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Find Me Where It Ends
Antigone can see death coming. Same as all the women in her family, death always takes the form of a black dog, nipping at the heels of the soon-to-be-departed.
Only forty years old when her own black dog appears on her doorstep, Antigone isn’t frightened.
Instead, she welcomes her death inside, and watches it make itself at home on her sofa. And soon, like all good dogs, it quickly becomes her closest companion.
Having death at her side, loyal and constant, is almost a comfort. But it also forces Antigone to reckon with the life she’s lived, and the decisions her own mother made years ago when her own dog arrived.
Antigone comes to learn death is patient. And sometimes we live best when we’re dying.
Only forty years old when her own black dog appears on her doorstep, Antigone isn’t frightened.
Instead, she welcomes her death inside, and watches it make itself at home on her sofa. And soon, like all good dogs, it quickly becomes her closest companion.
Having death at her side, loyal and constant, is almost a comfort. But it also forces Antigone to reckon with the life she’s lived, and the decisions her own mother made years ago when her own dog arrived.
Antigone comes to learn death is patient. And sometimes we live best when we’re dying.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 2026
About the author
Cassandra Khaw
131 books3,307 followersCassandra Khaw is an award-winning game writer.
Their recent novella Nothing but Blackened Teeth was a British
Fantasy, World Fantasy, Shirley Jackson, and Bram Stoker
Award finalist. Their debut collection Breakable Things is now
out.
Their recent novella Nothing but Blackened Teeth was a British
Fantasy, World Fantasy, Shirley Jackson, and Bram Stoker
Award finalist. Their debut collection Breakable Things is now
out.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 525 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
September 29, 2026
I went into Find Me Where It Ends expecting something darkly beautiful, whimsical but wise. Cassandra Khaw delivers with prose that is lyrical and haunting but I never expected just how deeply it would affect me. My thanks to Titan Books for the arc.
Some books are wonderful because they let you experience something new, see a different perspective, walk in someone else’s shoes. Others make you feel seen, reaching into experiences that you or someone you love has lived through. Khaw does both.
She handles dark, intimate themes with a deft hand as Antigone is literally dogged by death in the form of a black dog while struggling with her own mental health. It captures how exhaustion, hopelessness and the simple difficulty of getting up and continuing each day can become overwhelming, without ever reducing Antigone’s experience to something simple or trite.
The metaphor of the black dog for death is beautifully done particularly in how Antigone welcomes its presence and finds a strange comfort in it. The dog becomes a physical manifestation of what she is carrying, allowing her emotions to be felt without needing to spell it out. Seeing death through Antigone’s eyes is deeply affecting, as the thought of an irreversible end becomes tangled up with relief, escape and the illusion of choice. Khaw never romanticises this, instead giving an intimate glimpse into how something so devastating can look from inside the mind of the person experiencing it.
The supporting cast are equally nuanced. You can feel their genuine care for Antigone, even as their well intentioned attempts to help sometimes make things worse. This is painful precisely because it's real - loving someone deeply doesn't always mean knowing how to reach them and attempts to help can have consequences we never intended.
This is not an easy read. It's painful, deeply intimate and for some it will hit far too close to home. But sharing an experience like this feels important, allowing those who have been haunted by their own black dog, or loved someone who was, to feel a little less alone - and perhaps allowing others to understand an experience they may never have otherwise been able to see.
I cried.
Some books are wonderful because they let you experience something new, see a different perspective, walk in someone else’s shoes. Others make you feel seen, reaching into experiences that you or someone you love has lived through. Khaw does both.
She handles dark, intimate themes with a deft hand as Antigone is literally dogged by death in the form of a black dog while struggling with her own mental health. It captures how exhaustion, hopelessness and the simple difficulty of getting up and continuing each day can become overwhelming, without ever reducing Antigone’s experience to something simple or trite.
The metaphor of the black dog for death is beautifully done particularly in how Antigone welcomes its presence and finds a strange comfort in it. The dog becomes a physical manifestation of what she is carrying, allowing her emotions to be felt without needing to spell it out. Seeing death through Antigone’s eyes is deeply affecting, as the thought of an irreversible end becomes tangled up with relief, escape and the illusion of choice. Khaw never romanticises this, instead giving an intimate glimpse into how something so devastating can look from inside the mind of the person experiencing it.
The supporting cast are equally nuanced. You can feel their genuine care for Antigone, even as their well intentioned attempts to help sometimes make things worse. This is painful precisely because it's real - loving someone deeply doesn't always mean knowing how to reach them and attempts to help can have consequences we never intended.
This is not an easy read. It's painful, deeply intimate and for some it will hit far too close to home. But sharing an experience like this feels important, allowing those who have been haunted by their own black dog, or loved someone who was, to feel a little less alone - and perhaps allowing others to understand an experience they may never have otherwise been able to see.
I cried.
October 20, 2026
. . . Antigone found herself wondering if death was like a spouse, a promise you grew old with, whose dowry was a whole wild life before the inevitable.
In Khaw's latest, Death comes in the form of a black dog that appears one day, and hangs around the house indefinitely like an uninvited mother-in-law. I hesitate to call this horror, as I expect anyone looking for chills and gulp-moments will be disappointed. Instead, the book is a dark, dreamlike meditation on life and death. I have to admit I didn't much enjoy the book, though it was beautifully written and absorbing. And, what a great ending!
" . . . It ends. All of it ends. Despite all this, we exist. If that isn't a type of magic, I am uncertain what is."
Many thanks to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for sharing.
In Khaw's latest, Death comes in the form of a black dog that appears one day, and hangs around the house indefinitely like an uninvited mother-in-law. I hesitate to call this horror, as I expect anyone looking for chills and gulp-moments will be disappointed. Instead, the book is a dark, dreamlike meditation on life and death. I have to admit I didn't much enjoy the book, though it was beautifully written and absorbing. And, what a great ending!
" . . . It ends. All of it ends. Despite all this, we exist. If that isn't a type of magic, I am uncertain what is."
Many thanks to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for sharing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
one of the most depressing, triggering books I've ever read. loved it.
October 26, 2026
Okay I have to admit I picked up Find Me Where It Ends just as a quick little break between bigger books, so I was absolutely not prepared for Cassandra Khaw to emotionally annihilate me in so few pages. This melancholic psychological horror novella about death and depression is definitely not for the faint of heart, so please check the trigger warnings, but holy hell, it somehow managed to both break and heal some of the darkest, most vulnerable parts of my soul at the same time, and I adore it for that.
Now, I'm someone who has always been terrified of dying while simultaneously being so exhausted by life on a bone-deep level that I sometimes wouldn't mind if it just... stopped, so Antigone's story hit a very personal nerve. See, she comes from a family where the women see their approaching deaths in the form of a black dog, and when her own arrives unexpectedly early, she welcomes it with open arms and soon develops the strangest type of comforting companionship all while it forces her to reflect on the life she’s led, the good, bad, and ugly of it all.
Needless to say, Find Me Where It Ends is an incredibly dark and melancholic story, but strangely enough, I didn't find it very depressing to read at all. The way that Khaw explores Antigone's depression and her relationship complicated relationship with death (both her own and of people around her) through the metaphor of the dog is so raw, intimate, and visceral that I found myself highlighting the absolute hell out of all the poetic lines and passages, and I genuinely don't think I've come this close to crying so many times in so few pages. You can just tell how deeply personal this story is to Khaw, and that emotional intimacy and authenticity somehow made the story so achingly beautiful to me.
The balance between all that darkness and the unexpected tenderness woven through it is exactly what makes this story shine for me, because there is so much compassion in Find Me Where It Ends , even when the subject matter is almost anything but pleasant. I especially appreciated how Khaw dismantles the idea that people who die by suicide are cowards (including the cruel things that people who are suffering sometimes believe about themselves) without ever romanticising or glamourising suicide, because that is such a difficult balance to strike, and I thought it was handled with an extraordinary amount of vulnerability and understanding.
Even though the storytelling is very introspective and quiet, the countdown element of with each chapter bringing Antigone a little closer to her literal end had me in an absolute chokehold. Her yearning for release rubbed off on me so much that I found myself desperately flying through the pages because I needed to know how everything would end, and while I did find the plot somewhat predictable, I honestly don't think that matters here. The emotional core is what makes this story so affecting, and I was far too busy having my heart ripped to shreds to care about whether I could anticipate certain developments.
This was only my second book by Cassandra Khaw, but they have already become a favourite author for me, and I honestly don't quite know how to ever do justice to their poetically painful and emotionally resonant storytelling. Find Me Where It Ends is a metaphorical masterpiece that made me feel understood in ways I was absolutely not ready to confront, and I think it might evoke a lot of empathy, recognition, and understanding even in readers who least expect to find themselves in its pages. It's not going to be for everyone, and I cannot stress enough that you should check the trigger warnings before picking it up, but if you're in the right headspace for something this dark, tender, and emotionally vulnerable, I think there's something genuinely special here.
Now, I'm someone who has always been terrified of dying while simultaneously being so exhausted by life on a bone-deep level that I sometimes wouldn't mind if it just... stopped, so Antigone's story hit a very personal nerve. See, she comes from a family where the women see their approaching deaths in the form of a black dog, and when her own arrives unexpectedly early, she welcomes it with open arms and soon develops the strangest type of comforting companionship all while it forces her to reflect on the life she’s led, the good, bad, and ugly of it all.
Needless to say, Find Me Where It Ends is an incredibly dark and melancholic story, but strangely enough, I didn't find it very depressing to read at all. The way that Khaw explores Antigone's depression and her relationship complicated relationship with death (both her own and of people around her) through the metaphor of the dog is so raw, intimate, and visceral that I found myself highlighting the absolute hell out of all the poetic lines and passages, and I genuinely don't think I've come this close to crying so many times in so few pages. You can just tell how deeply personal this story is to Khaw, and that emotional intimacy and authenticity somehow made the story so achingly beautiful to me.
The balance between all that darkness and the unexpected tenderness woven through it is exactly what makes this story shine for me, because there is so much compassion in Find Me Where It Ends , even when the subject matter is almost anything but pleasant. I especially appreciated how Khaw dismantles the idea that people who die by suicide are cowards (including the cruel things that people who are suffering sometimes believe about themselves) without ever romanticising or glamourising suicide, because that is such a difficult balance to strike, and I thought it was handled with an extraordinary amount of vulnerability and understanding.
Even though the storytelling is very introspective and quiet, the countdown element of with each chapter bringing Antigone a little closer to her literal end had me in an absolute chokehold. Her yearning for release rubbed off on me so much that I found myself desperately flying through the pages because I needed to know how everything would end, and while I did find the plot somewhat predictable, I honestly don't think that matters here. The emotional core is what makes this story so affecting, and I was far too busy having my heart ripped to shreds to care about whether I could anticipate certain developments.
This was only my second book by Cassandra Khaw, but they have already become a favourite author for me, and I honestly don't quite know how to ever do justice to their poetically painful and emotionally resonant storytelling. Find Me Where It Ends is a metaphorical masterpiece that made me feel understood in ways I was absolutely not ready to confront, and I think it might evoke a lot of empathy, recognition, and understanding even in readers who least expect to find themselves in its pages. It's not going to be for everyone, and I cannot stress enough that you should check the trigger warnings before picking it up, but if you're in the right headspace for something this dark, tender, and emotionally vulnerable, I think there's something genuinely special here.
October 18, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of the audiobook.
this was a lot, perhaps too much for me.
well written though. I can see why people would love this but definitely check the trigger warnings because this was kind of a lot for me personally, especially with the book being sectioned with titles like '2 months before', etc this was a very introspective book some may find beautiful, and it did have some good quotes - I liked the writing.
the audiobook itself was well done but as someone else mentioned, it was interesting to go with a male narrator when we follow Antigone throughout the book. but still it was well done.
this was a lot, perhaps too much for me.
well written though. I can see why people would love this but definitely check the trigger warnings because this was kind of a lot for me personally, especially with the book being sectioned with titles like '2 months before', etc this was a very introspective book some may find beautiful, and it did have some good quotes - I liked the writing.
the audiobook itself was well done but as someone else mentioned, it was interesting to go with a male narrator when we follow Antigone throughout the book. but still it was well done.
October 18, 2026
This book is not going to be for everyone, but I loved it a whole lot. Find Me Where It Ends is a horror novella about suicide, mental health, and suicidal ideation, so big content warning for that.
