“I often felt there was something wired weird in my brain, a problem so complicated only a lobotomy could solve it—I’d need a whole new mind or a whole new life.”
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh was unhinged and addictive. I approached the novel without prior knowledge because I didn’t want any assumptions about the plot or character before diving into the book. I find that especially with thrillers, this makes for a much more interesting reading experience.
I quickly became obsessed with the unlikable protagonist and the plot. While the plot was somewhat slow-moving, the excellent writing hooked me almost instantly.
“I was nervous. It had been a long time since I’d gone any place I wanted to be.”
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
Summary
The story follows an unlikable and somewhat pathetic main character, Eileen, who lives with her alcoholic father and works for a local prison. Eileen’s attitude is even more frigid than the 1960s winter in New England, and her father is, at best, apathetic.
Eileen soon finds some alleviation from her misery in a new friendship she forges with her coworker at the prison. Her new friend, Rebecca, proves to be a good match for Eileen, and they begin spending more time together, getting into all kinds of trouble in their small town.
Eileen becomes entranced with Rebecca, and her obsession only grows as they spend more and more time together. The story takes a disturbing turn when Eileen joins Rebecca for a Christmas celebration that escalates into a nightmarish fever dream.
Themes in Eileen
“A grown woman is like a coyote–she can get by on very little. Men are more like house cats. Leave them alone for too long and they’ll die of sadness”
Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
As you may have gathered by now, Eileen is not a light-hearted read. The story encompasses a lot of dark themes. Ottessa Moshfegh does an excellent job getting into the deepest, darkest corners of her characters’ minds to expose the darker side of human psychology.
This story is no exception, exploring themes including alcoholism, obsession, child abuse, and infatuation. The novel explores the extent to which one’s childhood environment can shape them into adulthood and how romantic infatuation can escalate into situations we might not otherwise find ourselves in.
My Review of Eileen
Eileen is one of the most deranged but intriguing books I’ve read. It’s always a risk to write an unbearably unlikeable main character, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Ottessa Moshfegh. Moshfegh is great at zooming in on the intricate and intimate details of her character’s psychology and drawing you in with crude and vivid descriptions.
Even though Eileen is miserable, self-obsessed, and, at times, pathetic, I still find her character to be iconic. There is a part of Eileen that we can all relate to. I think most women and femme-presenting folks can relate to the urge to pick apart our appearance and self-analyze to the point of self-destruction.
The characters are well-developed, and the overall setting is eerie and atmospheric. Overall, I thought the writing style, as usual for any Ottessa Moshfegh novel, was rich and engaging. The plot was clean, and the payoff was satisfying. I’d rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
The only critique I had was the pacing. I do think that a large portion of the book was a very slow burn. I’m not convinced the climax would’ve been less effective with a quicker buildup. That being said, the writing quality was polished, and I didn’t mind the slow pacing and enjoyed the story overall.
Have you read this book? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! If you enjoyed this review, consider checking out my review of I Who Have Never Known Men, Jacqueline Harpman.
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