Reviews with content warning for Suicide - 내 휴식과 이완의 해

I think it's easy to write this book off as off as a superficial portrayal of a privileged sad women, but if you've ever struggled with very intense depression and given the options, I would have found myself in a similar position. It's not about class or race that would be reducing especially when you consider the author Otessa Moshfegh as a person and her other works. In a high pressure world where were consistently under each other's criticisms it's hard for me to imagine why somebody with her thought process would want to come to a world that would inevitably criticize and demean her one way or another. This isn't a defense of some of her very selfish acts in the books primarily towards her best friends, but rather the importance of the perspective the book brings to the table

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7juniormint's review against another edition

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challenging emotional medium-paced

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

4.75

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virgomoon9's review against another edition

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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

4.0

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sarabookverse's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I would say this is a very silly and lazy way of showing how terrible the thing we call life is. Our protagonist chooses to hibernate for a full year in hopes of healing from the trauma of existing for 20 something years and annihilation 'herself' as she knows it. She wants to be a different person, a new person, a person that she is not disgusted by. She might sound relatable but she isn't a good person. With all the misery and suffering she carries in her heart and mind she still is a privileged narcissist bitch. And this is the story of her trying to sleep her way into a whole year without being conscious. Inspite of her insufferable character, I more than once found myself rooting for her.

The book is slow paced and not much happens in the story. It's just you[the reader] and painfully honest & unlikable protagonist (which stayed nameless btw). I wouldn't say I liked the book. But I would say I liked the idea of the book. What I liked the most is that it doesn't try to give anyone answers. It's just a scoop of life that doesn't really change when the book ends. However it is not easily forgettable. And my year of rest and relaxation will be a book that I remember whenever I think of sheer meaninglessness and harsh reality of life.

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thaliaw's review against another edition

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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

2.25

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hex_agon's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

4.75

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bookzplz's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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

3.5

i have conflicted feelings about this book. it very accurately depicted that having a terrible doctor can rly impact how dealing with grief and mental illness evolves, and i was definitely a fan of how the main character was so deeply unlikeable. the last chunk with the artist and the sticky notes was kinda confusing but i guess it was supposed to be? the ending also felt very abrupt? it was very well written.

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