Reviews - O Meu Nome Era Eileen

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11k reviews for:

O Meu Nome Era Eileen

Ottessa Moshfegh

3.57 AVERAGE

hpaschke's review against another edition

3.0

so gross and boring EDIT: Ok i finished it this time. got good at the end 🔪🔪

sarahmatthews's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

Read in Braille

Jonathan Cape

pub. 2016, 264pp

___

This book wasn’t on my radar but it popped up on a braille book swap email list and I knew it was well respected, having been shortlisted for The Booker Prize and then being adapted into a movie, so I gave it a go.

I’ve only ever attempted one Moshfegh work, a short story called The Comedian, on The New Yorker podcast which I couldn’t finish as their was a blind character that was written in such a pitying way I was turned right off. From that I knew Eileen would likely be a challenging read, which it certainly was!

It took me quite a while to get into this story, set in an anonymous U.S. town, referred to as “X-ville”, and what kept my attention was the skilful writing. There were so many little nuggets of information that were seemingly out of place and many false starts to Eileen’s escape from her small town existence, that I was intrigued.

This novel is about 24 year old Eileen Dunlop, who lives with her alcoholic ex-cop father in a comfortable part of town, though their home is shabby and neglected.

Eileen’s had a run of bad luck, having escaped to college only to be called back to the house to nurse her dying mother. She takes an admin job to tide her over in a correctional facility for young boys and gets stuck in a rut.

The narrative is told from the point of view of Eileen as an old woman looking back to the early 1960s which means time shifts as memories surface and then recede. I enjoyed this style of writing but found the first part of the book almost relentlessly bleak (If you’re squeamish about bodily functions this book might not be for you!) and questioned whether to continue. I’m glad I did as the book ends very strongly. I won’t say any more about the plot as this is one of those books which slowly builds and it’s best to just go along for the ride knowing as little as possible!

It surprised me that I started rooting for such a frustrating, unlikeable and self-loathing character who I really couldn’t relate to, but somehow Eileen got under my skin.

madziorinio's review against another edition

4.5

dark funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

01abparsons's review against another edition

3.5

It was a bit weird, but not as weird as I was hoping. The characters are unlikable (but they're not goid people, so that completely checks out.) It was well written, but it was missing something. Not sure what, but i was not completely sold on it. I'd recommend it to people who like weird fuction, though.

angaha's review against another edition

2.0

challenging dark sad 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

ennuienjoyer's review against another edition

4.0

in retrospect, my impression on this book has lessened so im lowering my rating to 4★. but this character will haunt me forever and while i can’t imagine eileen as a movie, my gay side is so excited to see anne hathaway as rebecca saint. john ❤︎