A review by alovelettertoliterature
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

3.5

‘Eileen’ by Ottessa Moshfegh is a slow-burn mystery thriller that follows Eileen Dunlop, a disturbed 24-year-old woman, and what happened to her in the days leading up to Christmas of 1964. 

Let’s get one thing straight, Moshfegh is a talented writer with the gift of creating profoundly raw, authentic, and disturbing characters. I read ‘My Year of Rest and Relaxation’ long before ‘Eileen,’ so I’m familiar with Moshfegh’s ability to construct well-made characters, even if they are deeply flawed. Anyone can think of bad people or actions done by said people, but not everyone can create such a deeply disturbed, unsound character not by what they have physically done but simply because of who they are and what caused them to be that way.

With that being said, If you want to read ‘Eileen’ to enjoy a well-written complex character, this is an excellent book for that, but it’s not if you’re here for the plot. 

Here’s the thing, it could’ve been a good thriller, but I just wished the anticipation of the ending was pushed a little earlier. The end feels like it’s cramped up. The most exciting part, THE part that everyone wants to know, the how of it, was just simply summarized to say the least. I think that Moshfegh perfect this in ‘My Year of Rest and Relaxation’ where the subject of the big how in the book was not just brushed on but was well explained. 

Nonetheless, this does not take away the artistry of Moshfegh’s ability to create complex, engaging, and real female characters. 
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