Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Il mio anno di riposo e oblio by Ottessa Moshfegh, Gioia Guerzoni

23 reviews

kt2e56's review against another edition

dark fast-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

2.0

Ugh. First of all, it’s not hard to “get” what’s happening with this book. Just like American Psycho, which this book reminded me of quite a bit, My Year of Rest & Relaxation is unbelievably shallow. So me not liking it doesn’t mean it went over my head. I just didn’t like the book.

I know the author has been on a crusade about how it’s sexist to not like a book with unlikable female characters but it’s not that I don’t like books about unlikable women, I like well-written books about unlikable women. The nameless main character is boring. She just is. She’s racist and nasty and cruel but above all, just so fucking boring. And the author is boring. We get it: somehow despite not showering for weeks, having crusted up eyes, toothpaste all over her face, and god knows what else…everyone is bending over backwards to let the main character know that she’s still just so beautiful and perfect and nobody could ever be thinner or prettier. My god. Find something less cliche.

What was I’m assuming supposed to be some big shocking reveal at the end about Reva dying in 9/11, I literally predicted when I was 22% of the way into the book. So not really that shocking. Just another cliched attempt at controversy.

I did give this one whole extra star for the spot on critiques about the art world. I thought that was genuinely funny and satirical. Ditto for the author’s description of Long Island (I live one town over from Farmingdale in Massapequa. Lol.) which I found pretty funny. Otherwise? Meh. I don’t take Infermiterol but I’m sure I’ll forget this book in three days.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Confinement, Animal cruelty, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Self harm, Mental illness, Grief, Body shaming, Body horror, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, and Excrement

jo_lzr's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Mental illness, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Excrement

Minor: Abortion and Racism

catrionamayj's review against another edition

challenging dark funny reflective 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Grief, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Drug use, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Excrement, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Vomit, Abortion, and Eating disorder

aliciachauhan_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Chronic illness

phatchopstix's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

always interesting to see into the mind of a substance abuser, which the main characters definitely is. 

she is also unlikeable but you still find yourself becoming attached to her despite her infuriating personality. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Classism, Body shaming, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, and Rape

Moderate: Body horror, Eating disorder, Cursing, Cancer, and Child abuse

hallie3's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Death, Death of parent, Body horror, and Drug abuse

Minor: Eating disorder

embre's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Body horror, Chronic illness, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Eating disorder, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Confinement and Racism

Minor: Abortion and Animal death

tabear's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Body horror, Death of parent, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexual content, and Vomit

Moderate: Abortion

hreads03's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Cursing and Panic attacks/disorders

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Infertility, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Abortion, Pregnancy, Animal death, and Animal cruelty