ARC Review: We Spread by Iain Reid

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Happy spooky season, readers! Today I have an ARC book review for my first horror read of the season, We Spread by Iain Reid. You might be familiar with this author’s work if you’ve read I’m Thinking of Ending Things. The book is set to release later this month, so check it out if this spoiler-free review sounds up your alley!

I’ll start first by saying that this writer has such an ability to write eerie prose that makes me feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable. Both books I’ve read of Reid’s have pulled me in right from the start; I truly think he’s an excellent writer.

Plot

The book start with 92-year-old former artist, Penny, is living in the remnants of the apartment she shared with her lifelong partner until he passed away. She’s lonely, frightened, and slowly withering away with no social contact to keep her brain engaged. As her health begins to fail, she experiences a fall which lands her in a long-term facility.

Allegedly, this facility is one that she and her partner had picked out themselves back when they were making end of life arrangements. “Allegedly” because Penny doesn’t remember doing this at all. But once she gets to the facility, Penny flourishes under the staff’s care. She’s painting again for the first time in years and she’s socializing with the other patients- both things she thought she would never do again.

Soon after her arrival though, Penny begins feeling paranoid as she starts losing her grip on time. They never leave the facility and all the days are blending together. Penny doesn’t remember the things she has allegedly said and done there. She starts to wonder if her mental capabilities are truly failing her or if there is something more sinister going on.

Spoiler-Free Review

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed I’m Thinking of Ending Things. I loved the awkward and quirky creepy factor of that book. This book felt similarly paranoid, but without the clean explanation of what was happening. We Spread leans heavily into ambiguousness to the point that, from the other reviews I’ve read and from my own experience, it’s very difficult to ‘get’ what was actually happening. Some people are okay with just the Vibes in a book, but for me it felt like a bit of a waste to have no real conclusion or understanding in the end.

That being said, this is the first time I’ve read a horror book through the perspective of an elderly woman and that was an experience all on its own. I think most of us have some level of fear when it comes to aging and dying. This book plays on all of those fears and then some. I still enjoyed reading this book because Reid’s books are a whole ‘experience’ for me. I just wish the ending had been a bit more concrete.

August Hopefuls TBR List

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Hi readers! It has been a while since we’ve had a monthly TBR list, but I’m almost done working through my ARC book list and if I can finish these books this month, I can start requesting again!! The first two are book club reads so that are must reads for me. The last three are the advanced reader books I still need to read. 🙂

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

One of my book club reads for the month. I haven’t read very much nonfiction this year so I’m looking forward to this one. In fact, I started listening to the audiobook last night and the author’s narration is superb so far!

Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler

Second book club read of the month! My library hold on this also came through overnight so yay for witchy things. This book is older and I’m hoping it has held up well through the years, but expecting to need to show some leniency there.

We Spread by Iain Reid

This is my second book by Reid, the first being “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” which I quite enjoyed. The book is about an elderly painter who slowly starts losing grip on time and becomes suspicious of long-term care residence where she’s staying. Not sure what to expect, but excited to find out!

I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee

Another ARC that has been sitting on my to read list for a while now, I really only requested this one for that amazing title. The book is a therapy memoir which from my understanding is also part self-help book. I don’t have a great track record with that genre, but I’m ready to give it another shot because I do love it when it’s done well.

We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride

The last of my outstanding ARC books, if I can finish this one and the above two this month, I can go back to requesting! This young adult novel-in-verse that deals with depression and trauma sounds right up my alley. I have big expectations for this one!

Reader Question: What is on your book list of August hopefuls?

Best Audiobook Narrators?

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I’ve gotten into the habit of “reading” my books in both audiobook and ebook format because it’s hard for me to find time to sit and read for hours with work and other responsibilities going on. I’ve noticed that a lot of audiobook narrators are… just okay? Some of them are downright painful to listen to and I have to immediately return the book. On the other hand, there are some who really seem to make the book. I’ve walked away thinking I probably wouldn’t have liked the book nearly as much if not for the narrator. So, who are your favorite audiobook narrators?

Steven Weber, “It” by Stephen King

This is a long audiobook. We’re talking 45 hours long. I listened to this audiobook during my first month of work after graduating from university. Weber’s narration style is like an entire theatre drama. So many different voices for all the characters, it’s a whole performance. What I really loved is that it felt like Weber himself really loved the book and enjoyed narrating it. Such a pleasure to listen to.

