Reviews tagging 'Death'

Byłam Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

96 reviews

jodiviolet's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Reading this book reminds me a lot of listening to a friend tell a story but the friend goes on a million different tangents and keeps telling a story within a story. But it was enjoyable anyway because Ottessa's writing skill is so engaging and reflective that it can keep your curiosity and attention. But I was anxiously waiting for the peak of the story. I was trudging through the middle of the book to reach the peak.
This book really makes me think of Phoebe Bridgers and Ethel Cain- Ethel’s grimy and moody Americana aesthetic/Phoebe’s grim, sarcastic and blunt attitude in her songs.
There are soo many content warnings but I put some of it 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Death

Minor: Fatphobia

um_'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

This is me expanding my reading horizons! 🤩
Diving into Ottessa Moshfegh's 'Eileen' was a journey unlike any other, not my preferred genre but was not disappointed. 

At first glance, the narrative seemed deceptively mundane – everyday routines, mundane interactions, nothing out of the ordinary. The juxtaposition of the mundane and the disturbing was jarring, yet strangely mesmerizing, like watching a trainwreck unfold in slow motion.

‘Eileen' left me feeling deeply disturbed yet utterly captivated. It's a testament to Moshfegh's talent that she could take something as mundane as daily life and turn it into something so profoundly unsettling. Eileen is definitely worth a read.

Check your trigger warnings for this book ! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

coverslutmarie's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Murder, and Alcohol

marietimus's review against another edition

dark medium-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

3.5

Very weird main character. Slow paced the first half and fast paced in the second half.

Had me guessing many endings but the actual ending was so simple it brought the rating down for me.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Vomit, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Alcohol

kay4eva's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Blood, and Death of parent

coolgirlfiction's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and Alcohol

karmakiwi47's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Very slow burn. I switched from the physical book to the audiobook part way and it held my interest. I saw the movie trailer first, so I may have expected bigger twists along the way. Eileen is a decent book, it just wasn't my cup of tea. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, and Rape

brinnavirginia's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I'm apt to love a book in which nothing much happens and of course welcome a book rich in plot. This book is at least 50% exposition and then attempts to squeeze the rest of a plot into the final third or so--one that's just-ok and simply not worth trudging through what comes first to get there.
I'm down with an unlikable protagonist, but Eileen was not interesting enough to warrant her detestable character (and intense, over-the-top, makes-me-think-it-might-be-the-author fatphobia). I enjoyed the womanly yuckiness at first until it was just soooo much puke.
This book could have been, like, a hundred fewer pages. I had to read the Wikipedia plot summary to convince myself to just finish reading it (pulled through for book club <3). In the end, it wasn't worth the effort.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

amsswim's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

4.25

I'm not sure really what to say about this. I enjoyed it. This is the second book by the author Ottessa Moshfegh I have read, the other being 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation', and just as that one this book is just unhinged. I think this one may be more based in reality but still gave me the feeling of unsettlement. If you like weird things this may be for you. 

I am now very interested in watching the movie they made recently based on this starring Anne Hathaway.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Dementia, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Car accident

gaeliloveweiss's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious sad tense 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

4.75

Don’t read this unless you love an awful person character study.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment