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What Happens In The Ending Of 'Growing Things And Other Stories'?
Trying to avoid heavy spoilers but want a general sense of how Paul Tremblay's short story collection concludes emotionally. The finale left me feeling a bit unnerved.
2026-03-23 13:05:18
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NinaOlson
Twist Chaser
Pharmacist
That's a collection of short stories, so there isn't one singular ending. Each tale concludes independently, ranging from eerie, open-ended moments to stark, final revelations. If you enjoy collections where each piece leaves a distinct, lingering feeling, you might appreciate the completed book 'Stories at the Crossroad'. It's a similar setup, weaving various standalone narratives that all intersect thematically at points of profound personal choice, with some conclusions feeling chillingly inevitable and others poignantly unresolved.
2026-08-03 12:28:25
32
Noah
Honest Reviewer
Electrician
As a librarian who recommends horror often, I adore how 'Growing Things' subverts expectations. The ending isn't about grand reveals but slow-burn unease. 'The Ice Tower' mirrors the collection's obsession with unreliable narrators—are the sisters trapped by their own minds or some eldritch force? Tremblay's prose is deliberately sparse, letting readers project their own fears onto the ice. What gets me is how he uses sibling dynamics to ground the surreal; their arguments feel so real amidst the weirdness. The open-endedness might frustrate some, but for me, it's liberating. Horror thrives in ambiguity, and this ending is a masterclass in it. I've seen patrons return to dissect clues in earlier stories like 'Something About Birds,' which feels thematically linked. It's the kind of book that rewards rereading.
2026-03-26 04:35:39
6
Quinn
Plot Detective
Pharmacist
Finished 'Growing Things' last night, and wow, that ending stuck with me! 'The Ice Tower' leaves you questioning everything—was the tower a hallucination? A metaphor? The sisters' relationship fractures under the strain, and Tremblay nails how fear twists love. What's brilliant is how he plants little details earlier (like the dad's obsession with Arctic expeditions) that retroactively color the finale. The cold seeps into your bones as you read. Not gonna lie, I dreamed about glaciers afterward. It's less about 'what happened' and more about how it makes you feel—which is deeply unsettled.
2026-03-27 22:30:34
14
Jocelyn
Book Scout
Doctor
What I admire about 'Growing Things' is how Tremblay constructs endings that feel like puzzles. 'The Ice Tower' isn't just a standalone story; it echoes motifs from the whole collection—isolation, familial decay, the blur between madness and the supernatural. The sisters' final choice (to climb or not?) resonates because it mirrors smaller moments in earlier tales, like the protagonist in 'Our Town's Monster' deciding whether to confront his past. Tremblay's endings refuse closure, which might irk some, but I find it refreshing. Horror shouldn't wrap up neatly, and this collection embraces that. The icy imagery lingers, making you ponder whether the real horror is the tower or the characters' inability to trust each other. It's a slow burn that rewards attentive readers.
2026-03-28 18:05:13
26
Delilah
Twist Chaser
Journalist
Man, 'Growing Things and Other Stories' by Paul Tremblay is such a wild ride, especially that ending! The collection wraps up with 'The Ice Tower,' which feels like a perfect, eerie capstone. It follows two sisters exploring a mysterious structure in the Arctic, and the ambiguity of whether it's supernatural or psychological horror lingers long after the last page. Tremblay doesn't spoon-feed answers—instead, he leaves you with this unsettling vibe where reality feels frayed. The way he blends familial tension with cosmic dread is masterful. I love how the whole collection circles back to themes of unreliable perception and the fragility of ordinary life. It's the kind of ending that makes you immediately flip back to reread earlier stories for hidden connections.
Personally, I spent days debating with friends whether the tower was a metaphor for grief or something literally otherworldly. That's Tremblay's genius—his endings cling to you like shadows. The final image of the sisters, frozen in a moment of decision, haunts me more than any cheap jump scare ever could. If you dig stories that trust readers to sit with discomfort, this one's a gem.
Personally, I spent days debating with friends whether the tower was a metaphor for grief or something literally otherworldly. That's Tremblay's genius—his endings cling to you like shadows. The final image of the sisters, frozen in a moment of decision, haunts me more than any cheap jump scare ever could. If you dig stories that trust readers to sit with discomfort, this one's a gem.
2026-03-29 07:43:50
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What are some books like 'Growing Things and Other Stories'?
5 Answers2026-03-23 21:39:58
Paul Tremblay's 'Growing Things and Other Stories' is this unsettling, beautifully crafted collection that lingers in your mind like a half-remembered nightmare. If you loved its blend of psychological horror and literary strangeness, you might adore Kelly Link's 'Get in Trouble'—her stories weave surrealism with emotional depth, like Tremblay but with a whimsical twist. Then there's Brian Evenson's 'A Collapse of Horses,' which nails that same vibe of creeping dread where reality feels slippery.
For something more rooted in domestic unease, Shirley Jackson's 'Dark Tales' is a must—her ability to turn ordinary settings into something sinister is unmatched. And if you crave more ambiguous, thought-provoking horror, try Carmen Maria Machado's 'Her Body and Other Parties.' It’s visceral, weird, and deeply feminist, with stories that feel like they’re unraveling as you read.
Who are the main characters in 'Growing Things and Other Stories'?
9 Answers2026-03-23 18:12:41
I absolutely adore 'Growing Things and Other Stories' by Paul Tremblay! It's a collection of unsettling, ambiguous tales, so there isn't a single 'main character,' but some stories linger longer than others. 'The Teacher' follows a woman unraveling after her students begin acting strangely, while 'Swim Wants to Know If It’s as Bad as Swim Thinks' features Swim, a kid grappling with eerie visions. My personal favorite is 'Something About Birds,' where a journalist interviews a reclusive horror writer—it’s got this meta, creeping dread that sticks with you.
Another standout is 'Her Red Right Hand,' blending cosmic horror with family drama. The characters often feel like ordinary people shoved into surreal nightmares, which makes their struggles so relatable. Tremblay’s knack for psychological tension means even minor figures, like the grieving parents in 'The Getaway,' leave a haunting impression. It’s less about traditional protagonists and more about how each character’s fragility collides with the uncanny.
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