Ray Porter, “The Amityville Horror” by Jay Anson

You know an audiobook narrator is good when you finish listening and think, hm, I should seek out more stuff narrated by them. That’s the case with Ray Porter for me. I haven’t listened to it yet, but I’ve heard that his narration of Project Hail Mary was wonderful too. I had tried to read The Amityville Horror before and didn’t make it very far, but made it all the way through with Porter’s narration!

Vanessa Johansson, “In My Dreams I Hold a Knife” by Ashley Winstead

I listened to this one on a whim and I was so impressed by Johansson’s narration. Her voice is pleasant, well-controlled, and perfectly crisp. Her narration seemed to fit very well with the thriller genre that has plenty of twists and turns. She also narrated Verity by Colleen Hoover!

Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath

Okay, I just like Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal if I’m being honest. But I love The Bell Jar and Maggie’s narration was perfect for the heavy subject matter. She seemed to bring Plath’s words to life and some of the more difficult parts of the book were handled delicately and respectfully in the narration.

Question: What are your favorite audiobook narrations?

No Spoiler Book Review: Clown in a Cornfield

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Read this book on a whim as a buddy read with someone from my bookish discord server. She had mentioned that she loves horror stuff, especially clown-related horror so I did a quick google search and Clown in a Cornfield looked like a fun option. And it was! This was such a quick read, it probably took 4 hours of reading total to get through this teen scream slasher

The Plot

Following her mother’s death, high school student Quinn and her doctor father are looking for a fresh start. They move from Philadelphia to a small midwestern town called Kettle Springs. Quinn quickly notices that the town has far since reached its peak. A lot of the business that was once part of Kettle Springs has since gone overseas or otherwise dissipated, including the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory which once held the town together. All that remains is Baypen’s signature mascot, Frendo the Clown painted on the side of the old factory.

Still, Quinn is determined to make things work in Kettle Springs- at least until she graduates high school and runs off to college. Things quickly go awry for Quinn when, on her very first day of school, the cranky old science teacher lumps her in with the “bad” kids and gives her a detention. Luckily, the group is mostly welcoming of the new student and she finds her new friend group who are prank-obsessed snarky teenagers with a YouTube channel and a bone to pick with the town’s old guard.

Then Quinn is invited to her first real party in Kettle Springs and things go from bad to worse. From the cornfields, out comes a murderous raging real-life Frendo and it’s gonna be a massacre.

The Characters

Quinn Maybrook. I liked the book’s final girl. The book really reads like a teen scream slasher, so the characters aren’t incredibly well-developed, but we get enough backstory into Quinn to have empathy and root for her. She has had to grow up really quickly following her mom’s death and she feels a responsibility to her father to make sure he’s okay and to fit into their new town. She’s also more than kind of a badass.

Glenn Maybrook. Quinn’s father is a physician who is taking over the practice of the town’s former physician who has recently moved out of town. Glenn’s character is equal parts cringy and endearing as he regularly embarrasses his daughter while attempting to fit in with his new neighbors. That being said, he’s a great doctor full who, while lacking a bit in bedside manner, truly cares about treating his patients with care. He and Quinn have been through a lot recently, so he’s just really hopeful that they can get a fresh start in Kettle Springs.

The Friend Group. As with most slashers, there’s a whole cast of characters in the friend group. Some are more sympathetic than others. Some are more welcoming of Quinn than others. Some of them are dating each other, or want to be anyway. Overall, the friend group suffices for what the story really needs, but we don’t really know much about any of the characters or their backstories.

Spoiler-free Review

Overall, I thought this book was a fun ride. I would recommend it for readers who are already big fans of slasher horror movies. It’s definitely gory and violent- in fact, the entire final 30-40% of the book is just a full-on massacre fest. If you’re not into those types of movies, you’re not going to be into this book.

There was definitely a certain level of cheese to the book. The characters said and did things that felt very unnatural like the “woke” teens against the “boomer” adults. I wasn’t expecting all of the social elements to the book and, while it didn’t bother me, the book didn’t really go in the direction I was hoping for.

The creep factor? Eh, there were a couple parts that I could total see being jump scares if this was made into a movie. Other than that, I can’t imagine a reader being scared by the book unless they had a pre-existing clown phobia.

A fun, quick read that ends on a big cliffhanger in anticipation of the sequel later this summer. I’ll probably read the sequel because I think I might actually enjoy it more, knowing what I’m in for, and with all the setup already in place.