The women in Antigone's family always see their death coming in the form of a dog. So when a black dog shows up on her doorstep, Antigone knows her time has come, or nearly so. But she loves and cares for the dog, despite it freaking other people out, while weighing the decision of whether to end her own life as some women in her family have done, or to wait. It's a melancholy and heavy book, but also a beautiful one. It takes a hard look at the positive and negative ways people react to having a suicidal person close to them and the impact of those responses. Again, not for everyone, but I was absolutely a fan. The audio narration is very good as well. I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
The women in Antigone's family always see their death coming in the form of a dog. So when a black dog shows up on her doorstep, Antigone knows her time has come, or nearly so. But she loves and cares for the dog, despite it freaking other people out, while weighing the decision of whether to end her own life as some women in her family have done, or to wait. It's a melancholy and heavy book, but also a beautiful one. It takes a hard look at the positive and negative ways people react to having a suicidal person close to them and the impact of those responses. Again, not for everyone, but I was absolutely a fan. The audio narration is very good as well. I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Just wow.... This novella is short but really does pack a punch. Being simultaneously haunting, ugly and beautiful, this book gives such a raw representation of how it feels to live with depression. It showcases the balance of how those with depression can constantly teeter on the edge of either feeling guilty because they are still around 'being a burden' and the guilt of leaving people behind to deal with the aftermath of a death.
The amount of times I genuinely had to pause and just sit with this book was astounding - I truly do believe that everybody should give this book its moment! As soon as you step into this book you can tell its going to be something special and truly throughout the rest of the book it only gets better. This is definitely one that I will be bothering all of my friends and family to read if they ever ask for a recommendation! I will say, I went into this expecting more horror aspects but truly it did just present with the idea that the real horror is trying to live on when you lack the motivation to continue for another second, which really is a true horror that a lot of us face.
I do find it quite interesting that they chose a male narrator for this book despite it following a young woman, lowkey it has me thinking a considerable amount over whether this was done with any specific intentions in mind?? That being said, I did really enjoy this narrator and would love to check out more of their work in the future
thank you so much to netgalley and macmillan audio for providing me with this ALC for an honest and voluntary review!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Starred review in the October 2026 issue of Library Journal.
Three Words That Describe This Book: gut wrenching, affirmation of life, mythological feel
Draft Review:
In Khaw’s latest novella, gut wrenching emotion flows off every page, as readers are introduced to Antigone on the day her black dog of death arrives, enters her home, and makes itself comfortable. Antigone’s family has a history of understanding when their death is coming. When her mother knew, eight years ago, she decided to commit suicide. Now, living in her mother’s former home, still actively navigating her grief, Antigone helps others with their own ghost problems, reminding them that hauntings aren't only about the dead; the living must choose to let go. After a particularly difficult and angry interaction with a mother haunting her daughter, Antigone begins to plan her own suicide, counting down the days, black dog by her side. With a plot both deceptively simple and extremely deep, language both precise and lyrical, and a tone both dreamlike and realistic, Khaw steeps readers in a tale overshadowed by death but bursting with life.
Verdict: Khaw stuns readers with an evocative and compelling story yet again. Suggest this modern myth to fans of Helen Oyoyemi and readers who enjoyed the equally brilliant Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield or Coup de Grace by Sofia Ajram.
I am never surprised when a Khaw book, especially the short ones (this is a novella), reaches out from the page and grabs me (at least it feels like does) and makes me feel so many emotions. Here the subject is suicide. Well death and grief but also suicide. So know that before you read more.
It opens with Antigone's black dog of death coming to her. Look we know from her name that some greek mythology will be here. And she refers to her dog as a psychopomp-- a Greek creature whose job is to guide newly dead souls to the afterlife. This gives the story a mythological feel from the start.
The entire book is framed with the ominous section titles of "3 months before" then "2 months before" then counting down faster as readers realize the countdown is to the day Antigone is planning to kill herself. It adds a layer of unease that allows the dread to build. As we get to know Antigone we fell her pain but root for her to live.
Antigone is from a family that is close to death and ghosts. The women in their family have known when their deaths were coming., Her mom chose suicide because she couldn't take it. Antigone is 40 and lives in her dead mother's house-- 8 years now. She has a best friend Vera who together they do supernatural investigations. In this novel they work with one specific client whose dead mother won't stop haunting her and it drives the woman to suicide. Antigone has guilt for not helping her.
A gut wrenchingly beautiful affirmation of life. This book is striking, the language is precise and lyrical and evacuative yet easy to digest as a reader. The book is deceptively simple yet extremely deep. Readers are with Antigone as she goes through her own emotions about her mother's death, her own life, and friends she has lost. All of it while keeping the story pacing compelling.
This is another stellar work by Khaw. A horror story that inflicts dark emotions on the reader but also makes them very glad they read it. I am so excited we get to talk about it together right after it comes out.
One of my favorite quotes from this book, which is repeated a few different ways is "Hauntings aren't only about the dead. The living have to chose to let go."
I am known for loving a story where every detail matters and in this one not only is that true but Antigone says at one pint early on "the small things matters. They always did." LOVE THAT
A dark modern mythology or weird fairy tale feel that is steeped in unease and grief like Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield and a great read alike for Coup de Grace by Sofia Ajram. Not the liminal space parts but the subject and fell. Also fans of Helen Oyoyemi will like this.
Three Words That Describe This Book: gut wrenching, affirmation of life, mythological feel
Draft Review:
In Khaw’s latest novella, gut wrenching emotion flows off every page, as readers are introduced to Antigone on the day her black dog of death arrives, enters her home, and makes itself comfortable. Antigone’s family has a history of understanding when their death is coming. When her mother knew, eight years ago, she decided to commit suicide. Now, living in her mother’s former home, still actively navigating her grief, Antigone helps others with their own ghost problems, reminding them that hauntings aren't only about the dead; the living must choose to let go. After a particularly difficult and angry interaction with a mother haunting her daughter, Antigone begins to plan her own suicide, counting down the days, black dog by her side. With a plot both deceptively simple and extremely deep, language both precise and lyrical, and a tone both dreamlike and realistic, Khaw steeps readers in a tale overshadowed by death but bursting with life.
Verdict: Khaw stuns readers with an evocative and compelling story yet again. Suggest this modern myth to fans of Helen Oyoyemi and readers who enjoyed the equally brilliant Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield or Coup de Grace by Sofia Ajram.
I am never surprised when a Khaw book, especially the short ones (this is a novella), reaches out from the page and grabs me (at least it feels like does) and makes me feel so many emotions. Here the subject is suicide. Well death and grief but also suicide. So know that before you read more.
It opens with Antigone's black dog of death coming to her. Look we know from her name that some greek mythology will be here. And she refers to her dog as a psychopomp-- a Greek creature whose job is to guide newly dead souls to the afterlife. This gives the story a mythological feel from the start.
The entire book is framed with the ominous section titles of "3 months before" then "2 months before" then counting down faster as readers realize the countdown is to the day Antigone is planning to kill herself. It adds a layer of unease that allows the dread to build. As we get to know Antigone we fell her pain but root for her to live.
Antigone is from a family that is close to death and ghosts. The women in their family have known when their deaths were coming., Her mom chose suicide because she couldn't take it. Antigone is 40 and lives in her dead mother's house-- 8 years now. She has a best friend Vera who together they do supernatural investigations. In this novel they work with one specific client whose dead mother won't stop haunting her and it drives the woman to suicide. Antigone has guilt for not helping her.
A gut wrenchingly beautiful affirmation of life. This book is striking, the language is precise and lyrical and evacuative yet easy to digest as a reader. The book is deceptively simple yet extremely deep. Readers are with Antigone as she goes through her own emotions about her mother's death, her own life, and friends she has lost. All of it while keeping the story pacing compelling.
This is another stellar work by Khaw. A horror story that inflicts dark emotions on the reader but also makes them very glad they read it. I am so excited we get to talk about it together right after it comes out.
One of my favorite quotes from this book, which is repeated a few different ways is "Hauntings aren't only about the dead. The living have to chose to let go."
I am known for loving a story where every detail matters and in this one not only is that true but Antigone says at one pint early on "the small things matters. They always did." LOVE THAT
A dark modern mythology or weird fairy tale feel that is steeped in unease and grief like Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield and a great read alike for Coup de Grace by Sofia Ajram. Not the liminal space parts but the subject and fell. Also fans of Helen Oyoyemi will like this.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you Macmillan Audio and Tor Nightfire for the gifted Audiobook!
Content Warning: this book, and consequently this review, openly and directly mention suicide and severe mental health struggles. Please proceed with caution, check in with yourself and protect your mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. You can call or text 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7, free, and confidential in the US and Canada).
✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦
Find Me Where It Ends was a deeply emotional and hauntingly beautiful dark literary fantasy read that reached into my chest and borrowed my heart for 144 pages. It was returned to me forever changed by this brilliant, phenomenal little book.
Although this is categorized as a horror novella, there are no jump scares or gore. Instead, it takes the reader through an elegant, intimate, and devastating autopsy of human grief. I feel that it much more comfortably fits within the realm of dark, mythological fantasy and magical realism more than anything.
The story itself follows Antigone, a 40 year old hollowed-out people pleaser who has spent her whole life eroding her own boundaries for other people. Her family has a generational curse that manifests death itself in the form of a massive black dog. Antigone welcomes Death into her home, treating it more like a gentle companion, and its close presence throughout the story leads to so much thoughtful commentary regarding severe, chronic depression, suicidal ideation and the choice to keep living.
I loved that the author didn’t treat mental health struggles as a vague literary metaphor; they write about these heavy, dark themes with a raw, terrifying honesty.
There is not much else I can say about this powerful little book without giving anything away. It is a deeply thoughtful tribute to human resilience and will stick with me fore a long time.
If you’re comfortable with the dark subject matter, I cannot recommend it enough. Don’t skip the acknowledgements either.
✦ 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 ✦
This was a single narration by Isaiah Nichols. I was really surprised this was narrated by a man, and it had me thinking a little bit about why they went that direction and if there was perhaps a reason behind it. He did a really great job with this story, infusing so much raw emotion where necessary throughout the story. I recommend the audio, but go with your preferred format for this one.
✄----------
Genre (My Interpretation): Magical Realism, Dark Fantasy
5 Stars
✄----------
“There will be a last day for everything. There will be a time when the sun shuts its burning eye. There will be a moment when the universe goes quiet. And after that, an eternity of nothing to take the place of the stars and everything that came before. It ends. All of it ends. Despite all this we are here. We exist. If that isn’t a type of magic, I’m uncertain what is.”
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Content Warning: this book, and consequently this review, openly and directly mention suicide and severe mental health struggles. Please proceed with caution, check in with yourself and protect your mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. You can call or text 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7, free, and confidential in the US and Canada).
✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦
Find Me Where It Ends was a deeply emotional and hauntingly beautiful dark literary fantasy read that reached into my chest and borrowed my heart for 144 pages. It was returned to me forever changed by this brilliant, phenomenal little book.
Although this is categorized as a horror novella, there are no jump scares or gore. Instead, it takes the reader through an elegant, intimate, and devastating autopsy of human grief. I feel that it much more comfortably fits within the realm of dark, mythological fantasy and magical realism more than anything.
The story itself follows Antigone, a 40 year old hollowed-out people pleaser who has spent her whole life eroding her own boundaries for other people. Her family has a generational curse that manifests death itself in the form of a massive black dog. Antigone welcomes Death into her home, treating it more like a gentle companion, and its close presence throughout the story leads to so much thoughtful commentary regarding severe, chronic depression, suicidal ideation and the choice to keep living.
I loved that the author didn’t treat mental health struggles as a vague literary metaphor; they write about these heavy, dark themes with a raw, terrifying honesty.
There is not much else I can say about this powerful little book without giving anything away. It is a deeply thoughtful tribute to human resilience and will stick with me fore a long time.
If you’re comfortable with the dark subject matter, I cannot recommend it enough. Don’t skip the acknowledgements either.
✦ 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 ✦
This was a single narration by Isaiah Nichols. I was really surprised this was narrated by a man, and it had me thinking a little bit about why they went that direction and if there was perhaps a reason behind it. He did a really great job with this story, infusing so much raw emotion where necessary throughout the story. I recommend the audio, but go with your preferred format for this one.
✄----------
Genre (My Interpretation): Magical Realism, Dark Fantasy
5 Stars
✄----------
“There will be a last day for everything. There will be a time when the sun shuts its burning eye. There will be a moment when the universe goes quiet. And after that, an eternity of nothing to take the place of the stars and everything that came before. It ends. All of it ends. Despite all this we are here. We exist. If that isn’t a type of magic, I’m uncertain what is.”
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November 1, 2026
Oh gosh I love Cassandra Khaw, their writing is so good and I love it so much. This book would make the perfect tv adaptation or mini series, well honestly all Cassandra Khaw books would. This book is short, but impactful and made me stop and think quite a bit. For being such a short book, it really goes deep into some heavy questions. What would happen if you knew death was knocking on your door. I don’t want to say too much about this one because it will give it away, but you really should read it if you are looking for a short but deep read.
September 2, 2026
This was beautifully poetic and hauntingly sobering at the same time. I really connected with the characters and loved how unflinchingly such heavy themes were explored.
Although it wasn’t the easiest read due to the subject matter, I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a thought provoking read that will stay with them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.
Although it wasn’t the easiest read due to the subject matter, I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a thought provoking read that will stay with them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm very torn on this one.
