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faephoenix's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
5.0
Repulsive narrator. Refreshing prose. Read this book if you’re slightly misanthropic and need to feel better about yourself as a human.
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual assault
gabriel_andres's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
3.0
jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
Even those with advantages and opportunities in life experience alienation, but few are likely taken to the extreme depicted in My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Deciding to take year to enter a questionably prescribed medicinal coma for some much desired rest, an attractive and accomplished twenty-six year old woman experiments with hibernation from her Upper East Side Manhattan apartment, paid for by her inheritance from her deceased parents, during the year 2000. Self-prescribing and initially pulling away from social engagements in favor of resting at home, the young woman seeks out an undoubtedly bad therapist and feeds her the lines she needs to in order to obtain the medications to induce slumber. Forsaking experiences and relationships, apart from her alleged best friend who arrives to check in on her occasionally, the young woman is able to sleep most of the day and reflect on her life so far in the meager time she's conscious.
A quick, thoughtful read offering an easy-to-relate-to desire to spend copious amounts of time sleeping to avoid the harsher realities of life, though I do have a lingering wonder of how the narrator survived such a long time of taking such a variety of medications. Moshfegh has a knack for writing in a manner that is brutally honest and holds nothing back, providing a much-needed but not frequently offered glimpse behind the facades people construct to present an image of accepted or normal human existence. Though readers might not have much in common with the narrator, the ideas expressed within the text through her thoughts and actions are easy to connect and relate with. The ending provides a good punch with the contextual time frame in which the narrative takes place and adds a new dimension from which to contemplate the story's message.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Deciding to take year to enter a questionably prescribed medicinal coma for some much desired rest, an attractive and accomplished twenty-six year old woman experiments with hibernation from her Upper East Side Manhattan apartment, paid for by her inheritance from her deceased parents, during the year 2000. Self-prescribing and initially pulling away from social engagements in favor of resting at home, the young woman seeks out an undoubtedly bad therapist and feeds her the lines she needs to in order to obtain the medications to induce slumber. Forsaking experiences and relationships, apart from her alleged best friend who arrives to check in on her occasionally, the young woman is able to sleep most of the day and reflect on her life so far in the meager time she's conscious.
A quick, thoughtful read offering an easy-to-relate-to desire to spend copious amounts of time sleeping to avoid the harsher realities of life, though I do have a lingering wonder of how the narrator survived such a long time of taking such a variety of medications. Moshfegh has a knack for writing in a manner that is brutally honest and holds nothing back, providing a much-needed but not frequently offered glimpse behind the facades people construct to present an image of accepted or normal human existence. Though readers might not have much in common with the narrator, the ideas expressed within the text through her thoughts and actions are easy to connect and relate with. The ending provides a good punch with the contextual time frame in which the narrative takes place and adds a new dimension from which to contemplate the story's message.
annacabrespina's review against another edition
3.0
mmmm li hauria de posar quatre estrelles? si em basés en les últimes cinquanta pàgines sí però sino??
m’ha agradat el llibre, esta molt ben escrit i t fa entrar molt en la història i els pensamets de la protagonista son el que ocupen tot el llibre. ara bé, tot i que la gràcia es aquesta se’m ha fet molt monòton, i no m ha fet empatitzar amb la protagonista, no acabo d entendre quin era l objectiu de l’autora. això si, el final, literalment l ultima pagina, un deu, ho lliga increible i tot i q ho vaig endevinar a la meitat del llibre trobo que molt bon final. en general però tenia més expectatives i sincerament trobo que no n hi ha per tant, tot i que es un llibre en el qual seguiré pensant i que estic contenta d haver llegit es queda a les tres estrelles
m’ha agradat el llibre, esta molt ben escrit i t fa entrar molt en la història i els pensamets de la protagonista son el que ocupen tot el llibre. ara bé, tot i que la gràcia es aquesta se’m ha fet molt monòton, i no m ha fet empatitzar amb la protagonista, no acabo d entendre quin era l objectiu de l’autora. això si, el final, literalment l ultima pagina, un deu, ho lliga increible i tot i q ho vaig endevinar a la meitat del llibre trobo que molt bon final. en general però tenia més expectatives i sincerament trobo que no n hi ha per tant, tot i que es un llibre en el qual seguiré pensant i que estic contenta d haver llegit es queda a les tres estrelles
mysteryofvampires's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
harmonyeve's review against another edition
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
2.25
kamilkah's review against another edition
dark
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jackiestbr's review against another edition
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Drug abuse
Moderate: Eating disorder
Minor: Death and Death of parent
bookslayer99's review against another edition
4.0
The ending has me a little torn if this would be a 4 or a 5 star book. It perpetuates the idea of life being unpredictable. It shows the not-too-pretty sides of mental health. It’s a somewhat accurate depiction of depression. I enjoy the pessimism of the main character - she’s not supposed to be a likeable character and I think too many people are hung up on that.