Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

422 reviews

karalynaa's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.75


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doublemegative's review against another edition

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challenging dark hopeful reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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morregano's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

2.75

I don't know that the author needed to add as much drug use and detail about it as they did. I think it fell flat at the end of the day because it became redundant.
of course we all saw the end coming but i didn't care as much because i didn't feel for the main character or value their friendship much at all.
also. This book seems like a self lobotomy, as if we didn't learn that sedating people with mental illness doesn't actually switch psychosis off. I don't like the message of this book, and i don't find it sardonic

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curlykira's review against another edition

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

3.75

I’ve just finished this book and I’m sitting here trying to establish how I feel about it. It could be a 4* book but I’m just not sure… if I could give it a 3.95 that would probably be my ideal rating.
So much of the book is about the main character taking medication and sleeping or complaining that she wishes that she is asleep that is does become a bit monotonous.
It was also hard to keep going in places because the main characters are all deeply flawed and not very likeable, but that’s by the author’s design and it serves a purpose. However in other places this book is cutting and raw and shows a side to mental health that those unfamiliar with it might be unaware of- it’s not all manic depression and anguish, often it is just feeling numb and tired. This book pushes that point constantly. Overall, it was an interesting read that will probably stay with me for its premise and it was well written, I just don’t think it is necessarily a book to enjoy- more one to challenge and subvert preconceived notions you might have about what a woman with mental illness might look like. Lots of people seem to count this as a vacation read but despite the title, I do not think this is a book for one’s own rest and relaxation.

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_corrin's review against another edition

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challenging funny 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

3.5


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jordanm77's review against another edition

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dark funny 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

4.5

this book feels like a stream of consciousness and i absolutely loved it. it was a nice break from the typical structure of books that i’ve read before. i wish i could read it again for the first time because it really transports you into a different time and mental space. the main character is literally a terrible person but that makes you want to read it all the more because she’s so inexplicably magnetic.

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acstar's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5


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skoltoaletter's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5


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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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