I adore Mona Awad's writing. It's lush and atmospheric, and I can't get enough of it.

In Rouge, the tone changes significantly as the main character gets more and more involved in the ultra-elite, mysterious world of specialty skincare. It becomes an obsession, and the lines between reality and imagination blur frequently.

There are a lot of themes at play here as well: memories, and the fact that they can't always be trusted; a parent's desire to protect their child at all costs; and the damage that can be done by impossible beauty standards. But it never feels like the book is forcing lessons on the reader; rather, it feels like you arrive at these themes naturally as the plot unravels.

Mona Awad is an author that I've grown to love and trust, and I thoroughly enjoy allowing her to take my hand and lead me into her layered, immersive worlds.

Note: I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley.

I wanted to love Rouge so much and at some points I really did. Awad writes about beauty standards, self-hatred, and the way that envy poisons the mind in a way that feels both genuine and biting. That being said, at many times the book seemed to get a bit lost in itself. The mother daughter relationship didn't strike me particularly hard and the dreamy sequences were so dreamy that they became difficult to engage with. If half stars were allowed this would probably be a 3.5

This book is an actual fever dream. We bow to Mona Awad and all the ridiculousness that her perfect brain produces.

Did I 100% understand what I just read? Not exactly. Did I love it? You KNOW I did. Just go with it.

Belle and her mom are both obsessed with all things skincare and have the kind of relationship a therapist would salivate over. When her mom dies mysteriously with some weird links to cult-ish spa, Belle finds herself in the same spot longing for their treatments. Only things are feeling pretty sinister and she’s starting to forget big details about her life. And did I mention there’s jellyfish and roses everywhere? And Tom Cruise??

And by all means, keep staring at the cover like a fool like I did, thinking it might give a clue. 🤦🏼‍♀️ But that imagery! 😍

Awad shines brightest when she’s in the weeds of story making me FEEL all of her luscious descriptions. This story is gorgeous and gross and clammy and slimy and salty and I felt all of these things simultaneously. I need this book to come with a scratch and sniff sticker.

Also I gotta give Duolingo a pat on the back because that lil baby owl had me understanding pretty much all the French words sprinkled throughout the book. 👏🏼

If you love Bunny (🙋🏼‍♀️), cool girl lit fic (🙋🏼‍♀️), Moshfegh (🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️), a twisted fairy tale, beauty industry satire, or you have a healthy fear of jelly fish go ahead and grab this one.

The freakiest beauty fairy tale ever!

It'll make you want to do a full skincare routine and stay away from spas.

Mona Awad knows how to gross me out and he utterly compelling at the same time and I love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and S & S for an early copy of this book! I loved Bunny and gave it five stars so I had really high expectations for this book but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. I think this book will have many people who enjoy its weirdness but for me the plot felt too slow moving, especially in the first half when I really need to be hooked by a story. I also found the sort of stream of consciousness writing style (I can’t think of a better way to describe it) to be hard for me to focus on and stay engaged with. I’m not sure if it was because of this writing style or not, but I had a hard time connecting to Belle as a character and I just couldn’t get into the story. All that being said, I do think this was a really cool and unique concept for a book and I really look forward to reading future books from Mona Awad!

Thank you to NetGalley and S&S for this e-book copy!

Rating: 3.5 stars

This was my first Mona Awad book and I can say that Awad's writing style is very intriguing. I wasn't sure what to expect since many people rave Awad's books for being bizarre but fun reads. This book was definitely bizarre but also a very fast read for me. Rouge follows Belle as she experiences grief due to the mysterious and sudden passing of her mother. She finds out her mother frequented a spa before her death and Belle decides to check it out. Right away, Belle is sucked into the lifestyle this spa offers and she slowly discovers secrets about the spa, her mother, and herself. The first half of this book is very slow but once it picks up it just keeps going with the plot progression. I finished this feeling empathy for Belle as it was obvious the spa was taking advantage of her and her mother. I did feel like the fairytale aspects of this was a bit forced at times and not needed when it came to this story but outside of that I enjoyed it. I recommend checking this out during the spooky season. Also expect to not understand everything that's happening and focus on Belle's journey.

this is my second awad book and i can't wait to read the rest of her backlist. i loved the mix of fairytale and horror in this and was unnerved during most parts. this was definitely an unforgettable read just like bunny.

