered old age and had lapses of memory, but one thing she knew...
Someone was watching her from the street below and when she fell while changing a light bulb...
Falling unconscious...
She woke up to someone in her apartment watching her in the dark...
The next time she was aware of anything...
Penny was being taken to Six Cedars Residence Home, where she will be living with four other old residents and two caretakers...
The residents are cared for and well fed, but Penny senses something sinister about the old home hidden in the forest...
And its bizarre staff...
The end comes for us all. It's the tragedy of life, so we must form a symbiotic union with others to stave it off...
POSSIBLE SPOILER:
This was a well-written story, but I'm not sure I understood its message. Was it just about death and dying, or was there more to it?
The answer eluded me, and for that, I removed a star, but I definitely enjoyed the easy, breezy writing style and read the book in one day, I just didn't care for the ending.
FOE by this author is an excellent novel.
November 18, 2022
The bare minimum. The writing isn't bad. There are some reflections on art and getting old that could have elevated a worthy story. Unfortunately, the author acts like this is the first Alzheimer's disease novel. In that way, this is very ya, which for a book that wants to be nuanced and mature, it is a disaster.
October 7, 2023
|| "As passions decrease, character is revealed."
Iain Reid has a knack for writing slow-burning, low-key books that come across as relatively simple ideas on the surface yet have deep, complex threads that peel away in layers. If you have read “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” I think you will like this one as well.
Penny, an artist and introvert, is an elderly lady who lives alone and must be escorted to a long-term patient care facility after she falls from a stool and injures her head. It was the wish of her deceased partner that she be transferred to this long-term health unit when she was unable to care for herself. Penny immediately ingratiates herself with the new facility, meets the staff and the residents, and finds her accommodations pleasing, which have a view of a forest.
Not everything is rosy and wonderful. As you can expect, the center is home to some very dark secrets. Why are certain places off-limits? Why does the staff seem to want to maintain her hair and nails constantly? And why are there no privacy locks on any of the doors?
|| "We can’t hold onto feelings forever."
One thing is certain: psychological torment happens to both Penny and the reader. It pin-points our innermost fears, such as aging, and hones its heavy literary guise on regret with a larghetto tempo.
|| " At what cost am I being protected from my age."
I should probably mention that the events that happen herein are open to interpretation. That is why I think the book is great. You will certainly have quite a bit of contemplation after you flip the last page.
📝 | Extra | 📝’s
❖ Exciting bits of natural references strewn about. 🌳🌳🌳
❖ I enjoyed the close-knit story, but I can see some people being turned off by the slow pace.
❖ Artistic references were amazing.
❖ It had some spine-tingling sequences.
🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
**Penny loves Duke Ellington – Classy! – So, this is going to be an all-jazz playlist.
❖ Duke Ellington – Swampy River
❖ Miles Davis – Love for Sale (ah, an ALLTIME favorite)
❖ Cootie Williams – It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing
⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 4 out of 5
Iain Reid has a knack for writing slow-burning, low-key books that come across as relatively simple ideas on the surface yet have deep, complex threads that peel away in layers. If you have read “I’m Thinking of Ending Things,” I think you will like this one as well.
Penny, an artist and introvert, is an elderly lady who lives alone and must be escorted to a long-term patient care facility after she falls from a stool and injures her head. It was the wish of her deceased partner that she be transferred to this long-term health unit when she was unable to care for herself. Penny immediately ingratiates herself with the new facility, meets the staff and the residents, and finds her accommodations pleasing, which have a view of a forest.
Not everything is rosy and wonderful. As you can expect, the center is home to some very dark secrets. Why are certain places off-limits? Why does the staff seem to want to maintain her hair and nails constantly? And why are there no privacy locks on any of the doors?
|| "We can’t hold onto feelings forever."
One thing is certain: psychological torment happens to both Penny and the reader. It pin-points our innermost fears, such as aging, and hones its heavy literary guise on regret with a larghetto tempo.
|| " At what cost am I being protected from my age."
I should probably mention that the events that happen herein are open to interpretation. That is why I think the book is great. You will certainly have quite a bit of contemplation after you flip the last page.
📝 | Extra | 📝’s
❖ Exciting bits of natural references strewn about. 🌳🌳🌳
❖ I enjoyed the close-knit story, but I can see some people being turned off by the slow pace.
❖ Artistic references were amazing.
❖ It had some spine-tingling sequences.
🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
**Penny loves Duke Ellington – Classy! – So, this is going to be an all-jazz playlist.
❖ Duke Ellington – Swampy River
❖ Miles Davis – Love for Sale (ah, an ALLTIME favorite)
❖ Cootie Williams – It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing
⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 4 out of 5
October 13, 2022
Dizzying and surrealistic, and very memorable.
January 16, 2023
Audiobook….read by Robin Miles
….5 hours and 57 minutes
WOW!!!
This was my first time reading Iain Reid….(will ‘not’ be my last!)
My goodness- for anyone around my age - 70 - or older this story is bound to leave a very real impact.
I am so impressed with the writing…the experience!!!
I am also moved by the author’s dedication….
….to his grandmother, who died in a care facility, at the age of 101.
There are already many wonderful reviews, so I’m keeping this short….
….it’s felt deeply - (the loneliness, despair, anxiety,
fear of cognitive decline, loss of appetite, the thinning hair, arthritic knees, weight loss, loss of independence….
And ….
the horrors and fear of an assistant living facility….
The visuals and descriptions were so real I could feel the warmth of the soup Penny had -
or her favorite lunch of a fried egg on toast ….
or the memories she had in her earlier days ( an artist who never felt her work was complete - dreams and regret that she didn’t have more time)
— a bank teller (for a day job), the colleagues she invited over for dinner, the delicious meals she used to make for her friends….
the sitting around drinking wine.
The most of basic-of-life enjoyments….reading, books on the shelf that had meaning….
all soooo beautifully written - felt -
“We Spread” was as unputdownable — thought provoking-eerie intrigue-lifetime memorable as any book can be!
5 VERY STRONG STARS!!!!
….5 hours and 57 minutes
WOW!!!
This was my first time reading Iain Reid….(will ‘not’ be my last!)
My goodness- for anyone around my age - 70 - or older this story is bound to leave a very real impact.
I am so impressed with the writing…the experience!!!
I am also moved by the author’s dedication….
….to his grandmother, who died in a care facility, at the age of 101.
There are already many wonderful reviews, so I’m keeping this short….
….it’s felt deeply - (the loneliness, despair, anxiety,
fear of cognitive decline, loss of appetite, the thinning hair, arthritic knees, weight loss, loss of independence….
And ….
the horrors and fear of an assistant living facility….
The visuals and descriptions were so real I could feel the warmth of the soup Penny had -
or her favorite lunch of a fried egg on toast ….
or the memories she had in her earlier days ( an artist who never felt her work was complete - dreams and regret that she didn’t have more time)
— a bank teller (for a day job), the colleagues she invited over for dinner, the delicious meals she used to make for her friends….
the sitting around drinking wine.
The most of basic-of-life enjoyments….reading, books on the shelf that had meaning….
all soooo beautifully written - felt -
“We Spread” was as unputdownable — thought provoking-eerie intrigue-lifetime memorable as any book can be!
5 VERY STRONG STARS!!!!
December 8, 2022
reid's writing just shines in this one!! still trying to process that ending tho. rtc.
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prereview: what kind of ancient ritual do i have to perform to get this book early???
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prereview: what kind of ancient ritual do i have to perform to get this book early???
February 27, 2023
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Mystery Thriller
We Spread is a thriller about growing old and being alone. It tells the story of an elderly artist by the name of Penny who, following the death of her partner, finds herself in an unfamiliar place. Memory, identity, and mortality are some of the topics that are examined in this work, which is written in the suspenseful and mysterious style that is the author's trademark.
The plot of the novel mostly revolves around Penny, the protagonist of the book. With the passing of her life partner, she is now an old artist who has spent much of her life living alone. She has accepted her fate and is at peace with it until she is brought to an unknown institution. There, she meets other inhabitants who appear to know more about her than she does herself. We discover more about Penny's history, her relationship with her boyfriend, her creative profession, and the things she regrets through a combination of flashbacks, dialogue, and other means. In addition, we see how Penny evolves as she gets closer to understanding the institution as well as the truth about herself.
The writing in the narrative is quite good, and there is a sinister suspense that mounts up until it reaches an unexpected conclusion. It's suspenseful and interesting, and it looks at things like getting older, being alone, memory, identity, and death in a different way. It goes into the realm of science fiction, but with a twist that challenges the reader's expectations and leaves room for more than one interpretation. On the other hand, I think that the tale wraps up a little bit too quickly, which results in a number of unanswered issues and unresolved aspects of the storyline. In all honesty, I believe that this is more of a mystery thriller than a horror book, despite the fact that the latter is how it is advertised. If you approach this book with the mindset that it is a horror story, I think you will be disappointed. It works incredibly well as a mystery-thriller novel.
Genre: Mystery Thriller
We Spread is a thriller about growing old and being alone. It tells the story of an elderly artist by the name of Penny who, following the death of her partner, finds herself in an unfamiliar place. Memory, identity, and mortality are some of the topics that are examined in this work, which is written in the suspenseful and mysterious style that is the author's trademark.
The plot of the novel mostly revolves around Penny, the protagonist of the book. With the passing of her life partner, she is now an old artist who has spent much of her life living alone. She has accepted her fate and is at peace with it until she is brought to an unknown institution. There, she meets other inhabitants who appear to know more about her than she does herself. We discover more about Penny's history, her relationship with her boyfriend, her creative profession, and the things she regrets through a combination of flashbacks, dialogue, and other means. In addition, we see how Penny evolves as she gets closer to understanding the institution as well as the truth about herself.
The writing in the narrative is quite good, and there is a sinister suspense that mounts up until it reaches an unexpected conclusion. It's suspenseful and interesting, and it looks at things like getting older, being alone, memory, identity, and death in a different way. It goes into the realm of science fiction, but with a twist that challenges the reader's expectations and leaves room for more than one interpretation. On the other hand, I think that the tale wraps up a little bit too quickly, which results in a number of unanswered issues and unresolved aspects of the storyline. In all honesty, I believe that this is more of a mystery thriller than a horror book, despite the fact that the latter is how it is advertised. If you approach this book with the mindset that it is a horror story, I think you will be disappointed. It works incredibly well as a mystery-thriller novel.
October 11, 2022
this is either a horror novel about symbiotic fungi or a very over the top way of saying "hey, care homes SUCK" - either way, i'm not sure i cared that much.
**thanks to chrysa for reading this with me. i'm sorry i gave you a headache**
**thanks to chrysa for reading this with me. i'm sorry i gave you a headache**
October 20, 2022
An eerie, compulsive read from thriller master Iain Reid! As with his first two novels, the latest tale from Reid makes you uneasy. It’s not explicitly scary but it is unsettling and that tension builds. But this one is his most emotional and personal novel, focusing more on questions many people have including, “What does it mean to age?” and “What does it truly mean to live a fulfilling life?”
I loved this reading experience, but I imagine this would be such a good audiobook too. Maybe someday I’ll revisit it in that format! Highly recommend to my literary fiction friends who want to dip their toe in horror/thrillers.
This will be one of my go-to recommendations for people looking for quick, engaging reads to pull them out of a slump or who are looking to get into reading.
I loved this reading experience, but I imagine this would be such a good audiobook too. Maybe someday I’ll revisit it in that format! Highly recommend to my literary fiction friends who want to dip their toe in horror/thrillers.
This will be one of my go-to recommendations for people looking for quick, engaging reads to pull them out of a slump or who are looking to get into reading.
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