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hannaheinhorn's review
- 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
there is also the fact that nothing happened in the book until the last 20% of it. i could have just read THAT part and been satisfied. literally the several page fucking soliloquy after THAT part was so useless.
Graphic: Rape, Vomit, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Incest, and Kidnapping
Minor: Racism, Ableism, Blood, Sexual harassment, Classism, Gun violence, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
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
kay4eva'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
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Murder, Violence, Gore, Vomit, Confinement, Excrement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Body horror, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Death of parent
coolgirlfiction'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
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Incest, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Violence, and Emotional abuse
brinnavirginia's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I'm down with an unlikable protagonist, but Eileen was not interesting enough to warrant her detestable character (and intense, over-the-top, makes-me-think-it-might-be-the-author fatphobia). I enjoyed the womanly yuckiness at first until it was just soooo much puke.
This book could have been, like, a hundred fewer pages. I had to read the Wikipedia plot summary to convince myself to just finish reading it (pulled through for book club <3). In the end, it wasn't worth the effort.
Graphic: Vomit, Misogyny, Incest, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Torture, Death of parent, Child abuse, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Excrement, Gun violence, Lesbophobia, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Classism, Homophobia, Toxic friendship, Police brutality, Blood, and Chronic illness
ricketycricket's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Fatphobia, Body shaming, Death of parent, Child abuse, Grief, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, and Vomit
amsswim'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
4.25
I am now very interested in watching the movie they made recently based on this starring Anne Hathaway.
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
ericispublius'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
It took a turn that I did not expect, so it surprised me. The last 60 or so pages really drew me in.
When I look at this book in the context of misogyny [as well as internalized misogyny [or, maybe, more "with misogyny in mind," would be better phrasing]], I think it gave the story a little more power to make me feel.
Graphic: Rape, Alcoholism, and Child abuse
Moderate: Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Vomit
amharless417's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Torture, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Violence, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Incest, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Gun violence
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