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A review by janwe
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
funny
informative
fast-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
2.5⭐
Just meh... This is another example for "did not meet my high expectations"... The book is always described as "desturbing" and "weird" ... And the whole premise of the book really does seem desturbing and weirdn... This whole notion of deliberate alienation from society and especially from oneself... BUT!... Apart from a handful of sections, I felt the story is rather telling than showing - I wanted to SEE and FEEL vicariously the disorientation and confusion and other side effects caused to excessive use of medical prescription drugs - AND I WISHED that also the writing style would also change accordingly to the mental state i. e. that, the writing style would REFLECT the mental state - But it just didn't - AGAIN... TELLING NOT SHOWING... There were some scenes that would go a bit deeper. But most of the time it was like reading a list of the side effects...
I think there were a lot of missed opportunities. I thought some scenes regarding the mother-daughter relationship were interesting - also the notion of generational trauma and the discussion around genetics and psychological and mental disorders - but, unfortunately the book does not really comment on it.
I also "enjoyed" the "art process/experiment" at the end of the novel. Unfortunately, it felt as if it was just pushed into it to make the book more interesting(?) - but, like the mother-daughter relationship it just threw another discussion point of depression (thus, the "romantisation" of depression in art) in the room, without really doing anything with it.
So... Yeah... I am a bit disappointed. I think the premise of the book is weird and disturbing - unfortunately the execution is neither, really...
Just meh... This is another example for "did not meet my high expectations"... The book is always described as "desturbing" and "weird" ... And the whole premise of the book really does seem desturbing and weirdn... This whole notion of deliberate alienation from society and especially from oneself... BUT!... Apart from a handful of sections, I felt the story is rather telling than showing - I wanted to SEE and FEEL vicariously the disorientation and confusion and other side effects caused to excessive use of medical prescription drugs - AND I WISHED that also the writing style would also change accordingly to the mental state i. e. that, the writing style would REFLECT the mental state - But it just didn't - AGAIN... TELLING NOT SHOWING... There were some scenes that would go a bit deeper. But most of the time it was like reading a list of the side effects...
I think there were a lot of missed opportunities. I thought some scenes regarding the mother-daughter relationship were interesting - also the notion of generational trauma and the discussion around genetics and psychological and mental disorders - but, unfortunately the book does not really comment on it.
I also "enjoyed" the "art process/experiment" at the end of the novel. Unfortunately, it felt as if it was just pushed into it to make the book more interesting(?) - but, like the mother-daughter relationship it just threw another discussion point of depression (thus, the "romantisation" of depression in art) in the room, without really doing anything with it.
So... Yeah... I am a bit disappointed. I think the premise of the book is weird and disturbing - unfortunately the execution is neither, really...