In My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, a young, disenchanted woman in Manhattan decides to anesthetize herself from life's pain by sleeping for an entire year, utilizing a unique combination of prescription drugs obtained through an unscrupulous psychiatrist. The story follows her journey as she navigates relationships, personal trauma, and her unconventional method of seeking transformation. The novel includes descriptions of substance use, death, eating disorders, and abusive behavior.

My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh received praise for its dark humor, original premise, and incisive critique of modern life. Critics appreciated the compelling exploration of depression and self-destruction. Some found the protagonist unlikable and the plot repetitive, yet the novel’s provocative nature and bold narrative were widely acknowledged.

A reader who would enjoy My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh is likely drawn to dark humor, introspective narratives, and flawed protagonists. Fans of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath or Eileen by Moshfegh herself would appreciate this modern exploration of existential ennui and psychological complexity.

Melancholic / Dark / Unnerving / Contemplative

- Ottessa Moshfegh has cited her fascination with the Y2K era and existential themes as inspirations behind the novel, capturing the spirit of early 2000s New York City.
- The protagonist's extensive use of fictional medications in My Year of Rest and Relaxation has sparked discussions about mental health and the pharmaceutical industry among readers and critics.
- The book has been noted for its dark humor and unique narrative style, sometimes being compared to works by literary figures like Bret Easton Ellis and Sylvia Plath.

**UNNAMED NARRATOR**  
A 26-year-old woman with an art history degree from Columbia, who embarks on a plan to sleep for an entire year to escape existential ennui. She lives in Manhattan and struggles with her relationships and societal interactions.  

**REVA**  
A Columbia-educated woman working as an executive assistant in Manhattan, she is the narrator's only friend and aspires to an ideal upper-middle-class lifestyle. She often looks to the narrator with a mix of admiration and envy.  

**DR. TUTTLE**  
A peculiar psychiatrist in New York City who provides the narrator with numerous pills to aid in her sleep project. Her professional approach is unconventional and often humorous.  

**NARRATOR’S MOTHER**  
An emotionally distant woman who struggled with alcohol and maintained an aloof relationship with her daughter. She spent her days at home, contributing to the narrator's childhood experiences.  

**NARRATOR’S FATHER**  
A science professor who had a distant relationship with the narrator, marked by his serious and sterile demeanor. He passed away when the narrator was in college.  

**PING XI**  
A young artist known for controversy, who gets involved in the narrator's hibernation project by documenting her experience for an art show. He provides practical support during her year of sleep.  

**TREVOR**  
A banker working at the World Trade Center, he has a longstanding but superficial relationship with the narrator, characterized by his self-centered and utilitarian view of their interactions.

Ottessa Moshfegh

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