A review by anniesher23
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

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

1.5

So overrated. As for the good, the writer is clearly very talented - I especially liked the writing at the end, where I appreciated the little bit of character development and resolution. I thought it was interesting character-building that the protagonist’s best qualities and love for others are subconscious. And the concept of the book was honestly relatable. Truly iconic to sleep for a year. 

But that said, I found the majority of this book intolerable. The main character is not only an awful person but also pretty boring. Her extreme privilege, cruelty, and apathy make her hard to care about at all. And when her character does vaguely develop at the end it doesn’t feel earned at all. 

I actually thought Riva’s story and character was the most interesting part of the book, so I was frustrated that she was reduced to antisemitic stereotypes of Jewish women (status/wealth/beauty obsessed, not as pretty as the main character, literally described as “greedy” and “vampiric” in one scene, etc.). I get that it’s all coming from the perspective of the main character, who sucks, but still. There’s no real resolution or self awareness on this. 

Also, people who liked this book kept asking me how I felt about the “twist.” What twist??? She lives in nyc in 2000/2001 and has two people in her life working at the World Trade Center. In what world would 9/11 be a twist?


I’m so shocked people like this book so much. 
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