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A review by lovelymisanthrope
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.5
I picked up this book after hearing so many things about it on social media.
"My Year of Rest and Relaxation" follows a young woman who seems to have it all. She has a great apartment on the upper East Side of Manhattan, she recently graduated from Columbia, she comes from a wealthy family, she is beautiful and thin, and she has an easy job at an art gallery. However, she does not feel lucky, and after losing both her parents, she does not care to live her life any longer. She decides she needs a break; all she needs is to sleep for a year and then she can get her life back on track. So, she sets out on a drug-induced sleep to cure all of her problems.
I did not have super high expectations going into this book because I felt like the premise might be boring to read at times. However, even though I think the main character is unlikable most of the time because she is struggling so deeply with her depression, I really empathized with her and wanted to give her a hug. This book is highly pretentious, and it is definitely not for everyone, but it hit a chord with me, and I have not stopped thinking about it since I finished it.
The main character's attitude towards life and the narrative about how monotonous her days are really highlights someone's mindset who is struggling with depression. I think she provides an excellent example of someone who seems to have it all and people around her do not understand how she can be depressed. Depression is not "earned" by those with the hardest struggles.
She is a pretty horrible friend to Reva throughout the story, but Reva is not necessarily better towards her. Their friendship seems to be because they have been friends for so long and neither one wants to let go, but honestly neither does much for the other. I did really enjoy seeing Reva poised against the main character to highlight how two people with similar lives can turn out so very different.
This book ends with a mention of 9/11. I cannot think of many other fictitious titles that I have read that mention 9/11, let alone one set in New York. It was heartbreaking and interesting to read about a character witnessing the violence firsthand.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I am curious to pick up more from Ottessa Moshfegh.
"My Year of Rest and Relaxation" follows a young woman who seems to have it all. She has a great apartment on the upper East Side of Manhattan, she recently graduated from Columbia, she comes from a wealthy family, she is beautiful and thin, and she has an easy job at an art gallery. However, she does not feel lucky, and after losing both her parents, she does not care to live her life any longer. She decides she needs a break; all she needs is to sleep for a year and then she can get her life back on track. So, she sets out on a drug-induced sleep to cure all of her problems.
I did not have super high expectations going into this book because I felt like the premise might be boring to read at times. However, even though I think the main character is unlikable most of the time because she is struggling so deeply with her depression, I really empathized with her and wanted to give her a hug. This book is highly pretentious, and it is definitely not for everyone, but it hit a chord with me, and I have not stopped thinking about it since I finished it.
The main character's attitude towards life and the narrative about how monotonous her days are really highlights someone's mindset who is struggling with depression. I think she provides an excellent example of someone who seems to have it all and people around her do not understand how she can be depressed. Depression is not "earned" by those with the hardest struggles.
She is a pretty horrible friend to Reva throughout the story, but Reva is not necessarily better towards her. Their friendship seems to be because they have been friends for so long and neither one wants to let go, but honestly neither does much for the other. I did really enjoy seeing Reva poised against the main character to highlight how two people with similar lives can turn out so very different.
This book ends with a mention of 9/11. I cannot think of many other fictitious titles that I have read that mention 9/11, let alone one set in New York. It was heartbreaking and interesting to read about a character witnessing the violence firsthand.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I am curious to pick up more from Ottessa Moshfegh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship