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danipanini's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Oh my, this book. Where to even begin?
You know how most of the reviews you see about this book start with "what the fuck did I just read?" Pretty fucking accurate, imo—in both a good and a bad way.
The first thing you gotta know: suspend ALL disbelief when you read this book. You have to mentally be aware of this fact and let it govern your perspective while reading because you'll want an explanation for what the fuck is happening (Spoiler:you'll get nothing ).
Ngl tho, it hooks you in real good. At the onset, you get all the cliche It Girl clique vibes and the varied academia aesthetics. And then there are Bunnies. And things happen to the Bunnies and the bunnies. And somehow more animals get involved in the mix. And because it's reeled you in, you'll WANT to know what the heck happens to everyone because of everything that's going on. Vague, I know, but you'll really have to read it to get it.
Personally tho, it wasn't a waste of time. I enjoyed reading the book because I was looking for something pretty outlandish yet still familiar to read. I believe it also conveyed commentary about loneliness and belonging, groupthink to some level, gender and their portrayal in art, and the like. One of those books that I can definitely imagine as a TV series—not a movie because I don't think 2.5 hours can encapsulate everything that goes on in this book.
Oh, and there's a twist. I didn't know how to feel about the twist but personally, I didn't see it coming. I hoped it would explain things, but it made everything just a tad more confusing.
Tldr; It was weird. I liked it. Would I rave about it? Nah. But I think this is good to get you out of a reading slump—it got me out of mine haha.
You know how most of the reviews you see about this book start with "what the fuck did I just read?" Pretty fucking accurate, imo—in both a good and a bad way.
The first thing you gotta know: suspend ALL disbelief when you read this book. You have to mentally be aware of this fact and let it govern your perspective while reading because you'll want an explanation for what the fuck is happening (Spoiler:
Ngl tho, it hooks you in real good. At the onset, you get all the cliche It Girl clique vibes and the varied academia aesthetics. And then there are Bunnies. And things happen to the Bunnies and the bunnies. And somehow more animals get involved in the mix. And because it's reeled you in, you'll WANT to know what the heck happens to everyone because of everything that's going on. Vague, I know, but you'll really have to read it to get it.
Personally tho, it wasn't a waste of time. I enjoyed reading the book because I was looking for something pretty outlandish yet still familiar to read. I believe it also conveyed commentary about loneliness and belonging, groupthink to some level, gender and their portrayal in art, and the like. One of those books that I can definitely imagine as a TV series—not a movie because I don't think 2.5 hours can encapsulate everything that goes on in this book.
Tldr; It was weird. I liked it. Would I rave about it? Nah. But I think this is good to get you out of a reading slump—it got me out of mine haha.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Self harm, Blood, Murder, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
sarafinley's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was an absolutely fever dream, and I think I loved it. Though this is going to be a book I’m going to need to ponder a bit longer and re-rate at a later date.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
There were two instances where specific words were used that I had thought we had collectively moved on from since they are harmful and/or slurs. The first was the slur typically used in reference to Roma people. The second was a term previously used to refer to people with intellectual disabilities.latoyareadsdaily's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Bunny by Mona Awad is a phenomenally strange and intriguing book. I decided, after some of the weirdness, to resign myself to being entertained. I think that was the best decision I could have made as I read because I allowed myself to read for the fun of reading. And I did have fun! I liked the ending, I was not expecting any of the twists and turns that I encountered in the story. I can say this about what the book revealed to me: we all just want to have a home. Home can be very many things including people. When we find home, we feel at peace, happy. Thanks, Mona!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Blood, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Abandonment
wickedgrumpy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It was a vibe.
To put it simply, it's not my cup of tea but I understand it being someone else's. Well written, probably improves on re-reading.
To put it simply, it's not my cup of tea but I understand it being someone else's. Well written, probably improves on re-reading.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Dysphoria
grboph's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I am not even sure how to react to this book. It was wonderfully written and interesting and entertaining, but at the same time I did not feel like I had any idea what was happening during most of it. It was also very off-putting and disturbing, sometimes to the point where I had to stop reading it. But I still enjoyed reading it - the characters (particularly the main character) were unique and well-developed and the story was intriguing. The ending was also completely unexpected, but also tied the preceding events together very well and made me question the reality of the story as well as the reliability of the narrator. Bunny was a very enjoyable read, and Mona Awad is such a good writer - I definitely want to find other books she's written now. While the book was very creepy and at times made me question my own perception of what I was reading, I loved reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes horror fiction or dark academia books, or anyone looking for a scary book to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug use, Gore, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Death of parent and Alcohol
alexis_mai's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Minor: Drug use
lindseyhall44's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I’ve seen many reviews surrounding Bunny which call it weird in a negative connotation. Though I completely understand that the subject matter and execution of the novel may not be for everyone, the so-called “weirdness” is what truly enraptured me.
Bunny follows Samantha, a student at a elusive arts college, as she navigates a relationship with a group of friends/cult-esque members in her writing cohort, who call themselves the bunnies. Through a blurred lense between real and imaginative, repulsed and obsessed, Awad crafts a tale so startling unique against the backdrop of contemporary literature that it can’t help but shine through.
What surprised me the most in this novel was that even throughout the darkness and sinister facets of Samantha’s experiences, for the most part I still found a sense of understanding in her decisions. Stripping down the horror elements and fever dream atmosphere, there is just a sad girl wanting to belong somewhere, and it takes a strong writer to explore such underlying desires.
The prose is another area of expertise for Awad, as it is craftily used in highlighting the perspective shifts of Samantha’s internal monologue.
Overall, I really enjoyed Bunny, and can not wait to check out the author’s latest work!
*as always, don’t forget to check trigger warnings!
Bunny follows Samantha, a student at a elusive arts college, as she navigates a relationship with a group of friends/cult-esque members in her writing cohort, who call themselves the bunnies. Through a blurred lense between real and imaginative, repulsed and obsessed, Awad crafts a tale so startling unique against the backdrop of contemporary literature that it can’t help but shine through.
What surprised me the most in this novel was that even throughout the darkness and sinister facets of Samantha’s experiences, for the most part I still found a sense of understanding in her decisions. Stripping down the horror elements and fever dream atmosphere, there is just a sad girl wanting to belong somewhere, and it takes a strong writer to explore such underlying desires.
The prose is another area of expertise for Awad, as it is craftily used in highlighting the perspective shifts of Samantha’s internal monologue.
Overall, I really enjoyed Bunny, and can not wait to check out the author’s latest work!
*as always, don’t forget to check trigger warnings!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content, Stalking, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Mental illness
kathleencoughlin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
4.5
Bunny is spooky, culty horror novel reminiscent of Jennifer's Body, Heathers, or Scream Queens. Samantha starts as an outsider and who often exudes "not like other girls" vibes; one of the Bunnies said something to the effect of her liking to wallow in her own grittiness and that's a fairy apt description. She seems to be staunchly anti-Bunny, not just for their cliquishness but also for their overt femininity. But like many good stories of the genre, I see how someone could be drawn into the fold. Tiny cupcakes, nice clothes, and a seemingly single-minded camaraderie sounds like a good deal, right? We soon learn though that their twee exteriors hide something not just passive aggressive but primal and dark. Overall, I really enjoyed Awad's book and think she did a better job than a lot of similar media at addressing the classism and underlying grief that inform stories like this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Gore, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Body horror, Misogyny, Self harm, Torture, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Grief, Abandonment, and Classism
margozaldivar's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment
antonia_schuro's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Big meta story about writing. Unreliable narrator.
Alice in wonderland on a bad trip.
Full of references and gore.
Ending could have packed a harder punch.
Alice in wonderland on a bad trip.
Full of references and gore.
Ending could have packed a harder punch.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Sexual content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism