Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

내 휴식과 이완의 해 by Ottessa Moshfegh

27 reviews

whimsofwands's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really enjoyed this portrayal of some of the impacts on constant objectification - it feels true and often unspoken. I felt like I knew the main character and she was deeply original. That said, the ending was a complete whiff for me - I don't understand what my take away should be. If it had ended with nothingness or no sense of movement, that would've been interesting to me, but instead it ended with a haphazard event and no explanation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Sexism, Suicide, Misogyny, and Eating disorder

zenizage's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Having literally read this within two days and just finished it (immediate thoughts before having let it simmer): My main problem with this book was that I had heard it was funny and it said it was funny on the back (or someone was quoted saying it was funny) and as I was reading, it kept creeping into my head why the hell people thought this was funny. 
I found the depiction of the main protagonist's depression and the people (ab)using her razor sharp at times. Maybe it was borderline triggering for me. But that being said: it captures depression and the feeling of having no self-worth (and not even having the will to fight for it) quite well!

I am not American and the extreme use of medication was ... maybe even most frustrating to me. Maybe I didn't get the "joke" because I did not know anything about the drugs she was using? 

Is it a good thing that her plan appears to work in the end? That she "slept" her way out of it? I don't know.

Maybe the point of the book for me is to take a closer look at myself, because I at times found it hard to have compassion for the main protagonist, who was clearly suffering, but instead was frustrated with her and her numbness and her having given herself up and how she treats other people. For someone who has had to deal with depression herself that is almost shocking. 

I did also not at all notice that the main character is in fact unnamed, I read it somewhere after I finished it. I find that astonishing. It did not bother me whatsoever that she didn't have a name, I didn't even know.

...
Edit: After Giving it some thought–is the protagonist something of a modern day Daisy Buchanan?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexism, Body shaming, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Classism, Medical content, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Excrement, Cancer, Suicide, and Vomit

Minor: Abortion

cosy_crow's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Dysphoria, Cultural appropriation, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Racism, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Death, Alcohol, Ableism, Eating disorder, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Alcoholism, Cancer, Bullying, Suicide, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Body shaming, Body horror, Abandonment, Rape, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Addiction

andreaestefania's review against another edition

dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

It’s an often triggering and offensive, cruel take on something sadly even more relevant in today’s world. It often felt relatable in ways that had me feeling better then worse about myself in a span of minutes. It was definitely a cynical, darkly humorous way of getting the main point across. I enjoyed the way the deeply corrupted relationships between the main characters were portrayed as they reflect just how toxic they truly are from multiple angles. There’s not really a side you’re meant to root for, especially not the side of our protagonist despite her “best” efforts. Female friendship is portrayed in its darkest form and yet tenderness still seeped through at times. The ways in which the characters were unapologetically awful felt very lifelike and of the time which I was both awed and disgusted by.

I do wish there had been more expansion on the main character’s breakthrough after her last infermiterol pill… instead it comes across as a miracle that happens to her overnight. Like an out of character change of heart - especially with Reva. Even though we can clearly infer it’s not as simple as a miraculous change of heart - more on this would’ve tied it all together for me. It’s also insane that it took those events happening in the end for her to feel like life was worth living and meant to be lived fully but i guess that’s the irony and cruelty in all of it. It’s meant to highlight just how insane and important the mundane is. How even those that you resent are an important part of your experience and are often just reflecting you back to you. Despite the mostly vain, cynical, and horrifically careless narration by the protagonist, I felt oddly comforted by the set intention to make the reader feel almost embarrassed by their own similar thoughts and ways of living that led them to believe it was okay to “sleep” through their own life in a way. Almost like it’s mocking the reader for the very desire to lead a life just like hers. It reminds you that there’s a lot more to life and not at the same time. It forces you to realize there might be more credit owed to your own heart and moral compass - considering the main character sets the bar incredibly low and even she is allowed a second chance at feeling alive.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Chronic illness, Racism, Emotional abuse, Abortion, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Body shaming, Animal cruelty, Self harm, Sexual content, Addiction, Death of parent, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

arobear's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Mental illness

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Vomit, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

annablume's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

weird book, highly unlikeable protagonist, definitly intended to be read as a commentary on privilege as well as depression, lovelessness, tastefullness idk
i enjoyed this
reminded me of bad news and never mind by edward st. aubyn (i read them at 16, so they're not super fresh in my memory)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Vomit, Xenophobia, Eating disorder, Grief, Death, Confinement, Addiction, Body shaming, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexism, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Classism, and Pregnancy

alishamegan's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Super cool, absurdo read that was a page turner despite nothing really happening in terms of plot, but I am someone that often prefers a good character study over plot. Really enjoyed it.

I don't like how a character's race is only mentioned when they're poc. Not sure if intentional as book is in first privileged-white-woman but even if it is it's too subtle for most white readers and maybe even a few poc readers to pick up on imo if you're super used to all white cast or always assume that anyway. Although this behaviour/racialisation of others/centering of whiteness ofc suits MC and the critique of rich white American privilege.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Sexism

Minor: Racism

Contains some scenes that seem possibly unconsensual.

_renee_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

None of the characters in this book are supposed to be loved. This book is a hyperbolic satire on Americas self proclaimed high society. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Racism, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Abortion, Abandonment, Addiction, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Xenophobia

jo_lzr's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Mental illness, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Excrement

Minor: Abortion and Racism

thereadingwells's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This book is extremely overhyped, depressing, plotless, and 288 pages that I wish I could unread. 

The two stars I did give it are for the fact that Moshfegh is a good enough writer in that she can write a book that’s readable - but this story is a collection of privileged whines that I wouldn’t recommend even cracking open if you’ve ever suffered from addiction or bulimia. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Abortion, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Addiction, Death of parent, Excrement, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Self harm, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death