I've struggled with depression myself, to the point I felt like I was sleepwalking through my own life, so my own experiences definitely shaped my opinions about this novella. On one hand, it's brutally honest. The musings on the futility of life? I remember that. The weird lack of any one thing that made life "really bad?" I had that, too. The struggle with guilt over my obsessive thinking about myself, even if those thoughts were all bad? Baby, guilt is my middle name; that particular experience is embedded in my soul. However, here's kind of my (personal) problem with this book: I actually think putting other people first, trying harder for the loved ones in your life, and not navel-gazing so much, IS actually the answer. Or at least, a possible answer. And I'm not really sure what the answer presented here was. The cat? Good food? I guess the sister, a little bit. But is that enough? Here's my problem with Antigone: it seems to me she didn't give herself reasons to live. Ultimately, I think you should be responsible for creating a kind of life you at least somewhat like. Antigone seems to have not done that. She seems to be coasting through life, somewhat bored and apathetic. And trust me, I KNOW that's also a symptom of depression. I guess Antigone has been depressed for a while? The book is so short, I feel like certain things were maybe not explained or explored fully.
Here's my real gripe with this book, though: I think it's very nihilistic. Reading it made me feel kind of worse. If I had been in that really dark, apathetic place, this book would have asked me, "Why not?" I know the ending is hopeful, and that saved this from being 1 star. But to have a couple of pages of hope following over 100 pages of apathetic, despairing nihilism? I just don't think it's an answer. Again, my personal feelings about this book are VERY influenced by my own personal experiences with depression. It seems this book spoke deeply to a majority of readers. I'm not one of them. Take my opinions with the biggest grain of salt. Ultimately, if this book helped you through the hardest time in your life, it did its job, and I'm happy for that.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing for my free eARC. All opinions are my own.
I've struggled with depression myself, to the point I felt like I was sleepwalking through my own life, so my own experiences definitely shaped my opinions about this novella. On one hand, it's brutally honest. The musings on the futility of life? I remember that. The weird lack of any one thing that made life "really bad?" I had that, too. The struggle with guilt over my obsessive thinking about myself, even if those thoughts were all bad? Baby, guilt is my middle name; that particular experience is embedded in my soul. However, here's kind of my (personal) problem with this book: I actually think putting other people first, trying harder for the loved ones in your life, and not navel-gazing so much, IS actually the answer. Or at least, a possible answer. And I'm not really sure what the answer presented here was. The cat? Good food? I guess the sister, a little bit. But is that enough? Here's my problem with Antigone: it seems to me she didn't give herself reasons to live. Ultimately, I think you should be responsible for creating a kind of life you at least somewhat like. Antigone seems to have not done that. She seems to be coasting through life, somewhat bored and apathetic. And trust me, I KNOW that's also a symptom of depression. I guess Antigone has been depressed for a while? The book is so short, I feel like certain things were maybe not explained or explored fully.
Here's my real gripe with this book, though: I think it's very nihilistic. Reading it made me feel kind of worse. If I had been in that really dark, apathetic place, this book would have asked me, "Why not?" I know the ending is hopeful, and that saved this from being 1 star. But to have a couple of pages of hope following over 100 pages of apathetic, despairing nihilism? I just don't think it's an answer. Again, my personal feelings about this book are VERY influenced by my own personal experiences with depression. It seems this book spoke deeply to a majority of readers. I'm not one of them. Take my opinions with the biggest grain of salt. Ultimately, if this book helped you through the hardest time in your life, it did its job, and I'm happy for that.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing for my free eARC. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I found this novella to be hauntingly beautiful. I loved the black dog as death imagery and think this was such a neat idea. This book definitely delves into some deep topics such as grief and death so if that is something you aren't looking for, you may want to skip this one. While this is technically categorized as horror, I don't think it's your traditional horror book with gore and guts. This novel feels like an emotional and melancholic journey that is not for the faint of heart and may leave you feeling a little dispirited. Don't get me wrong, I think this is well written, but if you are looking for something light and fluffy, this is not the book you want to pick up.
Isaiah Nichols (Narrator)
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 10/6/26
Isaiah Nichols (Narrator)
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 10/6/26
September 28, 2026
4.25/5
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“There will be a last day for everything. There will be a time when the sun shuts its burning eye. There will be a moment when the universe goes quiet. And after that, an eternity of nothing to take the place of the stars and everything that came before. It ends. All of it ends. Despite all this, we are here. We exist.”
At a first glance, I thought this book was leaning towards horror in terrifying sense, instead it was a tale told in such a beautiful and quiet tones. It's about acceptance knowing we will all die someday and make peace with it. About how to fall in love with life all over again when everything feels so heavy and you just want it to stop.
Thank you Netgalley and Titan Books for the ARC in exchange of honest review!
April 18, 2026
Oh. Oh dear. That was painful, beautiful, sad, and strangely uplifting. It was souls dancing in the dark around one another.
A story of sadness and darkness so complete they leave no room for life, obliterating all hope, all kindness, all things soft and lovely. Also though, the story of those who love us, unconditionally, those who understand the little things that make us whole. The ways they remind us.
So yes, sad. Painful? Absolutely. But beautiful in every way. 5 stars.
A story of sadness and darkness so complete they leave no room for life, obliterating all hope, all kindness, all things soft and lovely. Also though, the story of those who love us, unconditionally, those who understand the little things that make us whole. The ways they remind us.
So yes, sad. Painful? Absolutely. But beautiful in every way. 5 stars.
October 7, 2026
I recently had a conversation with a friend where I said I felt like a certain character. She asked me to clarify so she could tell whether I was joking or actually su1cidal and respond appropriately. We both have a very dark sense of humor, so it’s always good to make sure. I followed it up with, “No, just very apathetic about life. Plus, I can’t die until the kids are grown.” She asked, “Well, what about grandkids?” and I said, “Well, by the time they exist, I can’t die because I’ll finally be able to travel.”
As someone with a mental illness that carries a really high rate of unaliving, I essentially live my life by continually moving the goalpost of how much longer I need to stay alive. It’s simultaneously exhausting and comforting in a very odd, incomprehensible way, and that feeling is beautifully captured in this book.
Antigone comes from a line of women who know when their deaths are coming by the appearance of a black dog in their lives. Her own mother saw hers and chose to kill herself rather than wait for whatever “accident” would befall her. When her own personification of Death arrives, Antigone brings it inside her home, where it quickly nestles into all the nooks and crannies of her life and heart. It may be the harbinger of her doom, but it’s insanely cute regardless.
Khaw is unflinching yet incredibly kind in their depiction of what it feels like to live a life that feels as though it’s being lived for others rather than yourself, and the mental exhaustion that kind of existence brings. Where Antigone’s mother looked at her dog as the literal loss of her autonomy, Antigone sees it as her deliverance. She can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Khaw never once romanticizes this sense of relief, but they also don’t tuck it away. It’s that unflinching authenticity that makes this book so incredibly haunting and beautiful.
The people in Antigone’s life are given the same breadth of understanding. Their attempts to help are never discounted, even when they make things worse. Khaw allows them to be human, too, and that means showing the frustration, pain, and fear that come with loving someone who makes a friend of Death.
I’ve read and loved all of Khaw’s books, but this is absolutely my favorite. Whether that’s because the writing is quintessentially Khaw (have a dictionary handy) or because I feel so incredibly seen, I don’t know, nor do I care. This is one of those soul books that I feel exists just for me.
As someone with a mental illness that carries a really high rate of unaliving, I essentially live my life by continually moving the goalpost of how much longer I need to stay alive. It’s simultaneously exhausting and comforting in a very odd, incomprehensible way, and that feeling is beautifully captured in this book.
Antigone comes from a line of women who know when their deaths are coming by the appearance of a black dog in their lives. Her own mother saw hers and chose to kill herself rather than wait for whatever “accident” would befall her. When her own personification of Death arrives, Antigone brings it inside her home, where it quickly nestles into all the nooks and crannies of her life and heart. It may be the harbinger of her doom, but it’s insanely cute regardless.
Khaw is unflinching yet incredibly kind in their depiction of what it feels like to live a life that feels as though it’s being lived for others rather than yourself, and the mental exhaustion that kind of existence brings. Where Antigone’s mother looked at her dog as the literal loss of her autonomy, Antigone sees it as her deliverance. She can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Khaw never once romanticizes this sense of relief, but they also don’t tuck it away. It’s that unflinching authenticity that makes this book so incredibly haunting and beautiful.
The people in Antigone’s life are given the same breadth of understanding. Their attempts to help are never discounted, even when they make things worse. Khaw allows them to be human, too, and that means showing the frustration, pain, and fear that come with loving someone who makes a friend of Death.
I’ve read and loved all of Khaw’s books, but this is absolutely my favorite. Whether that’s because the writing is quintessentially Khaw (have a dictionary handy) or because I feel so incredibly seen, I don’t know, nor do I care. This is one of those soul books that I feel exists just for me.
September 19, 2026
I went into this under the impression it would be another eerie horror novella from a favorite author. Nothing really implied otherwise which I think is unfortunate.
I think the overall messaging and allegory was well done. It was a new take on depression, but it also felt a little cliche and corny at times. It was extremely realistic however…almost to the point I had to put it down. It’s hard to give it any higher of a rating, though, simply because of how I felt thrown into the deep end of a very dark and uncomfortable story.
I suppose in some way it was a horror story after all.
* thank you to the publisher for providing an early version of this book in exchange for an honest review
I think the overall messaging and allegory was well done. It was a new take on depression, but it also felt a little cliche and corny at times. It was extremely realistic however…almost to the point I had to put it down. It’s hard to give it any higher of a rating, though, simply because of how I felt thrown into the deep end of a very dark and uncomfortable story.
I suppose in some way it was a horror story after all.
* thank you to the publisher for providing an early version of this book in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Find Me Where It Ends by Cassandra Khaw introduces us to Antigone, a woman descended from a family where death arrives at their door in the form of a black dog.
Accepting of her fate, Antigone invites death into her home, reflecting on her past life and facing what lies ahead in the short time left.
This is a profoundly difficult book to review as it felt very personal and almost semi-autobiographical in nature.
Under one hundred pages, Find Me Where It Ends is a metaphor for depression and suicide. It is dense in theme, and I found Khaw's writing to be genuinely lovely to take in. The prose was elegant in every sense of the word.
I'd also like to mention how developed and well-rounded the characters were. Here, Khaw wasted no words or pages, and you got the very real sense of who those characters were within the space given to them.
Find Me Where It Ends is a moving, heartbreaking and hard-hitting story that takes an unflinching look at extremely difficult themes in a manner that is neither cruel nor exploitative. Yet it also features oddly comforting moments filled with hope.
My only real note would be that I struggle with the horror classification as this book has no jump scares, gore, curses or ghostly goings-on as such, and I'd hate for anyone to go in with those expectations.
Any horror within is much, much quieter and existential in nature.
Overall, this is a weighty read and one that I'd highly recommend, however readers should be aware of the content before approaching it.
Highly recommended.
With thanks to Titan for the ARC.
Accepting of her fate, Antigone invites death into her home, reflecting on her past life and facing what lies ahead in the short time left.
This is a profoundly difficult book to review as it felt very personal and almost semi-autobiographical in nature.
Under one hundred pages, Find Me Where It Ends is a metaphor for depression and suicide. It is dense in theme, and I found Khaw's writing to be genuinely lovely to take in. The prose was elegant in every sense of the word.
I'd also like to mention how developed and well-rounded the characters were. Here, Khaw wasted no words or pages, and you got the very real sense of who those characters were within the space given to them.
Find Me Where It Ends is a moving, heartbreaking and hard-hitting story that takes an unflinching look at extremely difficult themes in a manner that is neither cruel nor exploitative. Yet it also features oddly comforting moments filled with hope.
My only real note would be that I struggle with the horror classification as this book has no jump scares, gore, curses or ghostly goings-on as such, and I'd hate for anyone to go in with those expectations.
Any horror within is much, much quieter and existential in nature.
Overall, this is a weighty read and one that I'd highly recommend, however readers should be aware of the content before approaching it.
Highly recommended.
With thanks to Titan for the ARC.
Want to Read
February 13, 2026This cover is incredible
October 15, 2026
"Of course, there was the matter of her books, gods help them all, someone had to deal with the library. [...] She didn't care who took over. Antigone just mistrusted the books. She knew they wouldn't behave without supervision."
I was drawn to this latest novella by Khaw because of the cover for the American edition. Yes, I am shallow and fickle, and something as base as how 'pretty' a book's cover is can make me part with my money. Before reading this latest work, I had read Khaw's previous horror novel, Nothing but Blackened Teeth (again, I have to admit that it was the cover which drew me in). I struggled with that one, feeling a little disappointed with what I found. Find Me Where It Ends has also left me feeling a little underwhelmed, perhaps. This novella is not horror, not in its classic sense, anyway.
The main trigger warning for this book is suicide. If you have any sensitivity to this subject, I would suggest you may want to carefully consider if this book would be for you. As a professional, I have dealt with suicidal ideation for a long time. Working as a counsellor and working supporting survivors of sexual violence, I have had my fair share of clients who have gotten to this point. Away from my professional life, my partner suffers from poor mental health. He is ex-army and has complex PTSD. He has nightmares every night, and there has been a time since we have been together that he has felt suicidal. So reading this novella was hard at times - not because of my professional experience, but because of the man next to me.
Personally, I think anyone coming to this novella needs to be aware of what they are going to get. If you come expecting a horror novel, you will be disappointed. If you come not expecting the examination of suicide and death, you may be traumatised. For me, it is a hard one to try and rate. There are moments when I loved what Khaw was saying, and how she was saying it. The quote at the beginning of my review resonated with me, because I have a lot of books, and as morbid as it sounds I have had to consider what will become of them when I die (the majority of them will be going to my local authority, to go into the libraries around where I live), but it touches upon the idea that once you have gone, there is that heartbreaking happenstance of someone needing to sort out your worldly goods. And what you treasured in life may just be seen as a slight inconvenience to the person tasked with this.
Khaw has created an intimate look at life and death. How they are inextricably linked to each other. You can't have one without the other. But Khaw has also managed to show that there can be a pain in trying to navigate life. This pain and grief is very well brought to the page. A black dog has long been associated with depression - Winston Churchill famously referred to his own - and in Find Me Where It Ends, Khaw has managed to bring this idea to a new audience.
I was drawn to this latest novella by Khaw because of the cover for the American edition. Yes, I am shallow and fickle, and something as base as how 'pretty' a book's cover is can make me part with my money. Before reading this latest work, I had read Khaw's previous horror novel, Nothing but Blackened Teeth (again, I have to admit that it was the cover which drew me in). I struggled with that one, feeling a little disappointed with what I found. Find Me Where It Ends has also left me feeling a little underwhelmed, perhaps. This novella is not horror, not in its classic sense, anyway.
The main trigger warning for this book is suicide. If you have any sensitivity to this subject, I would suggest you may want to carefully consider if this book would be for you. As a professional, I have dealt with suicidal ideation for a long time. Working as a counsellor and working supporting survivors of sexual violence, I have had my fair share of clients who have gotten to this point. Away from my professional life, my partner suffers from poor mental health. He is ex-army and has complex PTSD. He has nightmares every night, and there has been a time since we have been together that he has felt suicidal. So reading this novella was hard at times - not because of my professional experience, but because of the man next to me.
Personally, I think anyone coming to this novella needs to be aware of what they are going to get. If you come expecting a horror novel, you will be disappointed. If you come not expecting the examination of suicide and death, you may be traumatised. For me, it is a hard one to try and rate. There are moments when I loved what Khaw was saying, and how she was saying it. The quote at the beginning of my review resonated with me, because I have a lot of books, and as morbid as it sounds I have had to consider what will become of them when I die (the majority of them will be going to my local authority, to go into the libraries around where I live), but it touches upon the idea that once you have gone, there is that heartbreaking happenstance of someone needing to sort out your worldly goods. And what you treasured in life may just be seen as a slight inconvenience to the person tasked with this.
Khaw has created an intimate look at life and death. How they are inextricably linked to each other. You can't have one without the other. But Khaw has also managed to show that there can be a pain in trying to navigate life. This pain and grief is very well brought to the page. A black dog has long been associated with depression - Winston Churchill famously referred to his own - and in Find Me Where It Ends, Khaw has managed to bring this idea to a new audience.
November 2, 2026
DNF at “irregardless,” or 34%.
I don’t care if irregardless is technically a real word, it shouldn’t be. This is the first time I’ve seen it used in a traditionally published book.
I don’t care if irregardless is technically a real word, it shouldn’t be. This is the first time I’ve seen it used in a traditionally published book.
October 25, 2026
𝑊ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛’𝑠 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑘𝑒𝑝𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑠.
Wow. This book was such a poetic and devastating experience.
Find Me Where It Ends is an incredibly intimate and emotional exploration of depression. It’s a visceral look at mental health and the intense, yet quiet, choice to keep on living or to let go.
Do not expect an insane thrill ride with this one. The horror here is a slow simmer that will cling to your soul and haunt you long after you finish reading.
This book is such a melancholic look at exhaustion. True exhaustion of the soul, not just the body. It tackles generational trauma and guilt alongside the emotional gut punch of mortality.
I had the luxury of receiving the ALC of this one, and at first, I was confused about the decision to go with Isaiah Nichols as the narrator. But after seeing where the story went, I actually fell in love with Nichols’s soft interpretation of the story. 10/10, no notes.
Overall, this book was incredibly painful, yet the story was told through such a beautiful lens. Easily one of the most beautiful books I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year. It will stay with me forever.
Special thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest review 💛
Wow. This book was such a poetic and devastating experience.
Find Me Where It Ends is an incredibly intimate and emotional exploration of depression. It’s a visceral look at mental health and the intense, yet quiet, choice to keep on living or to let go.
Do not expect an insane thrill ride with this one. The horror here is a slow simmer that will cling to your soul and haunt you long after you finish reading.
This book is such a melancholic look at exhaustion. True exhaustion of the soul, not just the body. It tackles generational trauma and guilt alongside the emotional gut punch of mortality.
I had the luxury of receiving the ALC of this one, and at first, I was confused about the decision to go with Isaiah Nichols as the narrator. But after seeing where the story went, I actually fell in love with Nichols’s soft interpretation of the story. 10/10, no notes.
Overall, this book was incredibly painful, yet the story was told through such a beautiful lens. Easily one of the most beautiful books I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year. It will stay with me forever.
Special thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest review 💛
October 7, 2026
“Sometimes the only choice you got was choosing when it all stopped.” OUCHHHH 😩
Antigone (40) is tired of living. The women of her family have death come to them in the form of a black dog. And when hers shows up she’s ready for it. Inviting it inside, even beginning to love the furry creature. But as she gets closer to her death she also connects with those living (…mostly) in her life, taking us through the choices she’s made and showing us how those close handle her and the black dog walking beside her.
Find Me Where It Ends was a profoundly beautiful read, even with its brutal heaviness. There were lines in this book that had me stopping in my tracks, needing a moment to soak in the words I’d just heard. The narration was great and delivered the book to its readers so well. PLEASE take care of yourself before diving in as it follows depression and suicidal ideation. I devoured this in one sitting and felt the length of the novella was perfect for the story being told. It had me a sobbing mess by the end.
And while it does contain heavy topics, Khaw paints them in a way many who struggle with mental illness can relate to. It takes the struggles a person goes through and lets us look at it through a lense with hope at the end. The reminder that there’s always a new experience to have, the leaves blowing in the wind to listen to, the feel of the sun on your skin to soak up…. that there’s simply a tomorrow. The darkness and the light can coexist. Maybe a life didn’t end up the way one expected it to, but there’s beauty in the small things and always a reason to stay.
~Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts/opinions within this review are my own.~
Antigone (40) is tired of living. The women of her family have death come to them in the form of a black dog. And when hers shows up she’s ready for it. Inviting it inside, even beginning to love the furry creature. But as she gets closer to her death she also connects with those living (…mostly) in her life, taking us through the choices she’s made and showing us how those close handle her and the black dog walking beside her.
Find Me Where It Ends was a profoundly beautiful read, even with its brutal heaviness. There were lines in this book that had me stopping in my tracks, needing a moment to soak in the words I’d just heard. The narration was great and delivered the book to its readers so well. PLEASE take care of yourself before diving in as it follows depression and suicidal ideation. I devoured this in one sitting and felt the length of the novella was perfect for the story being told. It had me a sobbing mess by the end.
And while it does contain heavy topics, Khaw paints them in a way many who struggle with mental illness can relate to. It takes the struggles a person goes through and lets us look at it through a lense with hope at the end. The reminder that there’s always a new experience to have, the leaves blowing in the wind to listen to, the feel of the sun on your skin to soak up…. that there’s simply a tomorrow. The darkness and the light can coexist. Maybe a life didn’t end up the way one expected it to, but there’s beauty in the small things and always a reason to stay.
~Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts/opinions within this review are my own.~
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
CW: suicidal ideation
Antigone isn't a witch. Well, if you look at the definition of a witch, she probably is. Over the generations, though, her family's magic has dwindled to only the inconvenient ability to see their own deaths. When the black dog of her death comes to greet Antigone, she is resigned; she's only in her 40s after all. But she befriends her dog, and gets on with her life, until the day she doesn't. It takes conversations with an old inhuman friend to do some deep reflection.
While I'm used to Cassandra Khaw's books going to dark places, this is a particularly haunting, macabre novella, as Antigone contemplates the line between life and death. Find Me Where it Ends is dark and reflective, and works well as a contemplative novella. It's less horror than Khaw's other books, but with a deeply depressing edge and a hopeful message. This may not be a good one to go into blind, but if you're in the right headspace, it's a rewarding read.
Thank you to Tor Nightfire for an eARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC. Find Me Where it Ends is out 10/6/2026.
Antigone isn't a witch. Well, if you look at the definition of a witch, she probably is. Over the generations, though, her family's magic has dwindled to only the inconvenient ability to see their own deaths. When the black dog of her death comes to greet Antigone, she is resigned; she's only in her 40s after all. But she befriends her dog, and gets on with her life, until the day she doesn't. It takes conversations with an old inhuman friend to do some deep reflection.
While I'm used to Cassandra Khaw's books going to dark places, this is a particularly haunting, macabre novella, as Antigone contemplates the line between life and death. Find Me Where it Ends is dark and reflective, and works well as a contemplative novella. It's less horror than Khaw's other books, but with a deeply depressing edge and a hopeful message. This may not be a good one to go into blind, but if you're in the right headspace, it's a rewarding read.
Thank you to Tor Nightfire for an eARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC. Find Me Where it Ends is out 10/6/2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is Khaw without the gore. There are only faint traces of the body horror and blood and guts we are all used to but that doesn’t mean it isn’t great. The horror here lives inside Antigone's head: her depression, her exhaustion, and the pull of letting go.
More than anything, this is a character study about depression and suicide, it is beautiful, it hurts, and it's powerful.
As someone who often struggles with depression and anxiety, I found it deeply relatable which also made it hard to sit with at times. But there's something beautiful about seeing a topic most people avoid, being displayed this honestly, and in such a dark and atmospheric way.
I listened to the audiobook, and Isaiah Nichols was phenomenal. His tone fits this kind of story perfectly and carries the weight of it without being over the top.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy. All thoughts are my own.
More than anything, this is a character study about depression and suicide, it is beautiful, it hurts, and it's powerful.
As someone who often struggles with depression and anxiety, I found it deeply relatable which also made it hard to sit with at times. But there's something beautiful about seeing a topic most people avoid, being displayed this honestly, and in such a dark and atmospheric way.
I listened to the audiobook, and Isaiah Nichols was phenomenal. His tone fits this kind of story perfectly and carries the weight of it without being over the top.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy. All thoughts are my own.
October 17, 2026
I was not expecting the absolute gut punch that this novella was. This is a story where Death isn’t the thing to be feared, but the thing that finally offers relief. Antigone welcomes Death into her home in the form of a black dog, and what unfolds is a deeply intimate exploration of depression, grief, and the exhaustion of existing. Sometimes the desire to disappear isn’t rooted in a hatred of life, but in the overwhelming fatigue of having to endure it. And this strikes home for me. I have been quoted when talking about my past saying, “I was doing my best to not exist, without just killing myself.” And that’s exactly how I felt. I still can be caught saying that “being alive is exhausting.” Cassandra Khaw captures that exhaustion with an intimacy I wasn’t entirely prepared for. And I appreciated that the story doesn’t try to make suffering beautiful or turn despair into some profound revelation. Sometimes pain is just pain, and sometimes people are tired in ways that sleep will never fix.
Now, Antigone and I had different experiences and factors leading to this feeling, but that feeling is so relatable, even if it is a dark and often unspoken sentiment. And isn’t that the point? That uncomfortable space between wanting life to end and simply wanting life as you know it to stop. There is a difference between those two things. Antigone is familiar with that space, and so am I.
Thank you, sincerely, to Cassandra Khaw for writing this one. I have loved every single thing you have written, but this… this is on a different level. And is very important.
Now, Antigone and I had different experiences and factors leading to this feeling, but that feeling is so relatable, even if it is a dark and often unspoken sentiment. And isn’t that the point? That uncomfortable space between wanting life to end and simply wanting life as you know it to stop. There is a difference between those two things. Antigone is familiar with that space, and so am I.
Thank you, sincerely, to Cassandra Khaw for writing this one. I have loved every single thing you have written, but this… this is on a different level. And is very important.
October 27, 2026
this book has eyes and they were looking right at me
wow
sort of feel at a loss for words
suicidal ideation and death and grief and trauma
toxic relationships with mothers
the way every single character was written was different facets i could relate to, each and every one
what a fascinating book… much to ponder now
wow
sort of feel at a loss for words
suicidal ideation and death and grief and trauma
toxic relationships with mothers
the way every single character was written was different facets i could relate to, each and every one
what a fascinating book… much to ponder now
November 2, 2026
I’ve been hit straight in the stomach. Ugh
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTfKfdehy/
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTfKfdehy/
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