Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

39 reviews

lauralintunen's review against another edition

dark funny medium-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Death of parent, Cancer, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, and Grief

Moderate: Vomit, Sexual content, Fatphobia, and Sexism

Minor: Antisemitism, Confinement, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Islamophobia, Suicide, Racism, Abortion, and Pregnancy

puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition

dark reflective tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Fatphobia, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Racism, Classism, Vomit, Addiction, Grief, Alcohol, Body shaming, Death, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Ableism, Excrement, Antisemitism, and Abortion

vabraham'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? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I think my favorite book of all time. I haven’t read a satire this good, especially criticizing whiteness and elitism, in a long time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Drug abuse, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Body shaming, Antisemitism, Alcoholism, Grief, and Classism

phantompansy's review against another edition

dark hopeful sad 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Medical content, Addiction, Drug use, and Mental illness

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Cancer, and Cursing

Minor: Confinement, Antisemitism, Vomit, Abortion, and Adult/minor relationship

sadiaa's review against another edition

dark relaxing

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Grief, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Confinement, War, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Classism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Alcohol, and Cancer

behindherpages's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcohol, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cancer, Abortion, Chronic illness, and Death

spooderman's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Death, Vomit, Animal death, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Mental illness, Abandonment, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Gaslighting, and Grief

Moderate: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Xenophobia, and Lesbophobia

Minor: War, Racism, Cursing, Abortion, Miscarriage, Classism, Confinement, Medical trauma, Islamophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Medical content

chilicrispy's review

2.75

I would sincerely like a review with quotes from someone who loved this book. Maybe I have just had enough white nonsense in my life. But this book really did not deliver form me. I wish we dug more into the main characters' relationships so we could understand her decision for her year of rest and relaxation. The concept of sleeping for a year is interesting but the delivery was lacking. 

The character was antisemitism, fatphobic, and made SA, jokes. It was extremely off putting and didn't serve a purpose (aka lead to personal growth or comment on larger world issues). I understand Moshfeg is trying to write a complicated character that is the antithesis to what we think a woman should be, but it isn't necessarily a skill to make some one despicable. The character was pretty one note which seems like the opposite of the authors intentions. Perhaps I wasn't big brain enough, but I think there are better books about female introspection. Definitely check the content warnings. 

On the pro side it was a cool concept, the writing style was snappy and did a good job of putting you in her world (sometimes to the reader's discomfort). There were some clever funny moments that I appreciated. It is clear Moshfeg is a very talented writer! I don't think her genre of books is necessarily for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Classism, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Grief, Drug use, and Eating disorder

jasperw's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

3.0

Reading a lot of reviews people seem to not like this book because of the narrator and how unlikeable she is. Having read a description of this book before going into it where it was described that this book explored topics of loneliness and such from a character who is privileged in all ways, I expected to not like her. That part *mostly* didn't bother me (there were times when the book just got a bit slow and I needed a break). This book is supposed to make you cringe and grimace and hate. I believe that was the goal of Moshfegh's writing, and she does it well. I think this book just didn't strike a big landing with me. Maybe sometime in the future I will read this again and reflect on the different place I am in life than reading it now. 

Overall I don't regret reading it, I just also don't know if I love that I've read it... but it was interesting. And it made me think - for good and for bad - and I appreciate that in a book. 

I will definitly check out more from Moshfegh as an author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Drug use

Minor: Antisemitism and Racism

lipstickitotheman's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

This is a really really well written book--I just didn't have a great time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Addiction, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Medical content, Drug use, Antisemitism, Body horror, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Vomit, Classism, Death of parent, and Grief

Minor: Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Blood, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Alcoholism