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lesbegays 's review for:
My Year of Rest and Relaxation
by Ottessa Moshfegh
dark
funny
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this is one of the most relatable and accurate depictions of depression that i’ve ever come across. depression is ugly and disgusting and makes you a shitty friend. the narrator is not a likable person, but i did find myself loving her because of how intimately i understand her and how much of the worst parts of myself i see in her. i found myself both jealous that she is rich enough to actually do what i’ve dreamt about since i was 12 and dedicate all of her time to sleeping, and so grateful that i’m no longer in a place where i want to sleep for a year. just maybe a month. i’ve had this on my shelf for years and i’m so glad i waited until now to read it. both the narrator and i are 26, and i think this would have made me spiral if i was 23.
the writing style of this book is so hypnotic. every time i emerged from a reading session i felt disoriented, like i was waking up from a too-long, sweaty afternoon nap. i felt a little bit how i imagine the narrator felt in her waking hours. a lot of people describe the pace of this book as slow, and i guess that’s fair, but i flew through this. the combination of short, clipped sentences and excessive run-on sentences just pulled me along for the ride.
if you’ve ever felt like sleeping for a year would fix you but are currently in a better, more healed place, i highly recommend this.
the writing style of this book is so hypnotic. every time i emerged from a reading session i felt disoriented, like i was waking up from a too-long, sweaty afternoon nap. i felt a little bit how i imagine the narrator felt in her waking hours. a lot of people describe the pace of this book as slow, and i guess that’s fair, but i flew through this. the combination of short, clipped sentences and excessive run-on sentences just pulled me along for the ride.
if you’ve ever felt like sleeping for a year would fix you but are currently in a better, more healed place, i highly recommend this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Infidelity, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Pregnancy