In my opinion, this novel is a modern classic.

I watched the film starring Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie on Hulu first, and although I prefer the film's ending, it leaves out various nuances from the book. For example, Eileen's internal perversion is far less obvious in the movie, and you get a much better sense of her romantic feelings in the novel.

The plot is interesting, and the characters are well-formed. Eileen is a character with depth and a unique voice who feels real. Her relationship with her alcoholic father is compelling; he spends much of the novel both relying on her for help and treating her with contempt. Although Eileen is somewhat aloof, she does seem to care for, or at least pity, him.

I haven't read all of Ottessa Moshfegh's work, but I could imagine this is one of her best.

Give it a read!