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A review by stinkylilbaby
Rouge by Mona Awad
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Had to sit on my review for a few days since I read this so fast. One of the biggest villains in this book is the beauty industry and how it prays on vulnerable people, but i feel like people are completely overlooking the the mother daughter dynamic and the racial dynamics in this book. Reading the acknowledgments, I can understand how Awad’s own experience as a mixed race child with a white mother influenced Mirabelle’s struggles with her development, her ideals of beauty, and how she sees her mother.
Perhaps its because this book was unintentionally very relatable to me. I had a tumultuous relationship with my very white, beauty obsessed mother who resented aspects of myself that were deemed “ethnic” and who recently passed away. So my review is also an extension of my experiences.
Yet, by the second to last chapter I was fully in tears, especially when I was able to read the mom’s perspective of her daughter. It was so beautiful and illustrated how many single mothers are trying their best in their own misguided ways (not applicable to me, but I digress). Grief is so complicated, especially concerning a woman with her mom, and X100 when the relationship was toxic. Yet I completely understood how Mirabelle felt in her grief. It also made me analyze how much of my own expectations and ideals of beauty are rooted in what my mom looked like, and how I looked so different from her.
Honestly, Awad has made a fan out of me. Will definitely be reading more of her work. Love ❤️🌹🪼
Perhaps its because this book was unintentionally very relatable to me. I had a tumultuous relationship with my very white, beauty obsessed mother who resented aspects of myself that were deemed “ethnic” and who recently passed away. So my review is also an extension of my experiences.
Yet, by the second to last chapter I was fully in tears, especially when I was able to read the mom’s perspective of her daughter. It was so beautiful and illustrated how many single mothers are trying their best in their own misguided ways (not applicable to me, but I digress). Grief is so complicated, especially concerning a woman with her mom, and X100 when the relationship was toxic. Yet I completely understood how Mirabelle felt in her grief. It also made me analyze how much of my own expectations and ideals of beauty are rooted in what my mom looked like, and how I looked so different from her.
Honestly, Awad has made a fan out of me. Will definitely be reading more of her work. Love ❤️🌹🪼