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A review by laurenrussell
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this is definitely the most bizarre book i’ve ever read but oddly enough it’s one of the most comforting. i too want to be unconscious 24/7/365. while the whole background of the narrator is quite sad, i did think this book was funny—both in the writing and also the concept of the book as a whole. her sleeping for 3 days straight and repeating for 120 days is an insane idea to run with as a writer, but i think it was executed perfectly. i think it’s dumb that people get mad that the narrator is selfish and privileged or whatever. that’s the whole point of depression—you’re a selfish ass. u don’t have to love characters of a book and she literally recognizes she’s privileged and states she would never throw away her opportunities so like what are these people pressed about ?? im not denying that she was shitty person and friend because she most definitely was lol and no one should strive to be like her.
anyway i loved the writing i’m not sure how to describe it but it was lovely. i feel like the narrator was floating and could just drift away at any moment (i honestly thought she would die at any given time). i liked the darkness of it, the humor blah blah blah it was realistic as life can be and i can see why people might hate that but personally i love it. i liked the contrast between reva and the narrator but let me say—i HATED reva !!!!! if there’s one thing this book taught me it’s that i do not ever want to be a reva. i would rather hibernate and be drugged for a year than fall into the wellness and girlboss schemes reva tortured herself with. people complain about the middle being boring but to me that signifies life—we’re just drifting with the narrator through her dismal and uneventful life of course it’s going to be boring.
lastly, i loved the ending and very clear shift in writing/narrator personality. i loved the narrator, and i found myself happy she could have some peace in the end.
anyway i loved the writing i’m not sure how to describe it but it was lovely. i feel like the narrator was floating and could just drift away at any moment (i honestly thought she would die at any given time). i liked the darkness of it, the humor blah blah blah it was realistic as life can be and i can see why people might hate that but personally i love it. i liked the contrast between reva and the narrator but let me say—i HATED reva !!!!! if there’s one thing this book taught me it’s that i do not ever want to be a reva. i would rather hibernate and be drugged for a year than fall into the wellness and girlboss schemes reva tortured herself with. people complain about the middle being boring but to me that signifies life—we’re just drifting with the narrator through her dismal and uneventful life of course it’s going to be boring.
lastly, i loved the ending and very clear shift in writing/narrator personality. i loved the narrator, and i found myself happy she could have some peace in the end.