Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

152 reviews

sambavi's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual violence

preciousanand1's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Vomit, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail

keeceefd's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

3.0

Extremely gross and disturbing and yet I finished it 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, and Murder

clario6372's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

1.0

What an upsetting and disturbing read. Not sure what else to say but that was not an enjoyable experience. I usually like absurdist/dark fiction and this was extreme even in that genre. Hugely graphic description of CSA that comes out of nowhere. Would not recommend. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder

conniemarch's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I decided to give this a shot because of how much people rave over Moshfegh on TikTok.

Well.

I can definitely say her writing is exquisite – the prose is beautiful, even though the actual content of it is gross. However, I found the book extremely dull. 

I was listening to the audiobook and since so many reviews said the novel was worth reading if only to see what would happen in the end, I didn't DNF it. My conclusion, having now finished it, is that the ending doesn't justify how much this book drags on. The pacing was very slow – maybe an ambiance choice, since Eileen lived in a very small town and didn't have an exciting life. Even at the end, I would say it was at most medium-paced. That's usually not an issue for me, but with this book specifically, I didn't enjoy the payoff. If I was physically reading it, I think I would have DNFd.

 Eileen was right to say

no one had a reason to be interested in her, because she is indeed very boring

. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Toxic relationship

Minor: Vomit

I didn't like (TW - SA)

how in some sections Eileen seemed to glorify sexual assault, saying she was envious of a girl who had been r***d because no one ever tried to do it to her (Friday chapter).

I don't think there was a need for that in the narrative at all.

ladyskoug's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexual violence

raebeiss's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

1.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Sexual violence

ephe16's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder

frances_frances's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I can very much understand why people either love or hate Moshfegh's work. Eileen, like her other novels, is an uncomfortable read that managed to pull me in right from the start.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Stalking

meg3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

i have lots of thoughts and feelings surrounding this read that i can’t articulate. do your own research if you want to pick this one up - not easily digestible (not everything should be🤷‍♀️)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Eating disorder, and Sexual violence