Book Review: Lapvona by, Ottessa Moshfegh

[@jonebiboh]

I never thought of the comparison between the sheep and villagers who indeed follow extremely blindly so it's really interesting how you spotted. Makes a lot of sense.

[@alanaestelle2076]

I love sheep so I had to talk about sheep LOL

[@marksheneman6506]

Alana, The quotes in this book speak volumes. Religion and politics aside (another discussion for another day), you nailed this critique. Wanting to expand my own study in literature, you've piqued my interest as I will admit I've been known to stay in one place too long. I did notice a touch of Plato's allegory of the cave in this story, a favorite of mine. As always, well done.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Thank you! Ooooooh I haven't read Plato's Cave. Interesting!

[@ParReads]

"Can we stop making stupid people famous?" Alana, I love you.

[@alanaestelle2076]

LOOOOOL! It really irritates my soul how society puts the worst on a pedestal. hahaha thank you!!

[@shelbykoning]

I loved this book! A critique of religion, power dynamics and government wrapped up in a weird fable? All in. Loved your review!

[@alanaestelle2076]

I love a good critique as well hahaha. Thank you :)

[@migdalahb]

What a thought provoking book! Thank you for sharing yours thoughts.

[@alanaestelle2076]

It definitely makes you think! Thanks for watching! :)

[@jamesduggan7200]

By the way - sorry for the double post - some believe God allows suffering because evil was a part of G-d that broke off and the destiny of the world is the reconciliation of bad with good.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Yes! I've heard this theory!

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

I actually rather enjoyed My Year of Rest and Relaxation. I've heard such wildly divergent opinions about Lapvona; nice hearing your take on it. I'm curious to see how I'll react to it.

[@alanaestelle2076]

This book is wild LOL

[@willynick]

Fire review 🔥 I know I'm gonna love it because these themes interest me contrary to negative reviews out there so yours is so validating and can't wait to read it!

[@alanaestelle2076]

Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy it!

[@mattkean1128]

I loved the fable quality this had. And I think having the setting in another place or time always loosens the reins a bit, and allows more criticisms the author might be making around the corruption of a region, government, or society. Satire is perfect for that. I enjoyed Eileen a lot. More than MYORAR I think.

[@alanaestelle2076]

I thought that too - a fictional place perhaps provided more "freedom." Ooooh I've heard good things about Eileen.

[@SandyDollZee]

Absolutely loved this review! Thank you

[@alanaestelle2076]

Thank you so much! :)

[@jamesduggan7200]

Incompetence isn't necessarily connected directly to self-serving behavior. There was a book popular about 50 or 60 years ago, titled The Peter Principle (how members of meritocracy rise to their own levels of incompetence). The main idea is that capable people are promoted step-by-step, level-by-level until they are no longer promotable because they have become mediocre or incompetent. During the US Civil War Lincoln wrestled with the phenomenon finding a general to lead his armies. Many were successful as brigade commanders or division leaders but were disasters as army generals. To the contrary, corrupt people often are competent in their jobs because speaking very frankly the real world requires the grease (pay-offs) to keep components of the machine moving.

[@kurtfox4944]

While the concept may be old, it was popularized in a book (1969) by Laurence J Peter, which I read in college; several decades after it was published). IIRC, he was involved, or studied, the Japanese industrial complex after WWII, where Americans had a free hand to reshape their economy. One thing that differs from the Japanese and the US was that once a person is promoted beyond their capabilities, where they are only mediocre, they are demoted again to where they are proficient. In the US, we don't do that (they live on being useless until they retire, or 'promoted' to a useless position/department. He postulated that is one reason why while Americans were good at invention, the manufacturing of said ideas was overtaken by the Japanese (eg. think Sony, and endless hi-tech companies dominating the electronics market).

[@alanaestelle2076]

Me as always, here for the James and Kurt discussions🍿

[@martasoltys9091]

@@alanaestelle2076 I must say, these 2 replies are so interesting. I agree that Americans are superb at invention. I hadn't thought of the already said ideas being used better by the Japanese. I wonder if there is a good fictional story on the subject

[@Shelf_Improvement]

don't know how I found you but I'm so glad I did! I really enjoyed this video. I just read Eileen which was the first Moshvegh book I read. I didn't think I'd enjoy it because I don't necessarily like weird, uncomfortable books but I thought it was really good. I was scrolling through through your videos and saw your video on My Year of Rest and Relaxation, which I will check out as well-- along with your other vids.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Thank you for watching! :) I think Eileen will be the next Moshfegh I read.

