Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Rouge by Mona Awad

15 reviews

theliteraryhooker's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

As expected, this was a very strange read. However, Awad's writing is so weird and haunting and effective that it absolutely carried my attention through the entire bizarre plot. Do I fully understand what I just read? Not at all. But I've accepted that Awad's books are all about the weird, creepy, ambiguous journey and less about the destination. I found this one to be a bit too repetitive at times, which made it less hard hitting for me than Bunny, but still a good read. The fact that there's a Tom Cruise facsimile at the heart of a skincare cult situation is also just *chef's kiss* perfection. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Abandonment

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Racism, and Death of parent

medini_l's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Suicide, and Animal death

sarasreading's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I love how Mona Awad crafts such complex themes and narratives, weaving many ideas and nuance into an ABSOLUTELY unhinged wild ride of a book. I devoured this (pun intended). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, and Grief

Moderate: Abandonment

dhritigupta's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

what i loved:
- the motifs and imagery 
- the PROLOGUE
- mona awad’s incredibly clever word choices/word-play 
- exploration of messy mother-daughter relationships and motherhood in general
- how she touched on the horrors of bipoc girlhood (though a bit triggering at times)
- unpacking how skincare reveres whiteness and the problems with how it’s marketed as self-care 
- belle’s chaotic bisexuality 

didn’t love:
- hud hudson 
- how so many questions were left unanswered,,,like i do think some parts should be left a mystery, but i’d love some more clarity about noelle’s past, and i have soooo many questions abt the spa members
- the ending felt a little too neat

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, and Gore

Moderate: Abandonment, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent

aileron's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, and Death of parent

Moderate: Grief and Animal death

Minor: Racism, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail