This book is pretty complex--it's about an alternative timeline where people are sometimes rendered as flat-packs, the way inexpensive furniture is. Due to an error in the process, there's an off-gas that occurs when they are unpacked that can kill you, so a suicidal person who doesn't want to die alone can conceivably just pop online and order a sweet, friendly companion who, just by being present, will eventually cause their demise. Hence the title. This is all very complicated but if you trust the author the story really spins along beautifully. It's also only one of many storylines but they all do work out. It's a really interesting, propulsive read--a book you'll want to read fast so you can know what happens!!! The characters are all complex and have their own interior lives too. And the ending, while not tied up with a neat bow, is satisfying.6 s Lisa NikolitsAuthor 19 books386

This book is a sheer delight! It grabbed my attention from the first page and didn’t let go. I loved the originality of the ideas and the concepts and the characters are fabulous. Oh yes, and it’s really funny. Also, how great is the title? This book is a most suitable companion for the summer or just about anytime. 4 s Bisman Kaur52 1 follower

this book had me hooked from its first few pages! the dystopian concept was interesting and it was executed really well, i wanted to keep reading to figure out what would happen to the characters.

i thought that there were some inconsistencies in the explanation for why ülle, jari, and the baby didn't kill regan — she wasn't immune, they just didn't have the worm when they were flatpacked so their off-gassing wasn't toxic. but my question is, why did their off-gassing kill the bugs in the house and regan's cat? shouldn't they have been immune as well? also, didn't paul have some sort of reaction to the off-gassing as well?

the inconsistencies are still bothering me but they didn't detract too much from the rest of the story! the ending was kinda dark and unexpected yet confessed a sad reality for many people: adult life comes with too much pressure and anxiety, and there are too many factors in achieving happiness. i wonder if regan ever regained her memory or found the sanctuary, i would hate to think that they all just had to live out their days in mormor's basement. especially ülle, she always deserved better.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review3 s Jane Robertson141 1 follower

Notes to myself to remember this book.


Flatpacking. Ulli and Jari and baby. Mormor. Reagan. Lucinda, Paul. Itzy Hard to put down. Strange. Tkaronto. Immigration. Old world. New world. Plague.The worm. Life after death. Wanting to live, not wanting to live. Addiction, abandonment. Family. Survival.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review3 s Auggy373

Oh my goodness, that ending was messed up and I loved it.

I really enjoyed this read. It alternates between Regan's story and Ülle's story. I was ultimately more into Ülle's story, mostly because there were things happening and it had a nice creep-factor to it whereas Regan's story was very introspective and full of self-loathing (which made sense but did wear on me). However, around the half way point Regan's story advanced and any annoyance I had for her constant complaining turned to sympathy because she really did not have a good situation.

And at the end where things all come together? Horrifying and disturbing and literally the best possible ending I could imagine.20222 s Anastacia153 13

A sad dystopian novel about a young woman who wants to end her life, but not alone. Flatpacking is where people in a foreign country are shipped to Canada where people wish to die. It's a very selfish thing, but Regan learns that maybe there's a reason to live. 2 s Tina844 153

Such a unique book! Full review soon!

Thank you to Coachhouse Books for my gifted review copy!2 s Juliann51 1 follower

I devoured this book and I worship Bob now. 2 s Dawn1,305 73

The ideas in this book were crazy creative, but the story just didn't engage me. The characters were just a bit over the top or not fleshed out enough. The world building deserved more depth of story. audiobook can-lit read-2023 ...more1 Tom Kiefer48 27

Ever notice how it seems that, pretty much no matter what a new technology is invented for, someone will discover other uses for it, and some of those uses may become as (or more) popular than the intended? That's sort of what happens here with "flatpacking".

At its core, A Suitable Companion for the End of Your Life is the stories of two young women, struggling and persisting through two very different collections of oppressively unfair life circumstances, until multiple highly "off-label" uses of "flatpacking" pull their two lives and struggles into close contact, forever changing both in unexpected—and arguably "suitable" if not ideally happy—ways.

Plenty of other factors, including a decimating "worm" epidemic, very real (but not story-bludgeoning) elements of body dysmorphia and anorexia nervosa, multiple forms of family/parental neglect, and a hopeless addict with his weird "horseshoe" drug, all add dimension and drivers to different parts of the story, making for an interesting, colorful, depiction of believably real human problems struggling in a slightly weirded near-future world.

I agree with Zadie Smith's cited quotation that Robert Mcgill, in assembling this very creative and very human story, does indeed "know what he's doing".

One quibble: the tagline description "where people are treated IKEA furniture" is much overstated. The story stands out well enough on its own without this misleading hyperbole.1 Lisa GrayAuthor 0 books9

I got this free from Library Thing for my review. So much potential but left me with So. Many. Questions. So there was a plague…but what was it? What was the story? People responded by “flat packing” sick people ILEA furniture. But why? What were their hopes? And on and on. I wanted to finish it but I sure wish I had more answers.1 Sally Mander753 22

4 stars, Easy way to suicide

A SUITABLE COMPANION FOR THE END OF YOUR LIFE
by Robert Mcgill

What if there was an easy way to suicide? All you had to do was place an order and a few days later, your life ended.

Reagan is a long-distance runner, who has suffered an injury and is no longer able to run. She believes that is all she has to live for. She doesn't have anyone that really cares about her, so she decides to take the easy way out.

She never expected to care about anyone new.

This is an interesting take on a #dystopian future. Definitely readable, I'll probably re-read it in the future.

I received a complimentary copy of #asuitablecompanionfortheendofyourlife by #robertmcgill from #coachhousebooks I was not obligated to post a review.

#darklycomic #strongfemaleprotagonist #triggerwarning arc strong-female-protagonist suitable-for-gifts ...more1 The Literary Jedi328 4

**LibraryThing Early Reviewers Win**

I cannot begin to tell you what a weird, wacky, and wonderfully sinister book this is. I was hooked from the moment I began to read it. Set in a dystopian future where people are flat-packed Ikea furniture, they have some sort of parasite that leaks (off-gasses) and can kill others. If that doesn't interest you, I don't know what will.

There are a few explanations that could use some clearing up but, follow along and you'll find yourself really emersed in this story of Reagan and her mental state; this could be hard for some readers who find reading about suicide difficult.

There are some very interesting concepts in this book regarding how we see ourselves and each other as well as how we view the concepts of death and killing of oneself. Overall, I was so pleased with this book.

**All thoughts and opinions are my own.**physical-owned1 Rikki148 4

This is one of the most unique stories that I have ever read. It is a creative look at how a society chooses to deal with a plague and the aftereffects of their decision. It is also about a young girl who is dealing with mental illness. While the two stories are different from one another, the author brings them together quite well. My only critique is with the ending. It left me with so many questions, but perhaps that was the intent. If so, I wish it would have been a little more obvious, otherwise, I wish it would have had a more final conclusion. That said, I did enjoy this read!

Many thanks to LibraryThing and Coach House Books for providing this ARC. My thoughts on this book are my own and are free from outside influence.1 Erin130

Weird but gets 1 extra star for being set in Toronto.1 Jenny Dunning336 9

Buckle up. Prepare for for a wild ride through Robert McGill's imagination. In his dystopia, Eastern European populations have been decimated by a parasitic worm and, once infected, the only cure is to be "flatpacked." Of course, ever-privileged North Americans have found a use for these altered beings, who (for the most part) have no memories when re-inflated: companions for individuals who want to commit suicide, hence the title. To tell you much more would take away the fun. Suffice to say that 18-year-old Regan's attempt doesn't go as planned. McGill's main characters have satisfying emotional arcs. An electric charge of global politics runs underneath the narrative. It's a smart, fun read. Donna2,719

Regan, ready to end her life, orders a flatpack person whose toxic gases will slowly kill her.

4.5 stars - this was a wonderfully creative idea! I definitely have not read anything else it. A pandemic caused by a worm results in some people having themselves flatpacked with the hope that a cure will be found. It's no more weird than having your head cryofrozen, I suppose. The secrets in the story are slowly unfurled and I was happy with both the reading experience and the ending. science-fiction-fantasy Shirley4

I read this for a uni class, because my professor was a friend and a fan of Robert McGill, and without that friendship, I never would’ve heard of this book. Genuinely one of the best titles I have read in my entire life!! It’s got some heavy stuff, and despite the fact that it was released after covid, it was written before covid, which may not seem important information, but trust me, it is! Tajalli Barfoot100

From the outset, I had a hard time putting this down purely because it was a bizarrely imagined world. I was curious to know every why in this dystopia. However, it felt influenced by the context of the world in which we are living and so for all of its strangeness, also felt familiar. If you’re into thought experiments and thinking influenced by the pandemic, this one is for you. yosu min1 review

A captivating story with endearing protagonists. The plot was somewhat boring but the ending took me by surprise. I yearned for more exploration of the characters’ backgrounds (especially ulle) and wished for more elaboration on this dystopian world outside of flatpacking. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the creative storytelling and was hooked since the first box delivery. Marguerite DesPalmiers129 1 follower

Suicide, eating disorders, addiction, parental neglect, loneliness, pressures of modern life, sinister use of technology, and an epidemic, are just some of the topics that come up in this dystopian novel. But this book is so funny, one can forget how deep it is. Jessi JoanAuthor 10 books8

As someone who lives with depression, I found this book to be almost a dystopian story of the lengths humans will go to escape pain and suffering. I haven’t read a book this before. It was very unique and engaging. A dark escape. dystopian fiction Bo20

Cool concept. God what a painful read. I only the second perspective. But the main character was so inauthentic and pathetic. It really did feel a man writing a teen girl. a father never understanding how to talk to his daughter. Creating a narrative false to any reality experienced. April-lyn124 10

Enjoyed the concept and the parallel-story format, and up until the end I was completely dialed in to the story. But the payoff and ending fell flat, and days after finishing it I'm still trying to figure out if I understand what the point was.
bedtime-reading digital-loan dystopia ...more Peter155 3

A pandemic fueled dystopia remarkably "packaged"!canadian-fantastika-spec-fic-etc1 Scintilla101 1 follower

At least somewhat entertaining I guess Riley (runtobooks)Author 1 book45

3.5 stars

pitched as an absurd take on the dystopian plague novel, robert mcgill's 'a suitable companion for the end of your life' follows regan, a young woman who decides to end her life by using a flat-pack purchased on the dark web. flat-pack's are essentially lethal companions you can order & unpack who will ultimately lead to your demise. regan's flat-pack, ulle, has her own set of problems, especially as she starts remembering her life pre-flat-pack. the story is a rollercoaster, jumping between a few storylines, and the ending is ambiguous but satisfying. i feel i wanted more time with these characters and this technology, and a little more room for the plot to breathe. i ultimately did really enjoy it though!audiobook Elizabeth456 4

A 3 star story that gets an extra star for being so unique. T.R. SimmonsAuthor 2 books3

From the first page to the last, this is a very strange and troubling sci-fi story that I will never get out of my mind. A one of a kind. Rob91 3

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