[@bobbeduran9277]

Sounds very interesting. Great comparison you use and I must get this book.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@towardsbethlehem]

couldn't get pass the grape scene... great to know you did!

[@alanaestelle2076]

That scene was... disturbing haha.

[@martasoltys9091]

I wonder if the author was inspired by The Tiger's Wife- also a fable and very well written.

[@alanaestelle2076]

Aaah hadn't heard of that fable.

[@martasoltys9091]

@@alanaestelle2076 It's about an abused wife taking care of a tiger which had no survival skills because it escaped from the zoo during a war. It's actually quite excellent. I believe Tea Olbreht is still the youngest author published by The New Yorker

[@SofiaMikkelsen]

I thought the name Villiam for the leader was well-chosen. Because to me, it sounds close to Villain. And it can have a double meaning, because Villain means enemy, but in the medieval times Villain was another word for peasant.

[@alanaestelle2076]

I like thissssss!!!

[@mattkean1128]

Doing an entire book review with the Kim K voice challenge.

[@alanaestelle2076]

I could do that, but I think I'd want to puncture my own ear drums by the end LOL

[@ErnieCT1987]

I would like to put the Tao Te Ching on your radar. Brian Browne Walker translation is what I started with. In essence it is an eastern philosophical religion (for lack of a better term) that draws a correlation between nature and God. I put this out there because I feel like it speaks to how organized groups tend to form by losing a felt connection to God (or the Tao as it is called in this context). Im not a Taoist, this isnt about pushing an agenda, but I do think it might resonate with you. It isnt a doctrine to follow, but it does speak to the inherent virtue all humans contain within ourselves when we have access to our felt connection with a higher, deeper power. Your eye twitches when talking about misplaced power brought this to mind. Haha! When you get heated and pull your hair back I also expected you to take your earrings off and start throwing those knuckles. 😂

[@alanaestelle2076]

Thanks for the rec! LOOOOOOOL oh, sometimes I really do want to pop out all 8 of my earrings and throw hands😂

[@sephorapatterson429]

Hey, so I have a question. I’m in the midst of reading. I’m almost finished Lapvona the second to last chapter. And I think I missed something some where. So I was wondering if someone could help me or tell me what happened to clod and who is klarek? 😭

[@alanaestelle2076]

I'd need a refresher lol i can't remember at this point

[@stephenn3727]

Thank you Alana!

[@esoteric_d0ll]

loved this review alana! was wondering if you've read the death of vivek oji btw?? recently got around to it and devoured it in a day and its left me with so many thoughts and feelings!

[@alanaestelle2076]

Thank you! I haven't :)

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

heard a lot of things about it but when I finally read it thought it was kind of much ado about nothing even the really disgusting parts I'd heard about weren't particularly stomach-turning⚛😀

[@alanaestelle2076]

This does have some .... gruesome parts to it😅

[@Joy-boy-joy]

This is the video that might get you a random gardener who wants to work for "free" and a suspicious looking teddy bear sent to you from an aunt you didn't know you had.

[@alanaestelle2076]

LOOOOL! I did think this 🤣

[@rachelsmith3013]

SECOND!

[@alanaestelle2076]

@@rachelsmith3013 go away 🤣🤣🤣🤣don’t mind my sibling 🤣🤣🤣

[@Joy-boy-joy]

@@alanaestelle2076 Sibling? Are we going to get you guys doing a review together?! I see a skit. I'm thinking something like Sister Sister! I'm even willing to pop in as Roger just so you guys can tell me to go home. Set it up!

[@rachelsmith3013]

Would I like this book? - Your Sister

[@alanaestelle2076]

No 🤣

[@rachelsmith3013]

@@alanaestelle2076 why not?

[@kurtfox4944]

I've heard that sheep are so stupid that the reason that they shear sheep in the spring before the lambs are born is because if you sheared them after the birth of lambs, that the lambs cannot even recognize their own mothers after shearing. (and yet, I know some people where the sheep are smarter....LOL)

[@alanaestelle2076]

I love sheep because they are so dense🤣

[@Saraht4]

First!

[@alanaestelle2076]

❤️❤️❤️