A review by gardenofroses
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 This was my first Ottessa Moshfegh read and I was so excited to finally read one of her novels. This was one of my most anticipated book releases of the year and it did not disappoint.

It was definitely a lot more gruesome than I was expecting but after I got over the initial shock I was able to keep reading. I understand that this kind of book may not be for everyone so if you’re thinking of reading this book please check the trigger warnings.

This book centers around the medieval town of Lapvona which is controlled by a fiefdom. Because it focuses on a whole town there is a wide range of unique characters that we focus on. There’s Marek who is a disabled 13-year-old, his dad Jude who cares for lambs, Ina the witch that lives on the outskirts of town, Villiam, the Lord controlling the town and so many more.

There were many themes within the book but the one that interested me the most was the relationship that each character had with their god. They all had very different ideas of what their god represented and what he expected of their devotion to him, whether that be self-flagellation, starvation/restriction, pain, hard work, etc. A lot of the time it was these beliefs that led them to make some horrific decisions. Ottessa does not shy away from the grotesque or from exploring the depraved parts of humanity. She consistently put these characters into situations that just kept getting worse and worse. I was at the edge of my seat half the time because I was so scared of what the characters would do next, that I didn’t trust any of them.

I definitely want to reread this again sometime in the fall or winter just so that I can fully examine all the different cast of characters. Especially Ina, the witch, and her relationship with the town, because I feel like the first time around, I was so surprised by all the gruesome details that I didn’t get to focus on the characters as much as I wanted to.

Also, when I was reading this it was playing in my head like a movie directed by Ari Aster. It gave those same sinister vibes you get with Midsommar and Hereditary.

 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings