Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Mijn jaar van rust en kalmte by Ottessa Moshfegh

57 reviews

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

mlhanson's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Body shaming, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death of parent, Classism, and Misogyny

redefiningrachel's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Cancer, Confinement, Addiction, Alcohol, and Death

Moderate: Body horror, Sexual assault, Abortion, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Self harm

Minor: Blood, Rape, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

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

aquariusvintage's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

3.75

Haunting. Couldn't put the book down at first because of how much I resonated with the main character's feeling of just wanting to sleep her life away. Definitely a symptom that's common with depression or an unregulated nervous system, which the MC definitely was recovering from traumatic experiences in her life. It begged to ask the question, who doesn't want to sleep away their life when things are out of control or seem unmanageable. The book started to slip for me when you could predict the ending. Didn't really come as a shock for me. The last lines left me haunted though, which is why I ultimately decided on my rating. I liked the style of writing and will seek out more titles by this author. Hoping more of her books awaken that same feeling of feminine rage and how we may self-sabotage our lives due to being stuck in toxic cycles. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Suicide, and Death

Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Addiction, and Vomit

Minor: Abortion

themadbloodstone's review against another edition

reflective 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

She just like me fr fr 😩

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny

madlin14's review against another edition

dark reflective sad medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Addiction, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Eating disorder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Vomit, Cancer, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Grief, and Misogyny

Minor: Abortion and Rape

donaghys1's review against another edition

Otessa’s a good writer. But I’ve never met another protagonist I rooted so wholly against. I felt so edged by the little glimpses of her trauma, her grief. And to know nothing else would come of those fleeting moments was what caused me to put it down. I so wish I had loved this one… or even liked it…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Addiction, Drug use, and Body shaming

Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Racism

cimmalex's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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

The worst book I’ve read in my adult life. It is shocking to me how this book is raved about, and how horrible it ended up being. My favorite part was the ending, but not because the book was over. The ending was also the saddest part of the entire book. I would’ve opted to not finish it, but I felt like I had to. I’m sorry I wasted the time. The audiobook narrator was insufferable too

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Addiction, Infidelity, Grief, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Ableism, Alcoholism, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, and Eating disorder

marjoleinvanderspoel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

4.5

When I started this book, I was sure I hated it. It gave me such sex and the city and internalised misogyny vibes, and i really wasnt in the mood for it. So i put it down, and picked it up again a few weeks later. I was hooked. Sure, the main character is elitist and horrible, but she's also so relatable. I wish I could also go to sleep for a year and wake up with a new zest for life. I know this isn't supposed to be ~goals~ but it literally is. What does that say about our horrible, capitalist,  "meritocratic" society?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, and Sexual content

Moderate: Misogyny, Vomit, and Xenophobia

Minor: Excrement and Animal cruelty