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mmccombs's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
This was quite weird and unexpected, even for a Mona Awad book! I didn’t know anything going in to this, so to say this was a Journey may be an understatement. It’s a fever dream of a fairy tale and a grief-induced fugue state that analyzes a brutal mother-daughter relationship and the beauty industry, there was just a lot going on. And it was also way too long, there were multiple parts where I felt like I had already read a section almost exactly like it before, so I think it could have been paired down in the middle. The ending was satisfying and I came away from it feeling lots of feelings about how much we are forced to focus on beauty, on never aging, on “whitening and brightening,” on comparing ourselves to our mothers or our daughters and never quite feeling like you’re enough. Really interesting topics covered in this book, it’ll leave you feeling a bit disoriented (and feeling a bit weird[er] about Tom Cruise).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Racism and Medical content
katieb1034's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
After reading Mona Awad's "Bunny," I was absolutely certain I had read a work of genius. That feeling only intensified with "Rouge." I have never been so deeply moved. It is so distinctly feminine and so beautifully and inventively captures the realities of womanhood, daughterhood, motherhood, and sexuality. It is a rare instance of surrealism that is easy to buy into, to make your reality, while still evoking the raw emotionality of hyperrealism. This book is like looking into a mirror: both haunting and dazzling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death of parent
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
fionamatilda's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Cannibalism, Dementia, and Racism
emily_stimmel's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, and Body shaming
cc_shelflove's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was crazy! Belle has always been obsessed with skincare, watching Dr. Marva’s YouTube videos each morning and night and following along with her own array of creams, lotions, and potions. 👩🏻🔬 Shortly after her mother’s death, Belle uncovers that Mother, too, shared this obsession. What’s more, Mother was a member of a luxurious, exclusive spa in the mansion at the cliff’s edge. 🧖🏻♀️ Just what will Belle need to give up in order to get in? I will say it again—this book was crazy! I literally cheered at the end. 🏆 Dark, twisted, and so utterly delectable. I loved it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Moderate: Stalking
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Suicide, and Animal death
baratheonbooks's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Child abuse
Moderate: Blood
catriona176's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Another chaotic fever dream of a book from Mona Awad. I think I liked this more than Bunny but a lot of it I didn’t completely “get”, though I feel like someone more skilled with literary analysis could have hours of enjoyment here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death of parent
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Xenophobia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
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
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, and Gore
Moderate: Abandonment, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent
_bailey_reads_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book was mind-bending, bone chilling, and the perfect level of creep for someone just getting into horror.
Even though I barely had any grasp of what what happening most of the time I could not put it down! It was gripping! I am sad it’s over!
Totally made me think of looking in a mirror in a whole new way!
Mona Awad highlights the perils of vanity to the max! I loved every second!
Even though I barely had any grasp of what what happening most of the time I could not put it down! It was gripping! I am sad it’s over!
Totally made me think of looking in a mirror in a whole new way!
Mona Awad highlights the perils of vanity to the max! I loved every second!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief
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