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lilyofmountain's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Stalking, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Body horror, and Toxic friendship
ankiaisreading's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Medical content, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Grief, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Stalking, Torture, Incest, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, and Vomit
roseknows124's review
- 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
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
um_'s review against another edition
- 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
Diving into Ottessa Moshfegh's 'Eileen' was a journey unlike any other, not my preferred genre but was not disappointed.
At first glance, the narrative seemed deceptively mundane – everyday routines, mundane interactions, nothing out of the ordinary. The juxtaposition of the mundane and the disturbing was jarring, yet strangely mesmerizing, like watching a trainwreck unfold in slow motion.
‘Eileen' left me feeling deeply disturbed yet utterly captivated. It's a testament to Moshfegh's talent that she could take something as mundane as daily life and turn it into something so profoundly unsettling. Eileen is definitely worth a read.
Check your trigger warnings for this book !
Graphic: Death of parent, Animal death, Chronic illness, Grief, Mental illness, Confinement, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Self harm, Violence, Vomit, Body shaming, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Excrement, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Death
marietimus's review
- 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
Moderate: Child abuse, Alcohol, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Alcoholism, Torture, Addiction, Death, Rape, Stalking, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual assault, and Mental illness
taradoesreading's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
What can I say—I love Ottessa Moshfegh. As a grad student, I had a brief period of hating unlikeable narrators, but now I can’t get enough of them. Eileen is just the kind of main character I love—messy, weird, angry, and with an utter lack of self awareness. I was fascinated by her, I pitied her, and I couldn’t look away from each misstep and mistake. I didn’t even read the back of the book before I started, so I had no idea what I was getting into, but the prose and Eileen’s narration pulled me in right away.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
The ending, though, didn’t quite do it for me. I enjoyed Rebecca as a reference to Daphne du Maurier’s book (one of my favorites), but I couldn’t quite get a handle on her character. Why did she come to X-ville in the first place? Why blow up your whole job just a few days after starting it by getting overly involved in one random child’s case? Maybe we’re meant to draw our own conclusions (especially since Eileen’s recollections can’t always be counted on), but I didn’t feel like I really connected with her motives.
Despite that, I will definitely be adding this one to my list of favorite books with unhinged female narrators. No one can do it like Ottessa Moshfegh (except maybe Mona Awad).
Graphic: Gun violence, Alcohol, Stalking, Drug use, Excrement, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death
gaeliloveweiss's review
- 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
4.75
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Alcohol, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Torture, Incest, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Sexual assault, Murder, Gun violence, Body shaming, Vomit, Pedophilia, Grief, Drug use, Death of parent, Death, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
ruthallison2000's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Rape, Vomit, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Stalking
libellumartinae's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Still, I love the way that Moshfeg just write something like so unhinged and yet so close to the truth. She hangs onto the line of 'what if we just listened and did what that dark part in us tell us so?'. And it's strangely cathartic. STILL, it was plain boring and badly paced.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Drug abuse, and Vomit
kaylanoellesims's review against another edition
- 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
1.75
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Stalking, Incest, Sexism, Homophobia, Eating disorder, Terminal illness, Rape, Toxic friendship, and Fatphobia
Minor: Miscarriage and Lesbophobia