Review by perthalus - My Year of Rest and Relaxation

perthalus 's review for:

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

dark reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Depraved and depressed, the narrative follows a woman who lacks any sort of selflessness let alone self-awareness. There is often a relatable aspect to the actions of the main character, acting on awful and depressive thoughts you face when confronted with your own mind or past, such as choosing to sleep a year away to cleanse yourself of your life. This relatable aspect is what connected myself with the story on top of the curiosity that comes with the main character's life and choices, with there being plenty of depth to her ignorance and habits.

The main character is awful, which can cause you to contemplate why you're reading pages of the main character performing mundane actions, but those moments are what build up the immersion of the story. While I do believe it works for the story, the incredibly slow pace sometimes did make me question why I was still reading as the pattern of the story made it feel repetitive and sometimes predictable. Something I do love about the pattern of the story are the black holes placed in the narrative as it adds a lot to the overall tone of the book. Returning to the predictability, some lines not so subtly foreshadow certain events such as something that happens right at the end.

I don't feel as if this book is perfect, but the writing is absolutely incredible and darkly hypnotic, with certain lines of pessimism and bitterness standing out especially. The story even reminded me of the TV show Fleabag sometimes though it feels a little darker than that. I love the imagery used in context of the clothes and settings in the story, it all feels as though it ties everything together with an animal fur bow.

Content Warnings