Ottessa Moshfegh

"For me writing isn't a mental exercise, it's barely even a literary exercise, it feels like a spiritual experience." 

— Ottessa Moshfegh

Life & Background:

Born in 1981 in Boston to immigrant parents, Ottessa Moshfegh has emerged as one of the most distinctive literary voices of the 21st century. She studied at Barnard and received her MFA from Brown University. Known for her wit and fearless exploration of flawed characters, she’s been both acclaimed and controversial.

Inspirations:

Moshfegh cites Russian literature (especially Dostoevsky), existentialism, and classic American writers like Flannery O’Connor and Shirley Jackson as major influences. Her writing walks the line between satire and sincerity, often challenging readers’ comfort zones.

Themes in Her Work:

• Alienation and disgust: Her protagonists are often physically and emotionally detached from the world, sometimes even repellent.

• Mental health and numbness: Moshfegh explores psychological stagnation, especially in women who seek radical detachment.

• The grotesque and mundane: She turns ordinary daily life into something disturbing, uncanny, and darkly funny.

• Control and self-destruction: Characters often try to escape society’s expectations through extreme, sometimes destructive, means.

Notable Works:

• Eileen (2015):

• My Year of Rest and Relaxation (2018)

• Lapvona (2022)