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A review by ada_elisabeth
All's Well by Mona Awad
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
What in the world did I just read?
On one hand, it was kind of interesting, I guess. On the other hand, it was SO LONG! Like yes, it was decent, but did it really need to be over three hundred pages? Probably not.
What I Liked:
- The general plot. I'm really living for these chaotic novels about messy, disorganized, unhappy people these days. Something about them is just so satisfying to my soul. I feel like a lot of the books I've read recently have been about people whose lives SHOULD be amazing, but something is just ruining it all for them. Throw in some dead parents, chronic pain, and/or divorce, and you've got a perfect novel. In all seriousness, I really enjoy reading about adults. Teenagers are so boring. I'd much rather read about someone twice (or thrice) my age.
- That ending. It was just *perfect.* I love a good bit of insanity, and this was just perfection. It's a sign of a truly talented writer if you feel like you're going insane right along with the characters. Overall I really liked the writing style of this book too. It was darkly funny, shockingly witty, and entirely unapologetic. I really, really enjoyed it. Which is great, because I have another Mona Awad book waiting in the wings for me.
- It had an ✨Unreliable Narrator✨ and I love those. Like, yes, Miranda, please do go crazy and make a deal with the devil and hallucinate your friends dying. I'm here for it.
What I Didn't Like:
- It was long and a little bit slow. It took me TWENTY DAYS to read. Twenty days! (Yes, I did stop to read something else in the middle, but we'll ignore that for plot convenience.)
- I didn't really connect with any of the characters/they didn't feel like real people.
- Hugo. That's all I'll say for that one.
Overall, it was okay. Not my favorite, but I did really like some aspects of it (and I loved the cover (not the one that Goodreads shows, but the one with the theatre mask made out of pills)). 3.75/5, rounded up.
On one hand, it was kind of interesting, I guess. On the other hand, it was SO LONG! Like yes, it was decent, but did it really need to be over three hundred pages? Probably not.
What I Liked:
- The general plot. I'm really living for these chaotic novels about messy, disorganized, unhappy people these days. Something about them is just so satisfying to my soul. I feel like a lot of the books I've read recently have been about people whose lives SHOULD be amazing, but something is just ruining it all for them. Throw in some dead parents, chronic pain, and/or divorce, and you've got a perfect novel. In all seriousness, I really enjoy reading about adults. Teenagers are so boring. I'd much rather read about someone twice (or thrice) my age.
- That ending. It was just *perfect.* I love a good bit of insanity, and this was just perfection. It's a sign of a truly talented writer if you feel like you're going insane right along with the characters. Overall I really liked the writing style of this book too. It was darkly funny, shockingly witty, and entirely unapologetic. I really, really enjoyed it. Which is great, because I have another Mona Awad book waiting in the wings for me.
- It had an ✨Unreliable Narrator✨ and I love those.
What I Didn't Like:
- It was long and a little bit slow. It took me TWENTY DAYS to read. Twenty days! (Yes, I did stop to read something else in the middle, but we'll ignore that for plot convenience.)
- I didn't really connect with any of the characters/they didn't feel like real people.
- Hugo. That's all I'll say for that one.
Overall, it was okay. Not my favorite, but I did really like some aspects of it (and I loved the cover (not the one that Goodreads shows, but the one with the theatre mask made out of pills)). 3.75/5, rounded up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness and Death