Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

14 reviews

roseknows124's review

dark mysterious 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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Alcoholism, Excrement, Murder, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Torture, Death of parent, Vomit, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Violence

jnestwd's review

dark mysterious reflective 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

5.0

Well, Ottessa, you are "quite a gal!"

No one manages to simultaneously repulse and intrigue me quite like Ottessa Moshfegh. When I read her work, I know I'm about to be thoroughly disturbed and I am here. for. IT.

Eileen did not disappoint. The story of Eileen Dunlop's miserable life spent living with her emotional (and at times, physically) abusive, alcoholic father and working at the local Boys Prison was exactly as uncomfortable as I've come to expect from Moshfegh's work.

Moshfegh somehow manages to get right under your skin and touch nerves you never thought existed. Reading Eileen move through life selfishly and disgustingly (intentionally ripping clothes in a store, wiping her dirty mouth on scarves for sale, touching herself and then shaking hands with someone before washing them... that sort of thing) somehow had me absolutely hooked and I could not put the book down before finding out whether or not Eileen managed to find happiness or not.

Ottessa's work is not for the faint of heart.

Often the reviews are scathing of the body horror and grotesque descriptions.

But that is part of the magic in my opinion.

I read Ottessa Moshfegh when I want to be disturbed. And she never ever fails to disappoint!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual assault

amsswim's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

4.25

I'm not sure really what to say about this. I enjoyed it. This is the second book by the author Ottessa Moshfegh I have read, the other being 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation', and just as that one this book is just unhinged. I think this one may be more based in reality but still gave me the feeling of unsettlement. If you like weird things this may be for you. 

I am now very interested in watching the movie they made recently based on this starring Anne Hathaway.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Excrement, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Violence, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Rape, Addiction, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Incest, Dementia, Vomit, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Cursing, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Animal death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, and Homophobia

Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Car accident

bananastasia's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

I have read two other Otessa Moshfegh books (Lapvona and My Year of Rest and Relaxation) before this one, so I had a good idea of what I was getting into when picking up Eileen. I imagine her other books are similar in writing style, so if you like dark, moody and primarily character-driven stories, I would highly recommend this book!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Alcoholism, Incest, Death, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Child abuse, Addiction, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Vomit, Alcohol, and Domestic abuse

jussymclean's review

challenging dark tense 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

3.5

Intelligently written and original but a tough read with disturbing themes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Incest, Child abuse, Addiction, and Murder

whatchareadingheather's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Honestly, I'm interested in seeing how this gets adapted to film because while I am usually a fan of slow-burns, this one felt a bit rushed at the end. However, I think this author did a great job with putting us in the shoes of our main character and created a world that was both eerie and recognizable (at least for those who grew up in small towns). 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Incest, and Rape

Minor: Fatphobia, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Body shaming

malb's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Vomit, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Eating disorder, and Body shaming

Moderate: Stalking, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, and Bullying

Minor: Murder, Death of parent, Suicide, and Animal death

aalayah's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Incest, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Sexual content, Vomit, and Addiction

Minor: Cancer and Blood

maryamgo9909's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Body horror, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Rape

devilconcrete's review against another edition

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

4.25

Eileen is a truly abhorrent human being. Throughout the book she is almost nothing but perverted, hating, homophobic, and misguided. That behind said, I loved this book. The writing style is smooth and vivid, and both pulls you into the moment of the story yet feels like someone sitting down and recalling it for you. There are so many individual dark but beautiful lines in this. The writing really kept me going, if it was written with even a sliver less quality I would have taken this deplorable book and burned it. It has the gritty details and thoughts worth hiding that make it seem terribly terribly real. All the most prominent characters are just as terrible. But they all feel like people. 
Horrendous cast of characters with wretched thoughts and wretched actions.

Reading this book and observing these characters was like pulling entertainment from footage of a trainwreck. But I couldn't bring myself out of it. Riveting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Bullying, Drug use, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Rape, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Homophobia, Incest, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Vomit