Paperback, 256 pages
Spanish language
Published April 23, 2019 by Alfaguara.
It's early 2000 on New York City's Upper East Side, and the alienation of Moshfegh's unnamed young protagonist from others is nearly complete when she initiates her yearlong siesta, during which time she experiences limited personal interactions. Her parents have died; her relationships with her bulimic best friend Reva, an ex-boyfriend, and her drug-pushing psychiatrist are unwholesome. As her pill-popping intensifies, so does her isolation and determination to leave behind the world's travails. She is also beset by dangerous blackouts induced by a powerful medication.
An amazing book.
Moshfegh's prose is ruthlessly efficient and totally effortless. I read book in one sitting and felt the powerful need to sit down and read it again.
November in New England proooobably isn't the best time to pick this book up, since the sun sets at 4pm and seasonal depression is looming around the corner, but I managed to power through reading MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION.
I'm kind of at a loss for how to really summarize/ rate this book. Despite every character (including the main character) being utterly deplorable and trauma building upon trauma throughout the story, I couldn't put it down and it gave me a lot to think about.
Depression is a monster, and I think that Moshfegh manages to capture the worst of it, expertly.
