"Why should my heart ache for anyone but myself? If anyone was trapped and suffering and abused, it was me. I was the only one whose pain was real. Mine." 

An older Eileen Dunlop recounts her life in the 60s as a disturbed young woman working as a secretary at a prison for boys. She fills her mundane life with shoplifting, fantasies, dreams of escaping to the big city, and taking care of her alcoholic father. When Rebecca arrives as the new counselor at the prison, Eileen is enamored and a relationship is formed. However, this newfound friendship leads down a twisted path. 

I absolutely love Moshfegh's writing and how she creates such enigmatic, disturbed characters that, in some way or another, us readers can relate to. The story is told through first person narration, following Eileen's intrusive thoughts and experiences firsthand. The way she sees herself and others, her perspective of the world, and the way her hatred and grotesqueness forms her personality is so intriguing and had me enthralled. 

Then enter Rebecca, the complete opposite of Eileen yet similar in aspects. The woman that changes the course of her life. This isn't a spoiler as the synopsis and narration of the story details Eileen's life trajectory so this is known to the reader throughout. Anyway, I was interested in their relationship as Eileen moved on from her old obsessions to a new one - her friendship with Rebecca. 

The whole story leads to a crazy ending which I am still unsure how I feel about it. It caught me off guard, but it worked. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. Overall, another great book by Moshfegh!