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A review by linci
Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm very fond of Ottessa Moshfeg's writing. So far I've read 2 of her books and enjoyed both.
Since the first page I have been transported into a small village of Levant. The atmosphere that Moshfeg creates is ethereal. The cabin, the woods, the community. Before starting the book I didn't know much about the plot, so I was pleasantly surprised by the passages about the relationship between the dog and it's owner. One of my favorite themes throughout the book was the reminiscence of her life with her late partner. The ways in she felt like she could finally be herself only after her husband's death was devastating. The belittlement she felt from Walter all of her life was so scary to think about when you take into consideration that the protagonist is 72 and the majority of her life she had spent with the wrong person. There is a paragraph about how she had to forget about her roots to live a comfortable life with him and I cannot stop thinking about how many people settle for something only because it's comfortable. The main plot driven by a note found on page 1, still remains unanswered because of Moshfeg's exceptional way of writing unreliable narrators and leaves much to the readers to figure out themselves.
Personally, I feel like this book would make a great movie because of how atmospheric it is and because of the way it feels like at least a week had passed when in fact, the whole plot happens in a matter of days.
Since the first page I have been transported into a small village of Levant. The atmosphere that Moshfeg creates is ethereal. The cabin, the woods, the community. Before starting the book I didn't know much about the plot, so I was pleasantly surprised by the passages about the relationship between the dog and it's owner. One of my favorite themes throughout the book was the reminiscence of her life with her late partner. The ways in she felt like she could finally be herself only after her husband's death was devastating. The belittlement she felt from Walter all of her life was so scary to think about when you take into consideration that the protagonist is 72 and the majority of her life she had spent with the wrong person. There is a paragraph about how she had to forget about her roots to live a comfortable life with him and I cannot stop thinking about how many people settle for something only because it's comfortable. The main plot driven by a note found on page 1, still remains unanswered because of Moshfeg's exceptional way of writing unreliable narrators and leaves much to the readers to figure out themselves.
Personally, I feel like this book would make a great movie because of how atmospheric it is and because of the way it feels like at least a week had passed when in fact, the whole plot happens in a matter of days.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Fatphobia