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torritutu's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
2.0
I found myself more interested in the mystery of the missing dog than the overall mystery involving Magda.
wetsmoke's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars.
This book was very compelling, but the writing lacked the zing of her other stuff. I also wish that the point at the end could have been made in a different way. There is this very heart-wrenching part that feels a bit like sadness for sadness’s sake.
At the same time, though, there is so much to think about with this book, especially after the fact. It’s really enjoyable that there is so much there to wonder about.
This book was very compelling, but the writing lacked the zing of her other stuff. I also wish that the point at the end could have been made in a different way. There is this very heart-wrenching part that feels a bit like sadness for sadness’s sake.
At the same time, though, there is so much to think about with this book, especially after the fact. It’s really enjoyable that there is so much there to wonder about.
bethyk's review against another edition
2.0
great prose, but a little flat for my taste? i would blame it on the “plot”, but i’ve read other plot-less books and enjoyed them (GIANT virginia woolf fan over here). if you’re going to write an insane old lady, commit. write her to be off the walls. i mean, that’s what i’d personally want to see. it was a little too middle of the road, gaining (slight) momentum after the middle, and….i feel i’m being too brutal. i’ll try another book of hers; this was my first. it wasn’t bad, just not my favorite.
y0sh1's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
2.0
not for me. i love ottessa but this book was disappointing. i wish we would have found out what anything meant, lol. i enjoy metaphors and critical thinking, but this wasn’t what i was looking for.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
stitchcraft's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
3.5
ya_chitayu'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
2.5
I wanted to like it and just didn’t. The beginning was so glacially slow, and while act 2 started to show some promise with the blending of the imagined and the real world, act 3 just fell apart into something too surreal for me and I just didn’t take much away from it- I really didn’t get the point.
I did enjoy the slow building of Walter as a reprehensible husband.
On a final negative note, I literally had to double check what year it was published because the fatphobia/fat shaming in the novel was so unnecessary and felt like it came from the early 2000s. It was gross.
I did enjoy the slow building of Walter as a reprehensible husband.
On a final negative note, I literally had to double check what year it was published because the fatphobia/fat shaming in the novel was so unnecessary and felt like it came from the early 2000s. It was gross.
saragrayyy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
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
2.0
JUST FINISHED THIS AND IT IS NOT WORTH READING. Neurotic old woman kills her dog in an attempt to evade her own morality. genuinely beyond annoying character and flat plot line. Felt like I was spiralling while reading it, how awful. That being said it is so typical Moshfegh and I do really enjoy her writing, poetic style and general depravity. I’ve come to expect this feeling when reading her books, and in a way I crave this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
coppitz's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
vagariousmind's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
binnybeenreading's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
3.25
my first ottessa moshfegh and the prose was so striking that am i very interested in reading another of her novels. the narrator was horrendous (the classism literally made me start to tweak because i KNOW thats how some people out east think about where i’m from), but it sounds like that’s moshfegh’s brand.