I want to state for the record, that I love this book. I have to suppress the urge to hit stephen king with a brick every time he describes someones firm breasts for the tenth time but it is a gripping and unique book that will always have a place in my horror-loving heart.
I am still waiting patiently for a film adaption that does it justice though...
Started out really good and horrifyingly relatable, but then lost me completely.
It captures the feeling of depression well but never goes anywhere with it and leaves you with a rushed and flat ending. Really fun and satirical though, I didn't regret reading it!
I loved the way it was written though, I will definitely read more Otessa Moshfegh.
“If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do? . . .So I take phosphates or phosphites—whichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to “work” until I am well again.”
Starting the year of strong with this absolutely infuriating short masterpiece of a book.
2.5
This was weirdly story in a story in a story and the best part was the Wikipedia rabbit hole i fell into.
Mary Shelley is a fascinating person and this book touches on a lot of interesting themes but my god is Viktor Frankenstein the WORST .. whiny and pretentious and for a smart person so incredibly stupid that it hurts.
This book started out as a short story and I think it should've stayed one, or a novella at best. The good parts disappear between long tangents and unnecessary monologues but I'm still glad I read it, it really does have great moments.
This started out great, with raw and honest personalities and the writing style I loved so much in ‘daisy jones'. I was deeply immersed in family drama and rich peoples problems and then it just ... unravels? The second half is so unintentional and longwinded, sappy and melodramatic that it feels like a different book.
Also hated the way the men got so much more space in a story that supposedly wanted to center the generational trauma of the women. I know way too much about Mick Riva and way too little about June.
I love that she is building up her own little extended universe though, it's fun.
I always had my issues with this series but I loved it regardless. I usually fly through the books and live vicariously through the story but this?
The writing style genuinely does not work for me. We do dialogue, then we have a ridiculously long inner tangent about something that happened prior, then we continue the dialogue and then we think about how horny we are. Then we resume talking and then we think about how five years ago something happened and how it made us feel.
I just can't immerse myself in the story. As a big supporter of Women's (sorry, females) wrongs, I was incredibly excited for Nestas story and I was left mostly disappointed, sadly.
I was hoping the last act would pick up and redeem the slow build up, but it just mostly left me baffled.
The depression hike? The suicide pact?? Nesta losing all her powers and using her last wish to modify her pelvis for childbirth???
The house was the best part.