My Year of Rest and Relaxation

The narrator has a complicated relationship with Reva, her best friend from college. What about Reva is so bothersome to the narrator, and why does she choose to remain friends with her?

The narrator spends most of her waking hours watching movies. What effect does watching movies—even the same movies on repeat—have on the narrator? What does the narrator find comforting about movies?

The story is told entirely from the perspective of an unnamed narrator. How does this namelessness affect the reader’s understanding of the character? In what ways does this choice strengthen the book’s themes?

The narrator truly believes that she will transform into a new person, full of hope and without regrets, if she can get enough sleep. Why does the narrator view sleep as a means to change her life and personality for the better?

Describe Moshfegh’s narrative tone and writing style. In what ways does her distinctive style inform and give life to the story’s characters, themes, and setting?

Discuss the narrator’s relationship to Trevor, her on-and-off boyfriend since college. Why does she continue to pursue this relationship, despite knowing that Trevor does not truly love her?

Compare the narrator’s relationship with her mother to Reva’s relationship with her mother. What are some noticeable differences, and in what ways is Reva’s relationship with her mother ideal to the narrator?

Discuss the aftermath of the narrator’s six-month hibernation. What changes does she recognize in herself—in her behavior, relationships, and overall perspective—when she wakes up in June?