Hi everyone! In case you couldn’t tell, I got a bit of reading done on my “holiday break.” The “BookTok” girlies suckered me into this book as it had been making the rounds as a favorite for a couple of months. Mostly, I was sold on it being “weird” and I just love a book with a bizarre plot or writing style, even if it is not a genre I normally read. Now, if you are so curious, let’s talk about My Year of Rest and Relaxation.

Content Warning: Discussions and Depictions of Drug Abuse, Discussions and Depictions of Alcohol Abuse, Discussions of Grief and Loss of a Loved One, Sexual Content, Offensive Language, Depictions and Discussions of Self-Harm

Our narrator seems to have it all; she’s young, pretty, rich, and educated. Everything is falling apart for her, though. She lost her parents, her Wall Street boyfriend has serious commitment issues, and her best friend is becoming co-dependent on her. She decides to take extreme measures to get her life back into place. Her solution: she is going to “hibernate” for a year. It’s the year 2000 and the perfect time for new beginnings.

I am going to be honest right away and say that I do think that this book was somewhat overhyped. Not to a ridiculous degree, but still. I did, however, really enjoy how Ottessa Moshfegh made a mostly stream-of-consciousness novel actually very entertaining. The narrator is certainly a walking disaster in the most entertaining way. Her character voice was rather crude at times, though, so that might not fly with a lot of people. I do appreciate how well-rounded the narrator was, though. She walked a thin line between irredeemable and sympathetic. I personally enjoy unreliable or unlikable narrators when they are well-crafted. Also, let’s be honest, hibernating for a year isn’t the worst idea ever. My Year of Rest and Relaxation was certainly a thought-provoking read and I’m going to say that you should definitely give it a try if you want something that is unique and character-focused. (PS: If you love “Fleabag,” then I almost guarantee that you’ll like this book.)