logo

28 pages 56 minutes read

Ottessa Moshfegh

Eileen

Ottessa MoshfeghFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Book Brief

logo
Ottessa Moshfegh

Eileen

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015
Book Details
Pages

260

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

New England • 1960s

Publication Year

2015

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Eileen, set in 1964, follows 24-year-old Eileen, who plans to escape her grim life in X-ville, New England, for New York City. She works as a secretary at a juvenile penitentiary and cares for her alcoholic father. Eileen becomes infatuated with her new co-worker Rebecca, leading to a series of unsettling events that culminate in a decision that drives Eileen toward her desperate escape. Topics of suicide and child abuse are presented.

Dark

Unnerving

Mysterious

Melancholic

Gritty

Reviews & Readership

3.6

116,971 ratings

56%

Loved it

31%

Mixed feelings

13%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Ottessa Moshfegh's Eileen offers a dark, compelling narrative filled with complex characters and a chilling plot. Reviewers praise Moshfegh's sharp prose and psychological depth, but some find the pacing slow and the protagonist difficult to empathize with. Overall, it's a gripping yet disturbing read that leaves a lasting impact.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Eileen?

Readers who enjoy dark, psychological thrillers with complex, flawed characters would find Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh compelling. Fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle will appreciate the novel's unsettling atmosphere and exploration of the human psyche.

3.6

116,971 ratings

56%

Loved it

31%

Mixed feelings

13%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

260

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

New England • 1960s

Publication Year

2015

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.