LAPVONA by Ottessa Moshfegh | Book Review

A book review of Ottessa Moshfegh's "Lapvona."
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Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published by Penguin Press, 2022
ISBN: 0593300262
Authors/Artists mentioned:
Lauren Groff
Oisín Fagan
Francisco de Zurbarán
Georges Bataille
Vladimir Sorokin
Other reviews mentioned:
www.theaustral...
www.theguardia...
#ottessamoshfegh #lapvona #bookreview

[@vivian1984]

I just finished this book. I loved how it read like a bizarre, grotesque shakespearean-esque tragedy. It is kind of whimsical in it's own sick twisted way. It was a heavy read, but I appreciate Moshfegh from not shying away from producing dark novels. And I also enjoyed how it seemed like Moshfegh was trying to re-sensitize readers to how our modern day world is just as grotesque in its own way with wealth hoarding, religious violence, and hypocrisy among powerful figures. I really enjoyed reading this, but after a heavy book like this im gonna look for something a bit more light to read next lol.

[@toriangelay2037]

Same, I don’t think I can take another dark book right now😭

[@nicolaerrico4031]

The problem with criticism of Ottessa's books is that they focus more on the author as a person than on her books. Ottessa is now one of the best authors of our generation: never banal, never predictable, never looking for consensus at all costs. Critics today are more used to good-natured books, books that make you safe (no one seems to be able to live without constant safe space), books with good, sweet, woke, even activists as protagonists. It is even hard to tell if there is at least one villain in the books by now. There is no more room for reality and its complexity but only for people who are all good and totally unreal. I add: most of the critics who have negatively reviewed the book are just looking for an editorial contract. But, I'm afraid, it won't come.

[@travelthroughstories]

Interesting point! I think you're right to suggest that this sort of "transgressive literature" doesn't really have a place in the contemporary up-market literary scene that Moshfegh, whether she wanted to or not, has found herself trapped in. Even if one hates this book, you got to admire the gall of a writer to go so far outside everyone's expectations. Luckily, I haven't read any Moshfegh, so I went in with zero expectations - I suspect those who are more familiar with her previous works may like Lapvona less than those who are coming to it from the transgressive lit scene.

[@davidjames2431]

@@travelthroughstories Her best book in my opinon is My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Such a farce! And cleverly written.

[@p.w.e.2374]

It's funny how people react to her work and the supposed depravity and depression...I mean, the actions are the characters' actions! Come on folks, this is FICTION! She's the best fiction writer around today.

[@davidjames2431]

@@p.w.e.2374 I totally agree with you. She is my favorite contemporary writer.

[@feralmode]

totally disagree. i love her work and have read almost everything else she has written. this book is trash though. definitely her weakest. and i count my year of rest as one of my favorite novels

[@Lbbrooke]

I was really into this book in the first half. I loved the cover, and I loved the tone and prose. Maybe a bit after the plague though, I felt the characters seem to lose form in my mind. I can’t fully describe what happened, but I felt like the rest of the book felt more like a draft of ideas than a cohesive finished products. I found myself trudging through the end of the book and just not feeling any - for lack of a better word - reality to the characters. The ideas, the world, the social commentary were all very interesting. But I don’t know if I would recommend this book. I do want to read at least one more of hers though, because of how much I enjoyed the beginning of Lapnova.

[@Johanna_reads]

Fantastic analysis! I loved the symbolism of the lamb on the cover-that is brilliant for the tone, period, and dark absurdity you described. It completely made sense once you explained it. I also enjoyed your discussion on the rationale for the Medieval period setting and societal commentary portrayed!

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you, Johanna! Moshfegh seems to like to take old paintings for her covers and imbue them with new meaning - I really like it as well. I can't resist any opportunity to talk about medievalism!

[@shanedisposable]

i laughed so hard at the nativity part.... without giving too much away, someone mentioned the seven sins and how certain characters pertain to each sin. great story telling. will continue reading more of OM's work.

[@jeanettecunningham8186]

Great review! Moshfegh is my favorite contemporary writer. I’ve read all her books except Mc Glue. I suggest you read Eileen.

[@travelthroughstories]

Eileen sounds up my alley for sure - I'll try to track down a copy. Thanks!

[@carlomontesa2002]

I want to read this so bad and I love your review! Here’s hoping that you take a look at Moshfegh’s other books.

[@kieran_forster_artist]

Sean you have really helped to clarify my thoughts (or lack of) around “the medieval”…… I appreciate both your historical / sociological definition of the concept as well as the way you aren’t afraid to bring philosophical tensions into your comments. And the straight talk too.

[@aDiosaDelAbismo]

Thanks for this wonderful review. Just finished this masterpiece. I can't stop thinking about it.

[@alexbielovich]

I've read everything by Ottessa and Lapvona is very close to being my favourite. My Year of Rest and Relaxation was a real triumph. Different kind of escapism from the Medieval setting, which I'd usually not be interested in.

[@evakaul4978]

Your review made me appreciate Lapvona more than I did when actually reading it, & I agree with all of your observations. However, the scatalogical details added just for apparent shock value diminished the experience for me. Villiam's boredom in decadence echoed Marquis de Sade for me as well. I preferred her My Year of Rest & Relaxation- I felt it captured the ennui of being a young woman/person right around the start of the new millennium in uncomfortable detail. Lapvona does speak more to current events. Anyway, great review & I enjoy your channel. Thanks for sharing your insights on this clearly divisive novel.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you! Agreed with your thoughts regarding some of the scataological details. I need to get to My Year of Rest and Relaxation soon!

[@jackwalter5970]

I really liked it. Quite unique.

[@LaLaLonna]

I love this book and her as an author. Lapvona isnt afraid to go there...to the way humans can be so cruel to each other. The way humans reach and look for god or spirituality to get through really hard times and hard lives. Sometimes even adding to the pain to show humility before god,as if suffering here on earth means bliss in heaven. Humans will even ignore the evidence of the truth right before us, and still stick to what is familiar to comfort us. Are we all capable of such depravity under the right circumstances? I love how she isnt afraid to look at the dark with some humor and irony as well. Ottessa is by far one of my favorite authors.

[@travelthroughstories]

Agreed that Moshfegh's desire to gaze unwaveringly into human depravity is admirable. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@Elizabeth-Reads]

Thank you so much for another excellent review, Sean, one of the best I’ve seen on Lapvona. I preordered this last year, since Moshfegh fascinates me, even though I don’t exactly enjoy any of her novels. (I’ve wondered what she might be like to have coffee with…I’m guessing she’d be so interesting to talk to, but she’d burp unapologetically, maybe wipe her nose on my sleeve.) With all the negative reviews I’ve let this sit on my shelf, but this was the first review I’ve seen that dug deeply enough to rationalize the disturbing moments, and made me interested in at least trying it. I need to go back to reread Eileen, I remember being disgusted but captivated…I also recently loved Death in Her Hands, it may be my favorite, such a wonderful character study. My Year of Rest and Relaxation is of course a Booktube darling, and I liked it as well. Not as much of a fan of McGlue or her short stories, but they’re still worth reading. She’s utterly unique…So many authors now are described as Moshfeghian, but they’re just not…She has that ability to pull you through your disgust and dislike of her characters even when you really want to throw the book into the back of your closet and never look at it again.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thanks for watching, Elizabeth! Hah! Based solely on Lapvona, I suspect she is an endlessly fascinating person. Thanks for sharing your experiences with her other works - that's really helpful for determining which of hers I should read next. I think Eileen is the one that interests me the most. Your last sentence perfectly describes the experience of reading Lapvona.

[@raihanasaadouni447]

Thank you for this thorough review! I've heard contradicting opinions about the novel which made me hesitant to pick it up, your review however convinced me to give it a read. Can't wait to get my copy!

[@Laocoon283]

Awesome review. Very articulate.

[@stuffedcrust2167]

Thank you for this review! I just finished the book not knowing anything about it or it’s reputation. While in some ways exaggerated, I feel this book is an excellent analysis of the current state of the world & the consequences of rampant capitalism.

[@neonvalleystreets]

Enjoyed your review - was really interested in your take on the medieval of it all.. I’ve read most of Moshfegh’s work (not Eileen) and Lapvona is somewhere above McGlue but below My Year of Rest and Relaxation..

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you! I've heard so much about My Year of Rest and Relaxation - I think I'll have to pick that one up some day.

[@deserthighlander1969]

I originally was drawn by your thumbnail wondering where I've seen the cover art. John MacArthur's "The Gospel According to God." I believe, was published in approximately 2018. Anyway, I was distracted seeing familiar artwork. Nonetheless, thank you for this review, another book for my shopping list.

[@SimonVanliew26]

0:19 I have never seen something so unnatural as a man sitting in the woods with his hand in his pocket reading a book

[@bookofdust]

Thank you, you were the voice on this I needed right now. I’ve had it on hold at tye library since before it was released, but I was becoming skittish based on the NPR review this week, which was one of the harshest I’ve read/listened to on that outlet. I’m definitely going to read it now, I’m not much put off by stuff like this and when I read Shuggie Bain last month I found much humor in the darkness, so I most likely will here as well. As always thanks for your deep and insightful coverage of challenging texts that not everyone’s willing to tackle.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thanks, Michael! I haven't read/listened to the NPR reviews, but I may have to. I often find that really negative reviews make me more interested in picking up a book than do positive reviews... I hope you find it worth your time!

[@attiliofreitas5265]

Thank you for your review! In the matter of medieval depections of modern situations, altought with a vision more focused towards questions and the basis of the modern "masculine", I recommend (should you haven't already read it) Valter Hugo Mãe's "O Remorso de Baltazar Serapião" - a book that touches some of the points you Lapvona also deals with, while also using grammar deviations as a means of constructing meaning.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thanks for watching! I've never heard of Valter Hugo Mãe, but I'll look into him! Do you know if he's been translated into English? Thanks for the recommendation!

[@attiliofreitas5265]

@@travelthroughstories Thank you for such great reviews! Also, absolutely loved your reviwes of Knausgard and Espedal - I really enjoy their books, and I'm looking forward to reading "The Morning Star". I was searching quickly and I'm afraid Valer Hugo Mãe has only been translated to French and Spannish, but not to English... what a waste!

[@travelthroughstories]

@@attiliofreitas5265 Knausgård and Espedal are great! Shame about Valer Hugo Mãe - if I stumble across a copy in French, I'll pick it up!

[@tomodote1421]

Lapvona was a great read. If you approach this like a bit of a medieval fantasy story but with a surprising umami twang it is for you. If you really only get hung up on if the allegory was good enough or expect a more elaborate writing style you might be disappointed. The palette of flavors this book offers is highly refreshing and unique. Its like a medieval tale written by a black pilled incel who secluded himself on Iceland for a while.

[@jeffb01]

Nice review. I liked it (gave it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars on goodreads). I was perplexed at time, and your review did add insight. the ending was a little confusing.

[@b1oho]

Will buy Ottessa Moshfegh's Lapvona today thank you! Try Grand Hotel Europa by Ilja Leonard Pfeijffe

[@travelthroughstories]

I hope you find it worth your time, Steve! I haven't heard of Grand Hotel Europa, but I just looked it up and it looks fascinating. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@katthanopoulos8588]

this became one of my favorite books quickly after reading it

[@impywimpy]

This sounds like the kind of book I would either be passionate about or find wholly pointless. I've had this problem before (Cormac McCarthy being the best example) where the author seems to be looking for beauty in acts of destruction, not beauty despite the destruction. It's a balance I have a hard time figuring out as a reader... I've read a lot of grotesque novels, and extremely brutal ones at that, but I have a hard time understanding why I find some of them disgusting as a reader (The Road, The Kindly Ones), while others that are just as apocalyptic actually brings out empathy and understanding. I think one interesting example here would be Hard to be a God (Strugatsky) and its movie adaptation. I felt appalled with the movie, while the book remains one of my favourite novels to this day. The major difference for me was how the movie seems to take pleasure in showing retardation, imbecilic behaviour and cruelty for some kind of twisted reason, while the book is about the confusion and sadness you experience when put up against a societal structure that is such an obvious failure, with the people living the nightmare not even realising what they're fighting against. There simply is no respite, because no one knows better (except for the protagonist who has a limited ability to communicate his knowledge, and is even actively prevented from doing so as he's just as much an antrophologist as a moral observant). I think this can even be traced back to the realist novels of the 1800th century. I'm currently reading Stendhal's The Red and the Black, and it's evident that it uses time as a framing device, where the characters not only mirror real human archetypes, but are made "less dangerous" by being outside the current frame of thinking/time. Making this kind of false distance to the characters and plot has "always" been a thing in fiction, and as to why the Medieval constitues a trend right now (if it even does), I would have to do some thinking on.

[@travelthroughstories]

That's fair - that's how I felt about Sorokin's Their Four Hearts, where I couldn't see the point behind the absurd violence (or the point was so obvious that it didn't require a full a book). Here, I do think there is a point, though I will say that it becomes clear on about page 25, but then the book goes on for another 280 pages. Thanks for your thoughts!

[@jm221]

Read Eileen and at the end thought "well that was kind of pointless." So then I went and read the new Riley Sager and realized I didn't know the meaning of the word. First time I've ever gone back and raised a books rating

[@thuntz29]

McGlue is a fantastic book! I highly recommend it. :) I just checked this one from the library and im very excited to read it.

[@11A.M.]

I am in the process of reading the novel. For me it was, so far, desturbing to the point where i didnt wanna imagine some scenes anymore, but, at the same time, i adore the way the author can express little moments so vividly. Thank you for the review!

[@emmadecaussin8512]

I would be interested to hear a review on My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Her voice is so different in this book.

[@Paromita_M]

Really interesting review. You did a video on medievalism in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, a book which I tried but ultimately quit on because the descriptions of gory violence (as well-composed as they were) were too much for me. I wondered if you have any thoughts on the contrast between McCarthy's approach where he seems to predominantly rely on unspeakable violence in the physical landscape to demonstrate bleakness and Moshfegh's approach which seems to lean into the horrifying dark depths of the psyche. Are there any thematic similarities in what the authors might be trying to convey despite their contrarian approaches?

[@travelthroughstories]

Really interesting comparison! I'm not too sure, but I think both are interested in the moral/psychological outcome of a perverse/amoral society. Now that you mention it, there are quite a few similarities between not only Lapvona and Blood Meridian, but his Child of God and Outer Dark. I think both authors are simply interested in the darker side of humanity, the abject, the monstrous, but both are hyper-conscious of the fact that these kinds of people/ideas don't just appear ex nihilo, but they're created by society. I'll think more on this though! Thank you!

[@Paromita_M]

@@travelthroughstories Thank you for this wonderful answer!

[@Sad_reward]

Can you please make a video on Nobber! It’s fantastic!

[@travelthroughstories]

I've been itching to reread it, so perhaps! Agreed that it's really great.

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Enjoyed the review! I just don't know about this book for me though, or at least not right now when it's still in hardback, lol. XD I know it's getting slammed from a lot of outlets, and I liked hearing your more levelheaded view of it. But still, it sounds like something that has been done many times before, and a lot of people are saying it's fairly shallow and lacks subtlety. I may give it a go though sometime down the line. Anyway, really great review! :)

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you for watching! That's fair - as I hope was clear, I don't think it's a stellar book by any means, but I do think that it's worth reading (a library copy or a very cheap used copy might be the way to go though!).

[@revenantreads]

Great analysis. This sounds like a really interesting read.

[@travelthroughstories]

Thank you - it's certainly not a boring book!

[@CauseQ]

Reminds me of the anime “Akame ga Kill”

[@cakecogito]

"Filthy Medieval Tale." Exquisite recommendation.

[@SpringboardThought]

Looking forward to this one despite how uhh intense it is. It’ll be a long ass time though, 18th in line or something, along with 28th in line for Nightcrawling. Seems like quite the hit item if rural Canada desires it. Interesting analysis. Interesting it’s the carnival of misery or whatever, since How High We Go in the Dark is basically the same kind of misery porn, yet haven’t heard the same critique about it. There are literally euthanasia theme parks for children set like 2 years from now, or close to that. Also a booker hopeful, but seems much more well loved. I guess it’s been out far longer though. I can all be guarantee Lapvona is more successful than it though.

[@travelthroughstories]

Holy, 18th?! Brutal. I haven't heard of How High We Go in the Dark, but I just look it up and...yeah, that sounds like misery porn. haha. Lapvona does have a kind of nihilistic viewpoint, but I think people are more just worked up about its depictions of sex, how dirty the world is, etc. It's mainly just gross and depraved rather than misery porn, and so, in that way, I think it's much more interesting than the latter. I hope you get to read it soon though! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

[@p.w.e.2374]

Does the novel even state this takes place in medieval times? Based on the book's cover image, it would place it in the renaissance...For me, this book owes a lot to Hardy's Jude the Obscure...Marek is Little Father Time gone really bad, had he not killed himself...and it reads very Hardy-like...Either way, this book is more about family and community than anything else. Medieval? Who cares...Moshfegh is brilliant. This book is brilliant.

[@TheSquidgal]

The diversion of the river brought to mind the Dakota Access pipeline. You said our world is not as gross, but think of human trafficking, the pervasiveness of porn and abuse against children -- potentially reaching into Great Britain's royal family. Have we really come that far?

[@1hiassen1]

Sounds like it should be avoided by the ladies in my church's book circle.

[@FxSxRxZ]

If you don't love Lapvona, stop reading, it's all wasted on you 😜

[@humanfirst11]

3:16 right at this point I lost whatever minuscule interest I had on the book. But not anymore.

[@inersphobia]

Why do you choose to call it a text instead of a novel?

[@travelthroughstories]

Because I was referring to the text.

[@SethMoodyinersphobia]

@@travelthroughstories Sorry, I'm asking about at 15:07. You call it throughout the video both a "book" and a "novel", and here you refer to it as a "text". I was trying to understand if you are alternating words just for variety, or if there was another reason.

[@travelthroughstories]

@@SethMoodyinersphobia I occasionally use "text" simply as variety, but in this case I was using it to refer the work divorced from Moshfegh herself. That is, I often subscribe to the idea in literary theory of thinking of a work, a text, as its own being rather than simply a gateway to the author's brain. Perhaps it's just the medievalist in me coming out as we refer to pretty much any literature as "texts," or perhaps I've just read too much post-structuralism too recently.

[@SethMoodyinersphobia]

@@travelthroughstories Thanks for the explanation! It makes sense.

[@moonriver7439]

Proverbs 20:30 is corporal punishment in the Old Testament during the time Solomon. Not self flagellation, which is a catholic practice (but even they look down on it now). Also being “naive” is not a virtue.

[@JFM284]

Drives me nuts how you mispronounce the word flagellation every time.

[@travelthroughstories]

My sincere apologies. I'll soften those g's for you for next time.

[@melo1884]

I hated it, I bought this book expecting the masterpiece it was said to be and found a book terribly written, maybe it’s because I didn’t read the original text but the style was really simplicistic, and the horror seemed to be just for horror sake, not even very convincing. For example, the concept of very Christian people resorting to cannibalism due to the famine that was afflicting them, could’ve been explored much more in depth. Moreover the characters felt like caricatures rather than people. Even the criticism was so in your face that it felt dumb. (Sorry for my very bad english, but as you can see it’s not my native language). The only redeeming quality of the book, to me, was the consistency, because it was just plain pretenciousness from start to finish. Maybe the only theme that I think was handled pretty well was how poverty and ignorance are so tied to one another that the inhabitants of the village could never understand Villiam’s doing. Again, sorry for my english, i know a terrible written paragraph exspecially with that harsh criticism isn’t nice to look at

[@HABYKOSHYMATHEW]

Moshfegh is a frustrating author and eileen was a bad book, and it got unnecessary praise. Lapvona is such a pathetic work, it shouldnt have been published in the current form

[@jessicaronald8971]

I feel you. I struggled to get through My year of rest and relaxation and gave up, I just couldn’t get through it. I wanted to give Lapvona a chance but after reading this comment, I’ll stick to Joan Didion and Melissa Broder thank you very much.

[@ocularjelly]

Got any recommendations of something that isn't pathetic?

[@tccvalerie]

I agree. If Moshfegh’s goal was to have me hate read, she accomplished her mission. I despised the r@pe, incest, p3dophilia, cannibalism… I just felt disgust and shock the whole time. Waste of 2 weeks of my life.