A review by jennaweston
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

dark funny tense
  • 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 book was tough...in a lot of ways.

I think it's safe to say I'm just not an Ottessa fan because as this is the second book I've read of hers that I didn't enjoy, I'm thinking it's just that we don't click as an author/reader pair, and that's okay!

Here is what I didn't like: 
  • I'm not a fan of characters who are as difficult to like as Eileen and similar characters that Ottessa has crafted. 
  • I think the subject matter at the end of the book was graphic for graphic's sake. It was too much that it took away from the story
  • I felt disconnected from Eileen because of her lack of character development. 
  • It took SO LONG to get to the plot twist.
  • The end was riddled with plot holes. 

Here's what I liked: 
  • The last fourth of the book was interesting as soon as she got together with Rebecca on Christmas Eve. 
  • I liked Eileen's POV looking back at herself from an older age. 

It was just too graphic and too slow for my taste. Wouldn't really recommend to anyone who is has similar reading tastes to me. We tried, Ottessa, we really tried! 
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