Literary · Classics
My Year of Rest and Relaxation
A young, wealthy and numb woman in New York in 2000 decides to sleep through a year with the help of prescriptions from a careless psychiatrist. She believes it will let her wake up renewed.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 2013
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 304
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you like black comedy and unlikeable narrators, with a cool, deadpan view of privilege and numbness.
Skip this if you want sympathy or a plot, or you find heavy drug use and depression hard to read about.
The feel
Content warnings
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Quick answers about My Year of Rest and Relaxation
- What is My Year of Rest and Relaxation about?
- A young, wealthy and numb woman in New York in 2000 decides to sleep through a year with the help of prescriptions from a careless psychiatrist. She believes it will let her wake up renewed.
- Who should read My Year of Rest and Relaxation?
- Read it if you like black comedy and unlikeable narrators, with a cool, deadpan view of privilege and numbness. Skip it if you want sympathy or a plot, or you find heavy drug use and depression hard to read about.
- How long and how fast is My Year of Rest and Relaxation?
- It is a slow-paced, short read of about 304 pages, first published in 2013.
- Does My Year of Rest and Relaxation have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Addiction, Mental illness, Grief.
- Can I borrow My Year of Rest and Relaxation for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends My Year of Rest and Relaxation; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after My Year of Rest and Relaxation?
- Readers who liked it often move on to The Bell Jar, Convenience Store Woman, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.
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| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
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| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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The Bell Jar
The older classic of a bright young woman in New York falling into depression.
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Convenience Store Woman A short, offbeat novel about a woman at odds with expectations, with more warmth.
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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine Another isolated, sharp-tongued narrator, but with a hopeful and kinder arc.
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