Scan barcode
emiilysul's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️: wanted to like it more than i did. very whimsy and dark.
cayleigh's review against another edition
3.75
If I hadn't already read Natural Beauty (which is essentially this book with better execution), I would have rated this book much higher. Although I think the two naturally lend themselves to comparison, I'm nonetheless glad I enjoyed both, because they both scratched the part of my brain that itches for strange literary fiction.
I really do love Mona Awad, and even in the case where I found a comparable book that I adored, I enjoyed this nonetheless. I finished this in a day and it felt as much like a fever dream as my favourite Awad books. I am so grateful to be alive at the same time as the rise of Mona Awad and now I will impatiently wait for her next, wonderfully weird adventure.
I really do love Mona Awad, and even in the case where I found a comparable book that I adored, I enjoyed this nonetheless. I finished this in a day and it felt as much like a fever dream as my favourite Awad books. I am so grateful to be alive at the same time as the rise of Mona Awad and now I will impatiently wait for her next, wonderfully weird adventure.
erica_mills3's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
vicky523's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mollynelsonregan's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Languorous and narcissistic, but I think that’s the point. Still about 50 pages too long.
andreiaoh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
GOD that was exhilarating. beautifully written, thought-provoking and a well-crafted story. sometimes novels lose me in the middle and end, but this was a book that i found really grew with me as i kept reading it.
for a big chunk of this portion (around the middle portion i'd say), this really gave me such similar vibes to last night in soho (the film). very different stories, but the energies felt very alike to me (positive).
my minor minor minor qualm had to do with the existence of one of the characters. their existence in the story had no bearing on me, positive or negative, and i feel like if they were wiped from the story nothing would change at all plot-wise. it's not something enough to bother me, but a small detail that stops this story from being near perfection, imo!
jealousy (or envy i guess) really is a disease.
for a big chunk of this portion (around the middle portion i'd say), this really gave me such similar vibes to last night in soho (the film). very different stories, but the energies felt very alike to me (positive).
my minor minor minor qualm had to do with the existence of one of the characters. their existence in the story had no bearing on me, positive or negative, and i feel like if they were wiped from the story nothing would change at all plot-wise. it's not something enough to bother me, but a small detail that stops this story from being near perfection, imo!
jealousy (or envy i guess) really is a disease.
ninetytimesnine's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jasminejjj's review against another edition
5.0
Awad does it again!! Such a beautiful investigation into a woman’s relationship with beauty. I feel like every book I read from her permanently alters me for the better. Amoss of course delivers another gorgeous narration.
witch_bish's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0