A review by rosie_foulds
McGlue by Ottessa Moshfegh

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.