Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

136 reviews

zoecitterman's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Alcohol, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Vomit, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Murder, Sexual violence, Stalking, Police brutality, Sexual content, and Torture

nyah_lou's review against another edition

dark 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Incest, Excrement, Death of parent, and Child abuse

whataliciaisreading's review against another edition

dark funny reflective 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

2.75

My third and least favourite Mosfegh novel. I usually really like character driven texts, but I found this quite repetitive and slow. The introduction of Rebecca piqued my interest but it slowly lost its pace again until the final action which I did enjoy but not enough to redeem the entire reading experience. Mosfegh’s writing style is as brilliant as ever but, in terms of story and character, it is clear that this novel predates MYORAR. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual violence

finnthehuman217's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

That shit was not what I was expecting!!!! The main character being a repressed queer woman is just so important bc Eileen’s obsession with stalking A guy who doesn’t even know she exists is insane!!!! And then she meets this woman who she realizes she is in love with. It’s beautiful but only until the woman she’s in love with is as crazy as her that she snaps out of her crazy and is like ohhh this is what crazy looks like 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body shaming, and Alcoholism

kellyisntcool's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Eileen, while deeply flawed, uncomfortable, and morally reprehensible has to be one of the more relatable protagonists of any novel I’ve read recently. Very honestly and carefully written.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, and Death

ellxnmcgrxth's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

2.5

The absolute misery of the protagonist's POV is very difficult to put up with considering not much else really happens. The ending is beautiful, but not beautiful enough to offset the bleakness of the rest of the book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Car accident, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Eating disorder, Death, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Alcoholism, Murder, Grief, Rape, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Incest, Violence, Mental illness, Hate crime, Confinement, Body shaming, and Alcohol

mreisen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

3.75

Major trigger warning for multiple types of abuse and addiction. Read if you like introspective character studies and enjoy a winding, convoluted, sometimes unclear plot.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Physical abuse, Excrement, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Cursing, Body horror, Body shaming, Addiction, Alcoholism, Vomit, Torture, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Incest, Homophobia, Gun violence, Grief, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Dementia, Death, Confinement, Chronic illness, Child abuse, and Car accident

unawake0442's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective 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

3.75

What an absolutely fascinating character study. This is actually my first read from Ottessa Moshfegh, whom I've heard can be divisive. I absolutely see that on display here. Eileen is not for everyone, but that's precisely where its power lies. It holds nothing back and is stronger for it.

Eileen is a repugnant little weirdo. She's disgusting inside and out. Showers are optional just judgment is not. Her views on sex and sexuality are the most interesting. Eileen is simultaneously obsessed with and disgusted by sex. Watching her thoughts unfurl is a curiosity. It feels voyeuristic thanks to the way Moshfegh lays things out so plainly because surely no one would ever say any of this out loud. It's so interesting sitting in Eileen's brain. She's clearly an unreliable narrator, but even still she does herself no favors.

Eileen is a bit of a slow burn, but if you're into more introspective character exploration, especially of darker characters, this is a great read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Sexual violence, and Child abuse

Moderate: Gun violence

Graphic descriptions of

a father raping his son and the mother helping.

carijacqueline's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Violence, Gun violence, Body shaming, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Abandonment

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. 

---

Content Warnings

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