Reviews with content warning for Death - Mi año de descanso y relajación

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Mi año de descanso y relajación by Ottessa Moshfegh

463 reviews

sunn_bleach'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

3.5

I see why some of my friends hate this book. Everyone is an asshole, and it's hard to read about an incredibly privileged woman in NYC living out her rebirth and actually getting it through... sleeping a lot. It's a goddamn tough sell.

I interpreted this as "American Psycho" for the new millennium, taking aim at the empty promises of everything being perfect through a character who's over it all. The parents' stories were cliche, but I know people who have lived very similar lives to these (sleeping notwithstanding), from the Long Island girl who wants to prove it to the ex-beauty mom who's fully aware of her vacuity. The ending is not a surprise; if anything, its inevitability is part of the subversion to the titular year of rest and relaxation.

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alevssia's review against another edition

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reflective 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

3.25

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itsmaren's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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matschflamingo's review against another edition

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challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.75

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tmitsock's review against another edition

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dark funny sad medium-paced

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

4.75

I devoured this book in two days. It was brilliantly written. Definitely could be triggering to some. I love Moshfegh’s writing and will definitely read some other work by her.
It was almost a hypnotic read. I loved it.

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lenacamci's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad 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

3.5

First and foremost, this character is very unlikable - clearly on purpose.
She also deals with depression and grief and pain that a life of privilege could not shield her from.

This book is so driven by its character and the way she perceives the world and copes with it and yet, she does not learn. She changes but she doesn't grow.
It's very well written but it's not a pleasant read. It makes you reflect on how you can relate to her and yet leaves you frustrated by her decisions and just general unpleasantness. Which is fine, it's good to have bad, well written morally bad, insufferable but nuanced female characters.

The ending was the bitter note for me, as Reva is yet another somewhat unlikable character but who at least somehow tries and loves as superficial as she could be. Struggling with mental health, I didn't expect this book who is already a dark take having such a bitter, "life is unfair", painfully real ending.

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