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A review by caroisreading
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
dark
reflective
sad
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
3.5
This book is framed as dark comedy, but I would say it's absurd realism, if that's even a thing. It's the most beautiful, perfect piece of writing about the most mundane, depressing plot and set of characters.
I can see how purposefully crafted our narrator is -- a blonde, waify model-type with endless funds, apathetic to her loveless family and relationship. She is the beautiful container of everything nasty and mean, addicted to cocktails of prescribed pills. She seethes with hatred any time she encounters her only friend.
This is a sweeping commentary on millennial absurdities, meaningless lives, isolation from society, sexism, pharmaceuticals and other synthetic relief. The desire to be seen, even in insanity.
You'll like this is you want something trippy, dark, that takes you out of your own self-pity and hatred just by comparison.
I can see how purposefully crafted our narrator is -- a blonde, waify model-type with endless funds, apathetic to her loveless family and relationship. She is the beautiful container of everything nasty and mean, addicted to cocktails of prescribed pills. She seethes with hatred any time she encounters her only friend.
This is a sweeping commentary on millennial absurdities, meaningless lives, isolation from society, sexism, pharmaceuticals and other synthetic relief. The desire to be seen, even in insanity.
You'll like this is you want something trippy, dark, that takes you out of your own self-pity and hatred just by comparison.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Vomit, Confinement, Cancer, Abortion, Alcoholism, and Toxic friendship