A review by sausome
Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

3/5 stars -- This book was ... weird, disgusting, otherworldly, surreal? I have so much trouble pinpointing what this was about, aside from absurdist fragile masculinity and absurdist fragile blind faith and ignorance. And these things were so blindingly clear that it makes me think that can't be it, but maybe it can? The whole thing was an absurdist faux-historical kind of Medieval period kingdom-type story about a town subject to the cruelty and whims of an insane Lord in a castle up the hill who controls food, water, and rampages by paid thieves/killers. Ina the witch was perhaps the most clear-headed and wily of them all. I found myself wincing over and over at the various scenes of cruelty and grossness and unfairness, but it's not much different from our own society, if you really examine the tenets of religion some live by and yet still commit atrocities to children, society, control of women and our bodies, etc. I can't say this was an enjoyable book in any way, but my mind is reeling after finishing and thinking about it. 
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