Whatever just happened to me was executed very well. 4 scars. I mean, stars.

It took me about one-third of the book to be immersed in the tone. Once I was, I truly enjoyed the unsettling, labyrinthine atmosphere and uncertain narrative voice of Rouge.

Rouge features a spa for wellness, but all is not well. It's almost become a trendy topic in literature in the last 5ish years: the beauty and wellness industries and their insidious hooks into people, especially women, and especially women who don't fit the white European beauty standard. I liked Rouge's exploration of this topic and the others it touches on (complicated familial relationships, grief) because Mirabelle's confusion and obsession prevent the book from being ham-fisted in its messaging. There is undoubtedly evil in the quest to meet unrealistic, racist, and capitalism-driven beauty standards, but both in Rouge and in real life, that evil is insidious. It's less of a mustache-twirling charlatan or a Nurse Ratched with a Botox needle and more of a vaguely icky feeling about what is expected of us as we move through the world.

Worse, that icky feeling isn't a straightforward condemnation of our devotion to our beauty regimens. We receive affirmation from looking good, from how people treat us when we capitulate, from looking how we think we deserve to look. I mean, of course Mirabelle spent the book confused and beguiled. We might not have had a red jelly treatment, but we've all been there.

Rouge by Mona Awad; very interesting and timely. I expect creepy atmospheric subtlety from Awad and this didn't disappoint. I've seen a few books lately about the dangers of becoming beauty obsessed, but this one handled it well.

I absolutely loved Rouge with all my heart. The themes Mona Awad incorporated were amazing. There were times I felt for Belle and wanted her to do well and overcome her obstacles. She is seen as a strong woman though she is still unsure about life and navigating life can be difficult when you feel lost. She has always had an odd complex with her mother due to their differences and her discovery of what her mother was up to was shocking. As per usual, Mona Awad ceases to disappoint again and publishes a masterpiece.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

I adored this book - I will be buying my own physical copy for my shelf. I've previously read Bunny and All's Well by Mona Awad, and this is my favorite book of hers so far. It's mysterious and fanciful, with clear inspiration from classic fairy tales (before they were sanitized by Disney). I love how Mirabelle's voice changed as the plot became more and more twisted, and there is something luxurious about the writing style that I really enjoyed. It's dreamlike and surreal, while remaining poignant in its commentary. This book delves into loss and grief, into beauty and self-worth versus self-obsession, and into the insidious side of the skincare industry that pushes whiteness as the beauty standard.

I will start by saying this review will be unpopular, and it’s my OPINION, and everyone is entitled to disagree with me (which I know many will….).
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My anticipation for Rouge was off the charts, and I was counting down the days to its release. But after receiving the NetGalley a few days before publication and trying to dive in, I felt no pull to keep reading the story. While the concept is intriguing, and the last 70 pages make up for the rest of the book, much of the novel was too on-the-nose and repetitive. Rouge would have been better served as a short story or novella, as around 30% of this book needed to be cut either because of repetition or because it was mundane.
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I felt the societal critiques are the strongest when Awad takes us on a gothic fantasy trip in the last third of the book. The discussions around colorism ( brightening/ lightening in skincare), intergenerational trauma, and the amount of money & pain women are willing to go through to become beautiful were the most powerful in those moments.
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While I haven’t read Bunny (yes, yes, I will soon), I felt Alls Well was much better at being subtle in making commentary without literally forcing it down our throats.
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Again, this would have been a fantastic short story. All the themes explored were terrific. But unfortunately, it was too drawn out and slightly pedantic.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an advanced copy for an honest review

i do have to add a disclaimer to this review and say that i DNF’d this book at 50%. however, i spoiled myself for the ending and read enough of the story to get a sense for the plot, characters, and tone to write a review. maybe another reader will feel the same way as me.

