Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Mein Jahr der Ruhe und Entspannung by Ottessa Moshfegh

151 reviews

brittneypadilla's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

Sharp, witty, modern feminist book I needed to read and have a good laugh with.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

bourbonneuse's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-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

2.25

I mostly enjoyed reading it. The writing was good although the characters were very predictable and unlovable, they felt kind of true despite all the stereotypes. I felt a little disappointed with the end. And a little lost about the meaning of all of it or at least what to make of it. Maybe it will come to me later. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

natalie75's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional relaxing sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Abortion

ams5x9's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad 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

2.5

This was hard to get through…The main character is pretty miserable. The last 1% of the book had the smallest redemption/semblance of humanity. And holy depression (pills) and drug use, Batman! This book had more normal, everyday villains than any other book that comes to mind. An interesting look into the mind of a brain I’m very glad not to inhabit. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

hanamany's review against another edition

dark inspiring 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Abortion

This book was painstakingly slow. It didn't invoke much in me even though the theme had great potential to be extremely provoking. While the ending felt somewhat inspirational, the whole thing felt dull and mundane. Maybe that's what the author intended, but it was simply too boring

khartke's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

This was a grueling read with a detestable main character and disgusting events. I could barely put it down. I found it well written, stuffed (over-stuffed?) with references and connections to other works so the themes were always exploding outwards in many directions. Honestly not sure how sincerely I should take

the inner peace at the end as a sign of redemption

but I found it to be pretty satisfactory. I feel like this demands a reread but I'll have to muster up some major fortitude before I can attempt it. I read the back 2/3 in quarantine which definitely contributed to the atmosphere, Would recommend if you have COVID. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Classism

Moderate: Chronic illness, Racism, and Abandonment

Minor: Rape and Abortion

catherinerowland's review against another edition

dark emotional funny medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Vomit

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Eating disorder, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Minor: Abortion

takarakei's review against another edition

dark medium-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

4.0

I truly wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. You have to be down to read about a truly awful person and really be in her thoughts with no escape while basically nothing else happens. So if that's not your vibe then this book isn't for you!

I loved the descriptions of the art world, art bros etc, they were spot on. I was absolutely screaming in laughter and had to read them to my friends!
It's funny because I too quit my corporate (somewhat art related) job a few years ago to really reassess my life, however for me personally I was depressed being in that job and quitting (and processing in therapy) is what helped me. I also recognize this book is set over 20 years ago and it was just a completely different world. I deeply felt for the character when she says:

There was no sadness or nostalgia, only disgust that I'd wasted so much time on unnecessary labor when I could have been sleeping and feeling nothing. I'd been stupid to believe that employment would add value to my life. 

This is definitely a commentary about mental health/depression and also of course on our society's focus on pharmaceutical patches vs actual mental health care. Her psychiatrist was wild to read, just how absurd she was - really a caricature of a person. Actually come to think of it pretty much every single side character in this book is also kind of awful. Especially her ex-whatever-boyfriend is disgusting. 

There's a point at which the lengthy descriptions about drug use and waking up not remembering what she's done got a bit repetitive. This was likely a choice by the author to really beat us over the head. I wasn't expecting the ending

to be so positive for our MC! I guess I just kinda thought she would continue to fuck up her life beyond repair? and I'm not saying I was unsatisfied with the ending, but it was unexpected to me.

This is a hard one to really form coherent thoughts on, but I'll definitely be thinking about this book for a while. And likely would reread it at some point!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, and Death of parent

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, and Abortion

forestsfernsfries's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal death

greavuem's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship