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A review by theliteraryteapot
Mon année de repos et de détente by Ottessa Moshfegh
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I didn't like it but I don't hate it either. The idea sounds interesting though: a young woman who copes with her depression by sleeping it away, for a whole year. I thought the book gave a quite accurate depiction of what a depressive disorder can look like; It's not cute, not an aesthetic, not a personnality trait. It can be messy and ugly. It ruins lives.
I had depression for several years and on some days I could take several naps a day and sleep for about 12 to 15 hours in total in a day. This was due to chronic fatigue as well as the need to escape the thoughts I was dealing with.
Now the thing is, it's so hard to care about the main character. A very privileged rich, white, straight, young woman... Add to that she is rude, especially mean to her only friend, and racist. Am I supposed to care? I really don't. Perhaps the writing can compensate a little, but the story quickly gets boring, annoying and repetitive. 300 pages for this story is a bit long. I also wish I could delete from my brain those flashback sex scenes with her asshole of an ex boyfriend wtf. And I thought the ending was underwhelming.
I had depression for several years and on some days I could take several naps a day and sleep for about 12 to 15 hours in total in a day. This was due to chronic fatigue as well as the need to escape the thoughts I was dealing with.
Now the thing is, it's so hard to care about the main character. A very privileged rich, white, straight, young woman... Add to that she is rude, especially mean to her only friend, and racist. Am I supposed to care? I really don't. Perhaps the writing can compensate a little, but the story quickly gets boring, annoying and repetitive. 300 pages for this story is a bit long. I also wish I could delete from my brain those flashback sex scenes with her asshole of an ex boyfriend wtf. And I thought the ending was underwhelming.