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

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was a strange pivot from my usual reads. I'm not usually one for unlikeable main characters, though I do enjoy the perspective of a strong woman, this was most certainly the opposite. This book follows a young woman cocooning herself in order to heal, originating from a 19th century treatment referred to as the rest cure. It was simply visceral, raw and sepulchral. I felt conflicted, alternating between sympathising with her and despising her. The tone of the book perfectly encapsulates the unstable mind we are peering into.
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