A review by furtherjoy
Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

Hard to rate this one because there are some hits but also some major misses. At some points I felt like I couldn’t put this down, but at other times I felt like I was just forcing myself to get to the next story. Moshfegh writes a good character, even if they’re unlikeable, and is great at storytelling, and that shines in stories like No Place for Good People, The Beach Boy, and A Better Place (very reminiscent of what I liked about Lapvona and MYORAR), where it still felt possible as a reader to root for the main character. Sometimes, however, it felt like there were no redeeming qualities for characters and no context to explain why they were the way they were, which just seemed lazy, and was really frustrating to read. Also, I love how Moshfegh isn’t afraid to get gross, but a lot here felt unnecessary and gross just for the sake of being gross. Could also do without the ableism and fatphobia.