Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - McGlue

McGlue is the third Ottessa Moshfegh book I’ve finished, the fifth including two DNFs (that I’ll most likely return to). The heart of the story is friendship and the human capacity to love, hate, and, in a way, make one’s own life. All over the backdrop of McGlue being accused of killing his best friend.

In all honesty, if this book had been any longer I don’t think I would have finished it. The story was intriguing but soured by the constant use of slurs. Moshfegh’s usual casts of characters don’t include many “likable” people, and while the choice of language was not surprising, the sheer quantity of it was nonetheless tiring.

McGlue plays back and forth through past and present smoothly, all the while the audience watching as McGlue doesn’t seem to understand what he is being accused of, unable (or perhaps subconsciously unwilling) to fathom the possibility of being responsible for the destruction of the one thing, other than alcohol, that he loves. An interesting journey to follow, I just wish it had hooked me more.

Content Warnings

emsxrenee's review against another edition

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dark 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

2.25

Content Warnings

oobimooski's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

professorbake's review against another edition

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dark emotional fast-paced

3.0

Content Warnings

angel_kiiss's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

3.0

This book is about 40 pages too long. And what I mean is the 40 pages where f*g is splattered across the page should have been heavily edited. Also, shoehorned racism and an unnecessary drop of the hard r n-word.

Moshfegh is a gifted writer, the last hundred pages reflect this, but I haven’t come across such an ‘edgy’ woman in a very long time. “Oh, she’s raw, she tells it like it is,” can happen without the flippant use of slurs.

Content Warnings

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