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Eileen

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Eileen

By: Ottessa Moshfegh
Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan
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About this listen

The Christmas season offers little cheer for Eileen Dunlop, an unassuming yet disturbed young woman, trapped between her role as her alcoholic father's carer and her day job as a secretary at the prison.

When the charismatic Rebecca Saint John arrives as the new counsellor at the prison, Eileen is enchanted and unable to resist what appears to be a miraculously budding friendship.

In a Hitchcockian twist, her affection for Rebecca ultimately pulls her into complicity in a crime that surpasses her wildest imaginings.

©2015 Ottessa Moshfegh (P)2015 Recorded Books Inc Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Suspense Thriller & Suspense Women's Fiction Fiction

Critic Reviews

"Fully lives up to the hype. A taut psychological thriller, rippled with comedy as black as a raven's wing, Eileen is effortlessly stylish and compelling." ( The Times)
"Excellent...a taut, well-written, and completely engrossing novel...culminating in a dynamite ending." ( Boston Globe)
All stars
Most relevant  
Stunning, quiet, dark character study, reminiscent of the sublime Bernice Reubens. Love love love.

wow

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Overall a great listen. A lot of people find her books to be too unhinged to read. I honestly did not find the ending to be a major twist and kind of predicted what was happening, so shock value was lacking. I loved how Eileen drew us into her life and story, as a result of how well written the novel is.

Moshfegh is a phenomenal writer

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Great story! - She became such a strong woman within the final chapter :) Excellent ending

Quality Book

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Smashed through it in a couple of days. The characters were incredibly written and the performance was amazing.

Intense But Amazing

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This book left me feeling weird. While there are some great things about the story it is more of a depressing character study than a thrilling mystery. Found myself quite bored through most of it.

Not what I expected

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This is a fntastic piece of work. I enjoyed every minute. . . . .

Masterful

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Eileen is a sad, narrow-minded young woman who is not particularly likeable. Nothing at all happens until the last hour of the book. It is really quite remarkable how someone can write a whole novel about nothing. I was so bored, waiting for the story to start. When the story does start, it’s ludicrously unlikely, unpleasant and clumsy. Thankfully by the time that happens you’re almost through the book because it is not enjoyable to listen to at all.

Boring

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If you enjoy stumbling along the vomit festooned snow drift walks of life, then this novel is for you. I started it several times before I listened to the conclusion only because there was nothing else to listen to. All the characters are depressingly dysfunctional. There is no one to empathise with. There is no gentle chuckling. There are no flickering lights of optimism. Nothing but haunting ghastliness.

However the reader does an excellent job of defining the different characters, none of which are attractive. I wish I had never bought this book. SIGH.

A horribly depressing novel.

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I really can't get into this book - I am trying to get passed the sound of the narrators voice but I really think it's spoiling my enjoyment of what could be a half decent book.

Bad narration

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For horror that makes you feel gross and uncomfortable sure, 5 stars, but overall this book was long, boring and anti climatic.

Don't let TikTok fool you

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