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A review by talypollywaly
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
To user goo... your review lives rent free in my head now, thanks.
Other reviews saying "what the fuck did I just read" and "it was like watching a trainwreck" are absolutely correct, and it's exactly why this book is worth at least checking out.
Unlikeable characters and absurd plots are not to everyone's liking, and they usually aren't mine, but this book is my exception.
By the end of it, I had more complaints than praises, and yet I sat for six hours, unable to stop reading.
Moshfegh has a talent, that's undeniable, and her ability to write absurdist scenarios as well as soul-crushing lines goes hand-in-hand.
I'm glad the narrator isn't a real person, but there are aspects of her I've seen in friends and even in myself. We read literature to escape, to see other lives, to perhaps learn something. I'm relieved and satisfied with the ride this book took me on, just as I am confused as to what exactly kind of ride it was.
Other reviews saying "what the fuck did I just read" and "it was like watching a trainwreck" are absolutely correct, and it's exactly why this book is worth at least checking out.
Unlikeable characters and absurd plots are not to everyone's liking, and they usually aren't mine, but this book is my exception.
By the end of it, I had more complaints than praises, and yet I sat for six hours, unable to stop reading.
Moshfegh has a talent, that's undeniable, and her ability to write absurdist scenarios as well as soul-crushing lines goes hand-in-hand.
I'm glad the narrator isn't a real person, but there are aspects of her I've seen in friends and even in myself. We read literature to escape, to see other lives, to perhaps learn something. I'm relieved and satisfied with the ride this book took me on, just as I am confused as to what exactly kind of ride it was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Moderate: Death of parent and Emotional abuse
Minor: Abortion and Death