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A review by pratyush
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
dark
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Okay. So when I said I understood this book, at the same time I didn't understand it either. Yet I really, really loved it. I didn't know that I would enjoy such a book where literally nothing happens to the protagonist except that she just sleeps, sleeps and sleeps. This book is all about a woman who is severely depressed. So, she decides to medicate in order to renew herself and also hibernate for a year. And she basically sleeps and takes pills throughout the year.
**And then she went to a black room and got perspective** (chapter 4 - chef's kiss)
This book talks about death, depression and SLEEP, but it's not a sad book. Rather the dark humour and the clever usage of words makes it even more interesting. The concept is bizzare yet fascinating. The characters are funny, I'd say. Written in a stream of consciousness narrative, it adds to the flavour. Talking about the medication, then the dependency and the subsequent exploitation of pills has been perfectly portrayed here. The writing is unparalleled and, of course, same as the protagonist's mood. Such as in depression, at times there's so many things that are going on in your mind and other times its just a void and nothingness. And your mind just roam around those random things. The accurate selection of words at the specific places makes it even better. By portraying the protagonist as rich, I think it's a requirement for the story to convey the message. Because of that things get much more easier to the author's end. (Clever intend)
While talking about the fun part, there are a few shortcomings as well. First of all, it drags/repeats a little in the middle, as if it feels like the writer repeating things that happened before. The ending feels rushed and dull. It could have provided more substance between these sections. The relationships were ended on such terms which felt rushed. I'd love to read a slow and gradual process in that part.
Overall, I had a great time reading this book. I got quite similar vibes of Sally Rooney, in terms of her writing style and approach to the characters from this book (between Reva and the Protagonist and other characters), but I'd say this book had a better approach in terms of that style and quality. I'd easily pick this book over Rooney's.
I can feel this book is not for everyone since it has, literally, zero plot and has essentially no “turning point/ plot twist” or anything as such. This is just a book about a sad girl who is trying to understand life and get some perspective by living in a state of hibernation. With that being said, I'd say like to say that everyone needs a year of rest and relaxation in their lives at some point in time.
***Perfect book for a sad girl summer book trope***
**And then she went to a black room and got perspective** (chapter 4 - chef's kiss)
This book talks about death, depression and SLEEP, but it's not a sad book. Rather the dark humour and the clever usage of words makes it even more interesting. The concept is bizzare yet fascinating. The characters are funny, I'd say. Written in a stream of consciousness narrative, it adds to the flavour. Talking about the medication, then the dependency and the subsequent exploitation of pills has been perfectly portrayed here. The writing is unparalleled and, of course, same as the protagonist's mood. Such as in depression, at times there's so many things that are going on in your mind and other times its just a void and nothingness. And your mind just roam around those random things. The accurate selection of words at the specific places makes it even better. By portraying the protagonist as rich, I think it's a requirement for the story to convey the message. Because of that things get much more easier to the author's end. (Clever intend)
While talking about the fun part, there are a few shortcomings as well. First of all, it drags/repeats a little in the middle, as if it feels like the writer repeating things that happened before. The ending feels rushed and dull. It could have provided more substance between these sections. The relationships were ended on such terms which felt rushed. I'd love to read a slow and gradual process in that part.
Overall, I had a great time reading this book. I got quite similar vibes of Sally Rooney, in terms of her writing style and approach to the characters from this book (between Reva and the Protagonist and other characters), but I'd say this book had a better approach in terms of that style and quality. I'd easily pick this book over Rooney's.
I can feel this book is not for everyone since it has, literally, zero plot and has essentially no “turning point/ plot twist” or anything as such. This is just a book about a sad girl who is trying to understand life and get some perspective by living in a state of hibernation. With that being said, I'd say like to say that everyone needs a year of rest and relaxation in their lives at some point in time.
***Perfect book for a sad girl summer book trope***