Have you read Moshfegh’s short story collection? I’ve only read I think one review that mentioned MYORAR is obviously an extension or extrapolation of her Paris Review story “Bettering Myself” (which features an alcoholic schoolteacher instead of a pill-addled UES hermit, but the Reva character is there and embryonic in the short story, and the overall affect is the same — it might actually be better because more concentrated).
Also, I’m sympathetic to her turn toward the novel for even extra-economic concerns. There’s an interview somewhere with her and Lorin Stein (he of the cancelled-ness, though he basically invented her career) where she says something like “I spent days editing a single sentence in this short story. But then I was terrified by the question: is anyone actually paying attention to these kinds of subtle literary maneuvers?” A valid concern, I think.
Have you read Moshfegh’s short story collection? I’ve only read I think one review that mentioned MYORAR is obviously an extension or extrapolation of her Paris Review story “Bettering Myself” (which features an alcoholic schoolteacher instead of a pill-addled UES hermit, but the Reva character is there and embryonic in the short story, and the overall affect is the same — it might actually be better because more concentrated).
I actually haven't! Will have to check it out.
My read on Moshfegh is that she’s actually a born short story writer, like O’Connor. It just doesn’t pay these days.
Also, I’m sympathetic to her turn toward the novel for even extra-economic concerns. There’s an interview somewhere with her and Lorin Stein (he of the cancelled-ness, though he basically invented her career) where she says something like “I spent days editing a single sentence in this short story. But then I was terrified by the question: is anyone actually paying attention to these kinds of subtle literary maneuvers?” A valid concern, I think.