A review by thecorkedreader
All's Well by Mona Awad

challenging dark tense medium-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

3.5

All's Well follows Miranda Fitch, a former stage actor, turned college theatre director who suggers from chronic back pain. A career ending stage fall left her injured with a reliance on pain killers and a lifestyle that ultimately ended her marriage. Despite a cast of students who would rather put on Macbeth, and putting her career on the line, she decides that thehy are going to put on Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well. She meets three mysterious stage benefactors, who somehow have an intimate knowledge of Miranda's struggles, who promise her that the show must go on. Miraculously healed, she is more determined than ever.

Mona Awad certainly captures Miranda's pain in a way that really makes the reader empathize with her. The failed treatments, the frustrations and the lack of understanding from her peers feels so real. It certainly felt like the authentic experience of someone suffering from chronic pain.

It was certainly a dark and strange story with hints of magical realism intertwined. While I was definitely enthralled in the story and finished it in two sittings over the course of 24 hours, there were some times that I was a little confused. Overall though, it took me on quite the ride through Miranda's journey. Even though she was a bit of an unlikeable character, I still found myself rooting for her.

⭐3.5/4 stars⭐

Thank you to Simon &Shuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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