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We Spread

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We Spread

By: Iain Reid
Narrated by: Robin Miles
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The author of the “evocative, spine-tingling, and razor-sharp” (Bustle) I’m Thinking of Ending Things that inspired the Netflix original movie and the “short, shocking” (The Guardian) Foe returns with a new work of suspense following an elderly woman trapped in a mysterious facility.

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 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 “exquisite novel of psychological suspense” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) explores questions of conformity, art, productivity, relationships, and what, ultimately, it means to grow old. Thriller & Suspense Psychological Scary Literary Fiction Genre Fiction Horror

Critic reviews

"Robin Miles provides such a commanding performance that she maintains a grip on the listener even as events of this story become less clear. Penny is an artist recently widowed by her prolific partner. After a fall at home, thoughtful and reserved Penny finds herself spirited to an assisted living home, where she finds just a few other residents living under increasingly mysterious circumstances. Events unfold strictly from Penny's point of view. She appears to be progressively unreliable, continually forgetting key decisions, including the arrangement with the living facility in the first place. Miles's voice captures Penny's mounting dread and doubt while seizing opportunities to engage in moments of control, making the impact of this story even more emotional."
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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.

Robin Miles does a fantastic job narrating.

when your mind becomes faulty....

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You have to go into this with an open mind. I feel as though sometimes people want to be spoon fed the meanings behind stories. This is a simple story. But the meaning behind it is so much greater. The fact that it is narrated by the subject is important. We are only given her perspective. Our reality is what she gives us because it’s what she is experiencing. Stop looking for a great ‘ah-ha’ moment. This story is a slow burn of sadness.

If you don’t get it, you don’t get it.

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I love Reid's first two books and enjoyed this one but it didn't quite hit me as powerfully. I found the story engaging and the perception of reality intriguing, though I'm not sure about the ending. While I enjoyed Penny's character, I never truly felt for her. Reid has always been known for his great character work. Here it didn't have the depth I've come to expect from him.

thought provoking but unclear

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A little creepy, very sad and melancholic. I really cared for Penny and felt her confusion.

Suspenseful and heartfelt

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Loved the performance in all its creepiness. But not sure what happened . I expected a mystery to unfold.

Not sure what to think

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