Reviews tagging 'Death'

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

463 reviews

annanas's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-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

I'm glad I've read this, but I didn't exactly enjoy most of it. The protagonist was very hard to like and to root for. But I guess that was the point. For some reason I enjoyed the last part the most.

However, I don't know how I feel about her plan to sleep and her heavy drug use actually ended up being beneficial to her in the end. Maybe allowing herself to rest was what she actually needed, but overall I was just worried about her going through withdrawl and needing to go to hospital, but that never happened. Then It hurt how badly she treated her friend and how she didn't seem to even like her. Her friend clearly was codependent with her own issues, but it still wasn't nice to for example throw the Christmas card, where Reva expressed her gratitude to her as a friend, in the trash. And in the end she seemed to want Reva back in her life again as soon as Reva had become more independent and more content with her life. Then  all of a sudden she wasn't annoyed with her anymore and she told her that she loved her. It was sweet but it just annoyed me that she couldn't have figured that out sooner. I also didn't like the way she judged her ex's new partner's son who was autistic. As an autistic person myself I was very hurt by that and I almost didn't want to finish the book after that.

In conclusion I liked a lof of it, and I also didn't like some parts. Mostly because I wasn't prepared for how dark and sad the entire book was going to be. But I'm very curious to hear other people's interpretations of the book since I do think that there are a lot of interesting things to discuss about it. And I think Ottessa Moshfegh's writing was often beautiful and I enjoyed  how she portrayed the early 2000's. 

For example how heartbroken I felt after Reva was excited about starting a new job in the Twin Towers in early 2001, because I instantly knew she was probably going to die. That was just so sad, but aslo a very effective way to pull at my heartstrings since I probably cared more about Reva than the actual protagonist.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Grief

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Ableism

chickaboogawah's review against another edition

dark 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

0.25

This book was horrible. The end epiphany that I expected didn't happen. The main character was still unlikeable. It was predictable and dumb. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Grief, Infertility, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Vomit, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Drug use, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cancer, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

kirkspockreads's review against another edition

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Grief, Drug use, Fatphobia, Drug abuse, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Sexual assault, and Racism

Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, and Abortion

leafy_literature's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

1.5

What was the point of this book? What was the plot? The main character is a horrible person with no redeeming qualities. Her friend tried so hard, just to always get crapped on. Don't waste your time.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Self harm, Mental illness, Cancer, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Death of parent, Drug use, Fatphobia, Suicide, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Addiction, Bullying, Grief, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, and Medical content

karalynaa's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad 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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Self harm, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Abortion, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Misogyny, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Death, and Death of parent

pinkfreud1's review against another edition

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

4.75

I dont think this book is for everyone, but I do think it is a very well written, dark comedy about how one copes with the unfuilfilling life one lives. The character is very self-aware, and I enjoyed reading about her, and her year of rest and relaxation.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder

Moderate: Death

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

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

---

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

ekclar'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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Death, Drug use, Animal cruelty, and Death of parent

Moderate: Eating disorder

potatereader's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad fast-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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Eating disorder, Drug use, Addiction, Cancer, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Vomit, Mental illness, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Grief, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death of parent, Infidelity, Addiction, Cancer, Self harm, and Sexual assault

katesant's review against another edition

dark 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Death of parent