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emisbooks's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
- .5 stars for the slow pace
Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Blood and Vomit
carojust's review against another edition
- 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 okay with that premise, but a whole non-plot about incestuous rape and pedophilia and a weirdly dismissive and predatory lens on incarcerated boys?
I wish I could erase this from my brain.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
manukahoney_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Torture
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Self harm, and Blood
Minor: Sexism and Lesbophobia
gralicia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
I'm done. I hope she can do better in her next book. I'm sick of her fatphobic comments (that add nothing to her stories, but severely cheapen them) and I won't be reading any more of her stories unless she makes a change. It's so disappointing.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
risemini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
annasorr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Incest, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
fictionandfauna's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
No one manages to simultaneously repulse and intrigue me quite like Ottessa Moshfegh. When I read her work, I know I'm about to be thoroughly disturbed and I am here. for. IT.
Eileen did not disappoint. The story of Eileen Dunlop's miserable life spent living with her emotional (and at times, physically) abusive, alcoholic father and working at the local Boys Prison was exactly as uncomfortable as I've come to expect from Moshfegh's work.
Moshfegh somehow manages to get right under your skin and touch nerves you never thought existed. Reading Eileen move through life selfishly and disgustingly (intentionally ripping clothes in a store, wiping her dirty mouth on scarves for sale, touching herself and then shaking hands with someone before washing them... that sort of thing) somehow had me absolutely hooked and I could not put the book down before finding out whether or not Eileen managed to find happiness or not.
Ottessa's work is not for the faint of heart.
Often the reviews are scathing of the body horror and grotesque descriptions.
But that is part of the magic in my opinion.
I read Ottessa Moshfegh when I want to be disturbed. And she never ever fails to disappoint!
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
chelseycintronn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, and Blood
hannaheinhorn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
there is also the fact that nothing happened in the book until the last 20% of it. i could have just read THAT part and been satisfied. literally the several page fucking soliloquy after THAT part was so useless.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Rape, Vomit, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping
Minor: Ableism, Gun violence, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Classism
kay4eva's review against another edition
- 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
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