Scan barcode
_renee_'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Racism, Self harm, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Abortion, Abandonment, Addiction, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Xenophobia
jeremie'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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Confinement, Death of parent, Sexual content, Vomit, Addiction, Mental illness, Suicide, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Ableism, Abortion, Misogyny, and Racism
aliciachauhan_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Chronic illness
lisa00's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Confinement, Addiction, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, and Mental illness
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Death, Infidelity, and Misogyny
Minor: Suicide attempt
icarusandthesun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"I'm taking some time off. This is my year of rest and relaxation."
this book was fascinating. it was weird, crazy and strangely depressing. ottessa moshfegh did a great job describing depression and the urge to self-isolate and self-destruct for the sake of feeling nothing and, finally, for the sake of change.
the characters, as many other reviews already mentioned, are deeply, horrifically unlikeable, especially the narrator. but i believe that's the exact thing that creates the tension and impact in the first place. we aren't supposed to like the protagonist, aren't supposed to sympathize with her and feel sorry for what she's going through. if she was a genuinely good person, would the book still make us feel so empty and strange and grounded? no. we would be sad for her and pick up the messages my year of rest and relaxation portrays in a way that's pitiful and emotional. but the hard truth is that the narrator is a bad person and the things she's feeling are just as bad and broken.
"the unlikeable protagonist" just works in this story—no, makes it better even. because we can focus on the deep delusion and distortion the main character personifies, rather than feel bad and romanticize her situation. moshfegh also created an interesting set of side-characters that're as delusional as the narrator herself. there was not one sane person in this book, creating a sort of strange kaleidoscopic bubble we unconsciously learn to accept while reading.
rest and relaxation felt like a fever dream, i guess that sums it up. not sure whether i internalized any moral or learned anything new from this book except names of various drugs, but it was hella entertaining nevertheless.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Death, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, and Vomit
Minor: Pregnancy and Abortion
hnnh_bug'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
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Medical content, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Fatphobia, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Grief, Animal death, Addiction, Alcohol, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Gore, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Confinement, and Infidelity
Moderate: Abortion
kiana_hi'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
Graphic: Body shaming, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Pedophilia
thereadingwells'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
2.0
The two stars I did give it are for the fact that Moshfegh is a good enough writer in that she can write a book that’s readable - but this story is a collection of privileged whines that I wouldn’t recommend even cracking open if you’ve ever suffered from addiction or bulimia.
Graphic: Eating disorder, Abortion, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Addiction, Death of parent, Excrement, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Self harm, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
juli_rold's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Cancer, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Mental illness, Violence, Abortion, and Drug abuse
selmv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Vomit, Body shaming, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Suicide