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Lapvona

A dark medieval Sunday Times bestseller from the author of TikTok sensation My Year of Rest and Relaxation

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Lapvona

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

Brought to you by Penguin.

In the land of Lapvona, the lord of the land Villiam is cheating the local villagers of their food, their water, their livelihoods. Grotesque and ridiculous, he marries the pregnant and tongueless ex-nun Agata, whom he believes will make him God, and his son will be the second Christ.

It's a land of murder, cannibalism, incest and rape. Despite all of the characters' individual inadequacies and madness, you find yourself completely engrossed in each character's fate, be it Marek, Jude, Agata, Villiam, Lispeth, Ina, Father Barnabas. It's an anti-fairytale within a fairytale - maybe this is what hell on earth looks like? Is it an indictment of humanity, of religion, of grotesque despots?

An original work of brilliance - singular, funny, horrifying and entertaining in equal measure.

© Ottessa Moshfegh 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

 Dark Humour Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Magic Medieval World Literature Comedy

Critic Reviews

Compelling... Moshfegh's bold venture beyond her comfort zone in Lapvona is a welcome promise of how much more she has to offer American literature today.
What impresses here is not so much Moshfegh's abilities with character or narrative, or even her language . . . as the qualities Lapvona shares with a Francis Bacon painting: depicting in blood-red vitality, without morals or judgment, the human animal in its native chaos.
Moshfegh expertly creates a world with its own superstitions and laws, both timeless and topical.
Moshfegh's genius is her ability to rip away the veil, revealing the horrors beneath, in writing so compelling, and bleakly funny, that we can't bear to look away.
A witty, vicious novel.. . Moshfegh is one of our most thrilling chroniclers of the abject
Booker-shortlisted Ottessa Moshfegh is likely to out-weird most things published next year - set in a medieval fiefdom, could it be a work of genius, too? (Stephanie Cross)
Deliriously quirky medieval tale . . . Moshfegh brings her trademark fascination with the grotesque to depictions of the pandemic, inequality, and governmental corruption, making them feel both uncanny and all too familiar. It's a triumph.
[A] truly unique novel.
Moshfegh writes brilliantly bizarre. Her arresting fourth novel continues this tradition.
Despite its medieval milieu, Lapvona is a quintessential Moshfegh book. It has the warped earthiness of the author's first two novels... [and] a powerful undercurrent of allegory.
All stars
Most relevant
This is a great story, drags you on this journey through the cruelty of our world and people. But even though there were many gross and violent scenes I found myself laughing out loud in so many of them. Maybe I’m twisted, maybe I just know that people really can be that messed up. Anyways I loved it. Amazing job at portraying the manipulative disabled main character.

Amazing, funny, disgustingly human.

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Not quite horror, not quite fairytale but an enthralling story about grotesque people linked by disturbing circumstances and horrorific actions in a wretched landscape

Grotesque and Absurd

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Well I can’t lie and say I didn’t enjoy this book, don’t be scared it’s a little shocking in the beginning but honestly nothing to sneer at if your used to any kind of horror, it’s well written and the surprising nature of book flows nicely. Ottessa narrates it beautifully and I’m glad I listened to it instead of reading it as I have had this in my Amazon basket for months, the characters were developed and the storyline was interesting but I found the ending dissatisfying. A lot of lead up to not a lot of conclusion, leaving the story to interpretation is not my thing. However if it’s yours definitely worth a read!

Interesting characters, well written, disappointing ending

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Original intriguing just loved this tale, the narrator who is also the author had the perfect voice to accompany her fine work

Wonderful

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Thoroughly enjoyed this story - my little grotesque heart loved ever second. Definitely not for the faint hearted and incredibly well written.

Brilliant writing

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