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

challenging reflective slow-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

3.25

I appreciated the in-depth examination of depression and how it can affect people. Even the main character, a wealthy, beautiful and privileged woman, can be a victim of depression. The story had no plot or structure, which was a clear representation of how depression can make our story go around in circles, never leading anywhere. 
However, I felt this book was striving to be overly clever. I felt frustrated throughout that there was so little substance and I cannot tell you much of what occurred in this book other than the shock factor scenes that felt imbalanced to the rest of the book. 
The characterisation of the female lead was interesting as well as I felt both pity for her but angry at her. But as the book went on, I liked her less and less. I felt the ending was supposed to make me feel happy for her development but I felt that I was an inaccurate portrait of battling mental illness for most people. But then again are we meant to relate to a stunning, rich, privileged, orphaned woman who lives in New York?
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