Reviews

McGlue by Ottessa Moshfegh

rosie_foulds's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

3.5

McGlue is an incredibly strange and disgusting story chronicling the journey of an unreliable and morally corrupt narrator who grapples with the murder of his best friend. Following alternating timelines that blur recollection, hallucination, and psychological decline, this short novella packs a punch. This is definitely one of the weirdest of Moshfegh’s work, transporting readers into Salem Massachusetts in 1851 with their only ‘compass’ being a drunk sailor accused of murder. The book explores truth, fragmented memory, alcohol-induced confusion, and friendship in a convoluted plot line traced with ambiguities, glaring gaps, and lingering questions. Through grotesque language, gore, and absurdity, we get a glimpse into the complex relationship between two men that ultimately leads to both of their downfalls. 

I’m not sure whether this is a book I need to revisit, but it was a really interesting read and extension of a genre I know and love.

patpnglnn's review against another edition

3.25

fight club but with gay pirates

littlemsjulia's review against another edition

3.0

strangely sick little novella about desire

meeksmidnightlibrary's review against another edition

challenging dark tense 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? Yes

mecmccann's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

3.75

emberwisp's review against another edition

dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and Racial slurs

poopierobroby's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

2.5

neiman's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.25

timgrubbs's review against another edition

3.0

How drunk do you have to be to not remember your name? Or that you may have killed a man?

McGlue by Ottessa Moshfegh is a nonlinear mystery about a foul speaking sailor man who may or may not have killed his best friend…but if he did then he was drunk and if he didn’t then it was because his friend couldn’t hold his liquor…

McGlue is the most unreliable of narrators when he wakes up in a boat docked in Zanzibar and is told his possible crime…

What follows is a tale of bad memory (if any are true memories and not just talk fish takes many sailors tell eachother) and crude prosecution for an alleged crime…

You’ll have no time guideposts on this journey…only locations…as you analyze what is in the past and present and what order it comes in…and if it even happened at all…

Warning for some rather ribald language…the king you would expect of a 19th century sailor (so sea shanties sadly…though they come close a few times)…

shopgiri's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.25

The audiobook is really good, but I wish I read words alongside it because I think it would make me feel less lost