Review by emmaemooney - My Year of Rest and Relaxation

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emmaemooney 's review for:

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

4.0

dark funny hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I liked the sort of philosophical/mythological quality of this character and her experiment, but also found her to be not fully formed. Like the majority of the time, I sensed that she was 100% committed to her drug addiction-bit, if you will, but then I would be surprised by a sprinkle of optimism that didn’t seem natural to her. Certainly, her positive outlook at the end did not feel like a realistic conclusion. But then again, she does feel like a mythic being and the story a cautionary tale of some kind, so in that sense I understand that the rules of reality don’t totally apply in this universe. Overall, certainly a thought provoking read. And I did love the spot on descriptions of clout-chasing artists and their ridiculous creative projects lol

Content Warnings