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A review by savvylit
Rouge by Mona Awad
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Rouge is yet another Awad book that felt like entering a fugue state. The main character doesn't know what the hell is happening and neither does the reader. In Rouge, Awad has created some of the trippiest and most menacing scenes that will linger with me long after reading. I have consistently loved Awad's gothic writing style and Rouge was no exception. I also really appreciated the way that Rouge critiqued both beauty norms/culture and difficult mother-daughter relationships.
That being said, I finished the book a bit frustrated. So, like Awad herself, Mirabelle is half-Egyptian. This comes into play with the critiques of Western beauty standards but also with some of the ...entities that Mirabelle interacts with such as Seth (Set) and Horus. However, I felt like those two entities, while clearly connected to the central cult, were never explained as well as I would have liked. How did Horus know that Seth would be after Mirabelle? And what was Noelle's relationship to Horus and Seth? (If you've read the book and have answers/theories, help me out).
Thank you to @netgalley and @marysueruccibooks for the advanced reader copy of Rouge in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own
That being said, I finished the book a bit frustrated. So, like Awad herself, Mirabelle is half-Egyptian. This comes into play with the critiques of Western beauty standards but also with some of the ...entities that Mirabelle interacts with such as Seth (Set) and Horus. However, I felt like those two entities, while clearly connected to the central cult, were never explained as well as I would have liked. How did Horus know that Seth would be after Mirabelle? And what was Noelle's relationship to Horus and Seth? (If you've read the book and have answers/theories, help me out).
Thank you to @netgalley and @marysueruccibooks for the advanced reader copy of Rouge in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Grief, and Body horror