Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

22 reviews

peachy44's review against another edition

dark reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

3.75

An intimately cathartic read, the narrator is our patron saint of narcissism and self destruction and we love her for it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Xenophobia

spooderman's review against another edition

challenging dark funny 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Death, Vomit, Animal death, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Mental illness, Abandonment, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Xenophobia, and Lesbophobia

Minor: War, Racism, Cursing, Abortion, Miscarriage, Classism, Confinement, Medical trauma, Islamophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Medical content

lvwieland's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Suicide, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Eating disorder, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Confinement

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Xenophobia, Cancer, and Alcohol

Minor: Abortion and Pregnancy

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

kianga_black's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective relaxing 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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Ableism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Classism, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic relationship

Minor: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Grief, and Mental illness

xmparo'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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Xenophobia

Moderate: Eating disorder and Vomit

uuuultraviolennnnt's review against another edition

dark funny reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

I’m skinny, I’m rich, I’m blonde, and I’m a little bit of a bitch

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Death of parent

Moderate: Xenophobia

itszosia's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Ableism, Racism, Islamophobia, Lesbophobia, Chronic illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Mental illness, Homophobia, Death of parent, Classism, Body shaming, Alcohol, Bullying, Xenophobia, Death, and Toxic friendship

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

eib_21's review against another edition

challenging reflective fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Xenophobia, and Death of parent