Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

27 reviews

parkersseven's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.75

 I feel like it took a while for the book to pick up. I liked that we get to read Eileen’s thought process, but the ending was sort of a letdown. I wanted to know what happened to Rebecca and how exactly Eileen started her new life. I think the ending is perfect for people who don’t like the stories they read to go into a detailed explained ending, but for someone like me who likes to be told in depth how everything ends…it was not the ending for me. Overall though I genuinely did enjoy reading this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Alcoholism, Self harm, and Eating disorder

Minor: Fatphobia, Vomit, Violence, and Stalking

hlb2023's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Dysphoria, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Self harm, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Fatphobia, Grief, Incest, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Misogyny, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Mental illness, Child abuse, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Gun violence, and Homophobia

catfan84's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

This is my favorite book of all time. It’s genuinely so well written and I love it so much I 100% reccomend it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Addiction, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Self harm, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Rape, Violence, Child abuse, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death of parent, Animal death, and Medical content

madamelacy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Pedophilia, Medical content, Gaslighting, Murder, Incest, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Self harm

kelleykamanda's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.5

Incredibly “Moshfegh”- a unlikeable, grotesque, unhinged woman. Great writing. The story was a bit slow but nonetheless carried me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Rape, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Dysphoria, Self harm, Fatphobia, and Physical abuse

Minor: Excrement

Rape of a minor by a parent

katieladd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship and Sexual assault

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Self harm

ardour's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective tense 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

5.0

i legit felt reborn as the novel ended

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Addiction, Eating disorder, Police brutality, Murder, Misogyny, Death, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Fatphobia, Rape, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Incest, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Vomit, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Self harm

Moderate: Body horror, Grief, Confinement, Gore, Antisemitism, Lesbophobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Animal death and Blood

Extra content warning for the existential dread that’s portrayed for the most part of the novel (I’m thinking of others with existential OCD like me)—HOWEVER important to note that everything changes for Eileen at a certain point in the book and she undergoes a paradigm shift where one (seemingly insignificant thing) makes her realise that her life can have meaning. I found it SUPER cathartic in this way so I’m glad I kept going even though up until then her existential angst was hard to read. ~~~ Why there’s so many TWs - read to get a more accurate perspective on whether it’s the kind of book for you (spoiler free): This book is written from the perspective of Eileen writing about her young adulthood—as an elderly person. A lot of her dark thoughts & xenophobia come from the time when she grew up and the lack of love/care she received as a child. In this way I found it somewhat easier to suspend my reaction to some of the awful things she said. Additionally, Eileen, at the age she is writing the story, wants to portray what kind of person she was back then—warts and all—without trying to distract from what she feels are negative & toxic traits by inspiring sympathy. In this way it’s aggressively honest and Eileen doesn’t want to shield her past self from the judgement she feels she deserves.

amareenicole11's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Very fast read. The prose was excellent. Very twisted and dark and gruesome. The details and imagery was excellently written and you could picture every event clearly. 
I give this a lower rating strictly because I feel as if the story didn't really start until the end. And the end felt very rushed. There was so many things that I felt could have been explained more. I was disappointed that the storyline I got into didn't have any explanation and ended so abruptly. The introduction of some characters didn't make any sense and the plot kind of just fizzled out. 
Though the ending let me down, I still have to admit this book is insanely unique and gives a heavy message about family relationships and self depreciation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Alcoholism, and Gun violence

caitlinderocker's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Racism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Sexual violence, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Excrement, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Rape, and Sexual assault

taylorroseship's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Incest, Rape, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment