Moshfegh has a lock on a particular zeitgeist that I have identified, NYT-like–e.g., I have seen at least one other similar item, have decided two points make a trend, and am now on the hunt for more books that prove my point. The trend: bodily horror, especially related to starvation or atrophy of the human body, as a mechanism to reject Rousseau and vindicate Hobbes’ contention that life outside society would be solitary, nasty, brutish, and short. In this case, by showing that even within […]

Reading My Year of Rest and Relaxation, I found myself frequently thinking about Holden Caulfield. Specifically, about his status as the internet’s favorite fictional whipping boy. Whenever the online discourse turns again to the topic of “books you think are overrated” or “books that you hated reading in school” or “books that are red flags if they’re someone’s favorite,” you can be sure that Holden Caulfield is due for another beating. Spoiled. Privileged. Whiny. You know the drill. Perhaps if more people read My Year […]

What a WEIRD book, and yet another in the long list of books that could best be deemed “female friends who should really not be friends anymore.” Reva, you deserve so much better! Narrator, I don’t think you deserve worse but you definitely need someone different in your life to zhush it up. It’s becoming a bit of a cliche that every novel I read immediately prompts a slew of “oh it reminded me of-” reminiscing. Such is the champagne problem of reading a lot, […]