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polywogqueen's review
4.0
Sometimes slow and steady only gets you second place, and that's how I feel about this pacing
mika_amoeba5's review
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I took a little too long for the book to get interesting and even then it felt pre ictable. At some point i looked up what would happen next to know if the book was worth finishing.
misssleepy's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
3.75
I listened to this book after listening to My Year of Rest and Relaxation.
Eileen was a slow burn. It was mostly vibes, the plot doesn’t actually start until the last probably 30% of the book. Because of this, I think at times this book felt a little boring. I couldn’t really figure out what it was building towards.
I was actually starting to guess that the big reveal was that Rebecca was a pedo, so I was oddly relieved that she was quite the opposite. I don’t really know how I feel about the ending though. Did Rita deserve was happened to her? Idk, it’s complicated. Her confession was sad. She seemed almost dumb and naive, like she didn’t really understand the impact of her action (and lack of action). I kind of wonder if she truly died, I assume she did from carbon monoxide poisoning but this is a chance for her survival.
Again. Moshfegh presents a narrator that at times I loved and at times hated. She does a good job of writing characters that are deeply flawed by their pasts but still choose to victims to their circumstances. Eileen could have left at any point and spent a lot of time contemplating leaving, but it took necessity to get her to act.
Eileen was such a gross character. Her choices were questionable throughout the story. Her self-consciousness and self hatred were visceral. Her behavior was so strange but still kind of mundane. I liked being in the mind of such an unsettled person, though at times I was completely grossed out by her. I think the grossness is what made her as a character so believable and human.
It was easy to see why Eileen was so captivated by Rebecca. I couldn’t really tell if Rebecca was playing Eileen all along, I like to believe that was something genuine between them. I can’t wait to see Ann Hathaway’s interpretation in the movie.
Tbh I was really hoping for a but if romance between them.
Overall, I did like the book and was satisfied with it. I wish it would’ve captivated me a bit earlier on than it did.
Eileen’s reflections at the end were some of my favorite passages of the novel. I will leave this quote below, which demonstrates the growth of Eileen as she reflects on her life as a much older woman:
“Here is how I spend my days now. I live in a beautiful place. I sleep in a beautiful bed, I eat beautiful food. I go for walks through beautiful places. I care for people deeply. At night, my bed is full of love because I alone am in it. I cry easily from pain and pleasure and I don’t apologize for that. In the mornings I step outside and am thankful for another day. It took me many years to arrive at such a life.”
While this novel covers a few short days, they are the most meaningful of this woman’s life. We see glimpses of how these days and the events at occurred within them transformed the trajectory of her life. It still leaves a bit of mystery.
Overall, a very atmospheric, gross, and weird tale of the choices that change a woman’s life. Who is to say if it was for better or worse, but I think that Eileen would argue for the better.
Eileen was a slow burn. It was mostly vibes, the plot doesn’t actually start until the last probably 30% of the book. Because of this, I think at times this book felt a little boring. I couldn’t really figure out what it was building towards.
I was actually starting to guess that the big reveal was that Rebecca was a pedo, so I was oddly relieved that she was quite the opposite. I don’t really know how I feel about the ending though. Did Rita deserve was happened to her? Idk, it’s complicated. Her confession was sad. She seemed almost dumb and naive, like she didn’t really understand the impact of her action (and lack of action). I kind of wonder if she truly died, I assume she did from carbon monoxide poisoning but this is a chance for her survival.
Again. Moshfegh presents a narrator that at times I loved and at times hated. She does a good job of writing characters that are deeply flawed by their pasts but still choose to victims to their circumstances. Eileen could have left at any point and spent a lot of time contemplating leaving, but it took necessity to get her to act.
Eileen was such a gross character. Her choices were questionable throughout the story. Her self-consciousness and self hatred were visceral. Her behavior was so strange but still kind of mundane. I liked being in the mind of such an unsettled person, though at times I was completely grossed out by her. I think the grossness is what made her as a character so believable and human.
It was easy to see why Eileen was so captivated by Rebecca. I couldn’t really tell if Rebecca was playing Eileen all along, I like to believe that was something genuine between them. I can’t wait to see Ann Hathaway’s interpretation in the movie.
Tbh I was really hoping for a but if romance between them.
Overall, I did like the book and was satisfied with it. I wish it would’ve captivated me a bit earlier on than it did.
Eileen’s reflections at the end were some of my favorite passages of the novel. I will leave this quote below, which demonstrates the growth of Eileen as she reflects on her life as a much older woman:
“Here is how I spend my days now. I live in a beautiful place. I sleep in a beautiful bed, I eat beautiful food. I go for walks through beautiful places. I care for people deeply. At night, my bed is full of love because I alone am in it. I cry easily from pain and pleasure and I don’t apologize for that. In the mornings I step outside and am thankful for another day. It took me many years to arrive at such a life.”
While this novel covers a few short days, they are the most meaningful of this woman’s life. We see glimpses of how these days and the events at occurred within them transformed the trajectory of her life. It still leaves a bit of mystery.
Overall, a very atmospheric, gross, and weird tale of the choices that change a woman’s life. Who is to say if it was for better or worse, but I think that Eileen would argue for the better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Fatphobia and Murder
ttodd86's review
2.0
Although there are some enjoyable parts of the book, overall it is uneven. It almost reads like two books: the first three quarters read like something of a detailed character study, but the last quarter reads like a thrown together dime-store thriller, including the tall, attractive, mysterious red-headed Rebecca who seems to come directly out of central casting. Unfortunately, that last quarter, for all its shortcomings, is actually the more enjoyable part of the book.
One of the struggles, I think, is the narrator's perspective. Eileen is telling this story 50 years after it happened, yet she seems to lack the ability to put it in any kind of perspective beyond that of a self-centered 20-something. I can understand that, to a degree -- some people don't mature emotionally or can never get formative events. But if Eileen +50 years can't bring anything new to the story, why did Moshfegh choose that narrative perspective? It becomes problematic and even a bit unwieldy for Moshfegh as she has Eileen make offhand comments about events in her post-narrative life (failed relationships and other difficulties) that did not seem to help her gain perspective. Instead of perspective, the reader gets tons of foreshadowing which reminds you repeatedly that something big is going to happen, just not right now. Unfortunately, by the time it happens, there's not a lot of surprises.
One of the struggles, I think, is the narrator's perspective. Eileen is telling this story 50 years after it happened, yet she seems to lack the ability to put it in any kind of perspective beyond that of a self-centered 20-something. I can understand that, to a degree -- some people don't mature emotionally or can never get formative events. But if Eileen +50 years can't bring anything new to the story, why did Moshfegh choose that narrative perspective? It becomes problematic and even a bit unwieldy for Moshfegh as she has Eileen make offhand comments about events in her post-narrative life (failed relationships and other difficulties) that did not seem to help her gain perspective. Instead of perspective, the reader gets tons of foreshadowing which reminds you repeatedly that something big is going to happen, just not right now. Unfortunately, by the time it happens, there's not a lot of surprises.
jasperkelley2015's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
ellenbeattie's review
dark
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
2.25
venusinlove's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
2.75
well, that was pretty boring and a waste of time. i feel like this book could have been written in 100 pages and it would have had the same effect on me. the build-up wasn't even worth it.
there was some pretty relatable stuff said by Eileen but then her behavior just straight-up ruined the image i have built in my head. i know that there is a charm in fucked up characters and i usually enjoy them a lot but Eileen was so dull and shallow.
as i've read other books by Moshfegh i can say that this one is not nearly as good as her other ones.
there was some pretty relatable stuff said by Eileen but then her behavior just straight-up ruined the image i have built in my head. i know that there is a charm in fucked up characters and i usually enjoy them a lot but Eileen was so dull and shallow.
as i've read other books by Moshfegh i can say that this one is not nearly as good as her other ones.