Reviews tagging 'Incest'

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

211 reviews

hdelisle's review against another edition

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

2.0

 Like all of Moshfegh’s characters, Eileen is gross and overall unlikeable. Some of the detestable thoughts that she had regarding others she thought that these were normal thoughts or at least nothing that should prompt worry. The first 72% of the novel was very slow where Moshfegh takes the time to get the reader fully understand what Eileen’s motivations were. Because of this I found the majority of the book kind of boring. Eileen, as a character, did not interest me all that much. Other than being kind of gross she never extracted any greater emotion than being a bit repulsed. However, this I could overlook if the climax of the story was worth it. While the story definitely picked up and became more gripping in the last 20-25% of the novel I did not think that the climax was worth the first 72% of the novel. I have had trouble with a few of Moshfegh’s other novels and I just do not think that her writing/novels are for me. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

lameura's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

olive_lol's review against another edition

dark 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

This novel's setting over the Christmas season creates a uniquely lonely atmosphere. Each scene is packed with description of often mundane things, which, for me, at least, got old after about a hundred pages. Some topics, like alcoholism and child abuse, are explored deeply through multiple characters who experience them.

This novel obviously makes you uncomfortable and grossed out on purpose, but I honestly don't think the story benefits much from that. Most of the sensetive or gross topics feel like they were only included for shock and contributed little to any wider commentary. However, some topics are very well-explored, just not most of those included. That said, make sure you check the content warnings for this book.

Nothing much in the plot happens until about the last third; most of the book leading up to that point is a mix of anecdotes, atmosphere, and gross-out description. For most of the first third, I was really considering picking up another book instead because so little was happening or felt significant. It did create a nice payoff when, in the last third, things started happening, but that didn't outweigh the slowness of the beginning and middle for me.

This book really wasn't for me. It had some merits, like strong descriptions and atmosphere. However, I couldn't look past the overly slow pacing and the overuse of some sensetive topics seemingly for shock.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Excrement, Kidnapping, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Car accident, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

danibrand's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

4.0

This is a wonderful book for the highly introspective, off-kilter thinker. If you’ve ever doubted yourself or your place in this world, Eileen will allow you to openly reassess your own shortcomings as potential escape routes while you read along with hers. Growth is inevitable.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Rape, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Murder, and Alcohol

pages_turned's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

** Some spoilers below **

Atmospheric — that’s the best way to describe this book. 

The narration is confessional. Eileen’s account veers between startling self-awareness (this insight comes in hindsight — young Eileen is naive, easily manipulated, desperate and ashamed) and questionable memory. 

The reader is dragged alongside Eileen in the beginning half of the book. You exist in her dreary life. You stumble alongside her in drunken desperation, sit with her in her filth, and wince at her bald insecurity. 

But the “dark and glittering” world beyond her front door — covered in an unforgiving and unrelenting blanket of snow — is this expectant presence throughout the book. You’re just waiting to find out what forces Eileen out into the cold that final time. 

** Spoiler alert ** 

The twist on p222 was delightful. This moments catapults the reader from Eileen’s stagnant life of self-delusion. 

The deer at the end is the sign of rebirth. Stags shed their antlers every year and they grow back.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Excrement, and Vomit

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

cottagecore_librarian's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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

4.0

I am in shock from this book. I read it in an hour and could not put it down. I am not sure I like it as much as Mosfegh’s other works but I enjoy a good thriller. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Incest, Rape, and Vomit

carlytenille's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Incest, Pedophilia, Terminal illness, Vomit, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

fandomsandfiction's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, and Car accident

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Rape

sofiam19's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A bit boring, skillfully written, gross main character, the ending was flat. It was whatever. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Blood, and Alcohol

Moderate: Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Vomit

sophiafrances_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-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

3.75

I love the way moshfegh writes characters, with their empathy so deeply repressed. I just wished the real gripping plot would have kicked in a little sooner. I just felt uninvested by the time is did

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship