Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Suicide'
Il mio anno di riposo e oblio by Ottessa Moshfegh, Gioia Guerzoni
443 reviews
7juniormint's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Suicide
virgomoon9'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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Eating disorder, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Abortion, Addiction, Mental illness, and Terminal illness
sarabookverse's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
3.0
I would say this is a very silly and lazy way of showing how terrible the thing we call life is. Our protagonist chooses to hibernate for a full year in hopes of healing from the trauma of existing for 20 something years and annihilation 'herself' as she knows it. She wants to be a different person, a new person, a person that she is not disgusted by. She might sound relatable but she isn't a good person. With all the misery and suffering she carries in her heart and mind she still is a privileged narcissist bitch. And this is the story of her trying to sleep her way into a whole year without being conscious. Inspite of her insufferable character, I more than once found myself rooting for her.
The book is slow paced and not much happens in the story. It's just you[the reader] and painfully honest & unlikable protagonist (which stayed nameless btw). I wouldn't say I liked the book. But I would say I liked the idea of the book. What I liked the most is that it doesn't try to give anyone answers. It's just a scoop of life that doesn't really change when the book ends. However it is not easily forgettable. And my year of rest and relaxation will be a book that I remember whenever I think of sheer meaninglessness and harsh reality of life.
The book is slow paced and not much happens in the story. It's just you[the reader] and painfully honest & unlikable protagonist (which stayed nameless btw). I wouldn't say I liked the book. But I would say I liked the idea of the book. What I liked the most is that it doesn't try to give anyone answers. It's just a scoop of life that doesn't really change when the book ends. However it is not easily forgettable. And my year of rest and relaxation will be a book that I remember whenever I think of sheer meaninglessness and harsh reality of life.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Abortion, and Suicide
thaliaw's review against another edition
challenging
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
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Drug use, Terminal illness, Abortion, Suicide, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Grief, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Death of parent, Confinement, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death
hex_agon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Vomit, Body shaming, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Death of parent, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Suicide
Minor: Abortion
bookzplz's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-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
i have conflicted feelings about this book. it very accurately depicted that having a terrible doctor can rly impact how dealing with grief and mental illness evolves, and i was definitely a fan of how the main character was so deeply unlikeable. the last chunk with the artist and the sticky notes was kinda confusing but i guess it was supposed to be? the ending also felt very abrupt? it was very well written.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Abortion
Minor: Vomit
sp3llb00k's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
3.0
the last chapter makes up for the rest which i don't even really remember. i don't think it was funny like it's marketed as and it isn't really absurd in an interesting way, kinda just odd & not very good at being odd. anyway i still enjoyed. it was a fun & easy read for me but not as deep or comedic as i thought it would be. i did enjoy some concepts related to the human experience that were somewhat explored. i also enjoyed the writing style & moshfeghs ability to portray the main character so well & show her inner monologue / thought process. additionally, i didn't really get bored at any point during this book which i think is impressive when you're writing about sleeping for a whole year which can be seen as a repetitive & boring concept. 3 stars from me ! ౨ৎ
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Mental illness, and Eating disorder
Minor: Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Vomit, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Classism, Suicide, Alcohol, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Ableism
sorcha's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Terminal illness, Abortion, Cancer, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Infidelity, Grief, Excrement, and Suicide
cephala's review against another edition
dark
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Addiction
Moderate: Death of parent, Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicide, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Animal death, Cancer, Fatphobia, Mental illness, and Alcoholism
smacey's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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
5.0
*TW: suicide*
I also swear a bit, just a heads up.
Overall, I genuinely enjoyed My Year of Rest and Relaxation. I know a lot of those who have read this book and had a negative view of it tend to list the characters all being unlikeable as a main reason, but I personally loved focusing on unlikeable characters. I enjoy reading about the life of a truly selfish person who, if we're being honest about the main character, really doesn't contribute pretty much anything to society, especially with it coming from their own point of view. I like that even her one and only friend is an unlikeable person, obsessed with looks and status and reputation. I like that the one artist she meets and agrees to her plan is also an unlikeable person (because he agreed to her completely unhealthy, somewhat disturbing plan). It's kind of nice to read about awful people on occasion, but of course that's a personal preference.
That being said, I do think part of my positive reaction towards this book stems from the fact that I have a depression diagnosis, and at my absolute worst, my "depressive fantasy" (as I like to call it) was sleeping my life away. (*TW*) In my mind, it always felt like the perfect way to kill yourself without the commitment. Like, I could be dead for however long I was able to sleep. Like, the closest way I could get to a self-induced coma. It's like temporarily dying and bypassing the consequences of suicide for the people who know you... In that regard, I had this weird sort of connection to the main character. There have been times (way) in the past where I have cared so little about my life or just life in general that I don't think about other people and don't put any effort in towards living or being happy and just give up on everything, including feeling. I have this odd understanding of the way this character thought and behaved. If I hadn't gotten help when I did (GO SEE A THERAPIST AND/OR PSYCHIATRIST IF YOU NEED HELP AND HAVE THE RESOURCES, IT'S SO WORTH IT), I think I could have eventually spiraled to a point where I stooped to the main character's level: apathetic, bored, selfish, ignorant, numb, and reckless (granted, I was a teen and didn't have the privilege to sit in an apartment all day, have no job, and still afford rent (and also lived with my parents)) Thankfully, my life was able to move in the opposite direction and I am able to read something like this and feel grateful for my life now.
While I have a weird adoration for My Year of Rest, I do find that, in my opinion, it didn't add anything to hide the main character's name. I guess it didn't take away anything either - I don't think I would have benefitted from knowing her name if it had been included - but it didn't seem too significant for me. I get that it's kind of alluding to how anonymous and secluded she was, but it just didn't feel like it was necessary.
One other thing is that I wish the date of the book might have been more hidden or not so blatant? I don't remember if it's right away or not, but as soon as I knew the date and location (and especially once I found out Reva's work location), I knew what was going to happen. That being said, I enjoy how a major event like that was incorporated into a book rather than completely ignoring that it even happened. I just wish it had come as more of a surprise to me in the end, as I predicted it almost right away based on setting.
Along with the predictability of the ending, I don't like how quickly it felt like the main character got "better". While I am glad that Moshfegh ended the book on a note of hope and purpose, I wish there was more of a look into what happened between the end of her year and the moments that end the book. It feels like it gives off the impression that doing something like this could actually help someone??? When in reality the main character wasted an entire year of her life and doesn't seem to fully grasp how monumentally useless it was.
A couple last criticisms include the fact that it's fairly unrealistic to have a psychiatrist like Tuttle, at least to that degree of incompetence and negligence, which added to the character's privilege in getting exactly what she wanted. Also, I didn't like how often Moshfegh described the main character's and Reva's appearances, especially their body/weight. It felt very weird to keep bringing up the fact that the main character was beautiful no matter what she did and how obsessed Reva was with achieving the societal standard of beauty yet not achieving it and describing exactly what about her looks and body didn't meet that standard.
These criticisms are the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I really enjoyed Moshfegh's writing, and I am excited (albeit a little scared knowing the premises) to read some of her other works.
Sidenote: While I do not have a Tik Tok, I have been informed that there were many people on that platform praising this book as having "girl boss energy", as if the main character is a hero or someone to look up to? Which is just so beyond fucked up that this is something young girls aspire to do. What irritates me even more is that I didn't feel like it gave off the impression that this is something that anyone should ever do, but obviously that wasn't a universal feeling. PLEASE, please, please do not look up to the main character. Do not use her as inspiration to "girl boss" or whatever. This is an extremely bleak, depressing story with unlikeable, shitty characters; there is nothing in this book that should be replicated in real life.
Edit (1/12/2024): It's been 1.5 years since I read this book, and I literally still think about it all the time. My criticisms still stand, but this book means so much to me as an individual that I have to bump it up to 5 stars. It's not a perfect book, but what book is? I just have so many feelings about this story and hold it so close to me that I can't not rate it 5 stars. I love it, and it crosses my mind all the time, especially lately (I've been depressed lol).
I also swear a bit, just a heads up.
Overall, I genuinely enjoyed My Year of Rest and Relaxation. I know a lot of those who have read this book and had a negative view of it tend to list the characters all being unlikeable as a main reason, but I personally loved focusing on unlikeable characters. I enjoy reading about the life of a truly selfish person who, if we're being honest about the main character, really doesn't contribute pretty much anything to society, especially with it coming from their own point of view. I like that even her one and only friend is an unlikeable person, obsessed with looks and status and reputation. I like that the one artist she meets and agrees to her plan is also an unlikeable person (because he agreed to her completely unhealthy, somewhat disturbing plan). It's kind of nice to read about awful people on occasion, but of course that's a personal preference.
That being said, I do think part of my positive reaction towards this book stems from the fact that I have a depression diagnosis, and at my absolute worst, my "depressive fantasy" (as I like to call it) was sleeping my life away. (*TW*) In my mind, it always felt like the perfect way to kill yourself without the commitment. Like, I could be dead for however long I was able to sleep. Like, the closest way I could get to a self-induced coma. It's like temporarily dying and bypassing the consequences of suicide for the people who know you... In that regard, I had this weird sort of connection to the main character. There have been times (way) in the past where I have cared so little about my life or just life in general that I don't think about other people and don't put any effort in towards living or being happy and just give up on everything, including feeling. I have this odd understanding of the way this character thought and behaved. If I hadn't gotten help when I did (GO SEE A THERAPIST AND/OR PSYCHIATRIST IF YOU NEED HELP AND HAVE THE RESOURCES, IT'S SO WORTH IT), I think I could have eventually spiraled to a point where I stooped to the main character's level: apathetic, bored, selfish, ignorant, numb, and reckless (granted, I was a teen and didn't have the privilege to sit in an apartment all day, have no job, and still afford rent (and also lived with my parents)) Thankfully, my life was able to move in the opposite direction and I am able to read something like this and feel grateful for my life now.
While I have a weird adoration for My Year of Rest, I do find that, in my opinion, it didn't add anything to hide the main character's name. I guess it didn't take away anything either - I don't think I would have benefitted from knowing her name if it had been included - but it didn't seem too significant for me. I get that it's kind of alluding to how anonymous and secluded she was, but it just didn't feel like it was necessary.
One other thing is that I wish the date of the book might have been more hidden or not so blatant? I don't remember if it's right away or not, but as soon as I knew the date and location (and especially once I found out Reva's work location), I knew what was going to happen. That being said, I enjoy how a major event like that was incorporated into a book rather than completely ignoring that it even happened. I just wish it had come as more of a surprise to me in the end, as I predicted it almost right away based on setting.
Along with the predictability of the ending, I don't like how quickly it felt like the main character got "better". While I am glad that Moshfegh ended the book on a note of hope and purpose, I wish there was more of a look into what happened between the end of her year and the moments that end the book. It feels like it gives off the impression that doing something like this could actually help someone??? When in reality the main character wasted an entire year of her life and doesn't seem to fully grasp how monumentally useless it was.
A couple last criticisms include the fact that it's fairly unrealistic to have a psychiatrist like Tuttle, at least to that degree of incompetence and negligence, which added to the character's privilege in getting exactly what she wanted. Also, I didn't like how often Moshfegh described the main character's and Reva's appearances, especially their body/weight. It felt very weird to keep bringing up the fact that the main character was beautiful no matter what she did and how obsessed Reva was with achieving the societal standard of beauty yet not achieving it and describing exactly what about her looks and body didn't meet that standard.
These criticisms are the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I really enjoyed Moshfegh's writing, and I am excited (albeit a little scared knowing the premises) to read some of her other works.
Sidenote: While I do not have a Tik Tok, I have been informed that there were many people on that platform praising this book as having "girl boss energy", as if the main character is a hero or someone to look up to? Which is just so beyond fucked up that this is something young girls aspire to do. What irritates me even more is that I didn't feel like it gave off the impression that this is something that anyone should ever do, but obviously that wasn't a universal feeling. PLEASE, please, please do not look up to the main character. Do not use her as inspiration to "girl boss" or whatever. This is an extremely bleak, depressing story with unlikeable, shitty characters; there is nothing in this book that should be replicated in real life.
Edit (1/12/2024): It's been 1.5 years since I read this book, and I literally still think about it all the time. My criticisms still stand, but this book means so much to me as an individual that I have to bump it up to 5 stars. It's not a perfect book, but what book is? I just have so many feelings about this story and hold it so close to me that I can't not rate it 5 stars. I love it, and it crosses my mind all the time, especially lately (I've been depressed lol).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Death, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Body shaming, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Grief, Fatphobia, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, and Self harm
Minor: Suicide