A review by pamshenanigans
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

challenging emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

A very palpable and distressing story about an unnamed protagonist who quite literally wants to sleep 24/7 for a whole year. While it may seem trite when summarized that way, actually reading it gives more context on why she was feeling this way. The book fives into her childhood experience and how she didn’t feel loved and nurtured by her parents and how this affected her future relationships with others and herself as she grows up. 

The writing was so descriptive yet written in a monotonic and stream-of-consciousness way that you’d also feel like you’re falling into a depressive hole as you read from the POV of the main character 
I didn’t particularly like being inside her head but I’m sure that’s how the author intended it, to evoke feelings from adults and young adults going through the same existential dread. 

One thing I liked about this book is that the main character recognizes the privilege she has to be able to rot in bed for a whole year without the consequence of having to hustle and pay the bills. 

Although an exploratory book about one’s existence (and the lack of drive to live), it didn’t really do much for me aside from the occasional reflection about my own life. 

Trigger warnings: depression, drug abuse, animal cruelty, abortion, sexual assault 
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