Lapvona

Lapvona is a 2022 novel by American author Ottessa Moshfegh.

Lapvona is a 2022 novel by American author Ottessa Moshfegh. Set in a fictional medieval fiefdom, it follows a poor village and a shepherd boy, Marek, amid violence, corruption, religion, and survival. The novel, Moshfegh's fifth, was published on June 21, 2022.

Plot

The novel follows life in Lapvona, a poor medieval village under the rule of Lord Villiam. The story focuses on Marek, a shepherd boy living in poverty under a cruel feudal order, and the social and moral tensions between peasants and the manor above them.

Publication

Lapvona was published in 2022 in English by Penguin Press in the United States and Jonathan Cape in the United Kingdom. It appeared in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.

Themes

Critical descriptions of the novel emphasize violence, depravity, religion, class power, and survival in an indifferent world. It has been described as a dark or grotesque fable-like work.

Reception

Coverage of the novel noted its provocative style and extreme content, with reviewers often focusing on its brutality and unsettling atmosphere. It was widely discussed as a distinctive entry in Moshfegh’s body of work.