i also wanted to preface this by saying that Bunny is one of my favorite books of all time. the unique narrative voice, satirical nature, and subtle criticism of academia were all incredibly well done. i’m know that book is not for everyone, but it worked for me. All’s Well was good in my opinion, but not great. unfortunately, Rouge just wasn’t doing it for me. like i mentioned, i looked up the ending, and i’m glad i decided to DNF because i really don’t think i would like where the story headed.

as for the plot, the story just got too slow moving, repetitive, and boring for me. i was interested in this cult/secret society that the main character’s mom was involved in. i thought more of the book would be set within this secret club, but it turns out it wasn’t (at least from the parts that i read). in addition, it felt like the author was hitting me over the head with the themes/messages of the story—how the beauty industry uses consumers’ vulnerabilities against them and how our own self-perception is often based on our parents’ self-perception (specifically with mothers and daughters). i prefer to have the themes be subtly explored rather than spelled out.

i also didn’t care so much or connect with any of the characters. i can do unlikable characters, but the main character in this book was so bland. i couldn’t tell you a singular fact about her personality; whereas with Bunny, i truly felt the loneliness and need for acceptance that Samantha felt (sorry to be comparing this book to her others so much, but i know what this author is capable of). while i could tell this book was written by Mona Awad, it lacked the sarcasm and snark prevalent in her other books.

overall, i wouldn’t run to recommend this. maybe it would work for a specific reader, but i don’t think it holds up to Awad’s previous work. if you want a dark fairy tale with a dream-like quality and minimal plot that critiques the beauty industry (very heavily, i might add), you may enjoy this. i’m so sad that this didn’t work for me.

thank you to Netgalley, Mona Awad, and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rouge is a fascinating meditation not only on family trauma, grief, and self-worth, but also on the ways that we inherit our senses of these features. Stylistically, this won't be for everyone, but it is for me, and I'll be recommending it judiciously.
This is a truly memorable book that incorporates elements of horror, women's fiction, and fairy tale all based on the nightmare that is understanding the price of physical beauty and the value we place upon ourselves as a result of that external appearance, positive or negative though it may be.

After reading both Bunny and All's Well this year, I was very excited to be approved for a digital ARC of Rouge. If you are a Mona Awad fan, this book does not disappoint.

I've heard others describe this as a Beauty and the Beast retelling. For me, this was much more of a Snow White retelling, complete with magic mirror.

Our main character is Mirabelle. She is obsessed with skin care and spends much of her free time watching YouTube videos on beauty and trying new regimes. After her mother dies suddenly, she travels to Southern California and descends into a dreamlike grief state that will leave you questioning reality. She literally wears her mother's shoes and follows her footsteps to a coastal beauty spa (cult) that offers her free treatments she cannot seem to resist.

I read this book along with my daughter and we both enjoyed discussing the mother-daughter relationship, as well as the themes of race, beauty, and the way the beauty industry preys on women. The ending left us both in tears. I loved it and can't wait to read what Mona Awad writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon Element, and Marysue Rucci Books for the advance copy in return for my honest review.

Thank you to @_simonelement for the @netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Pub 9/12, swipe for goodreads synopsis.

This book was weird af but in a good way! It was eccentric and has elements of being about a cult, aliens, and the devil. I couldn’t really tell what exactly what happening and feel like there might have been some plot holes but I was thoroughly entertained. It did feel a little long though. The cover is stunning!

It’s also kind of Snow White or another fairy tale meets a beauty cult. Awad really focused on beauty and our obsession with skincare and perfectionism. I loved that it was set in La Jolla (San Diego). I thought the writing was fantastic. I’d love to see this be made into a movie. If you’ve read this please let me know Wtf you thought happened 🤪

⚠️: death of parent, grief, body issues/dysmorphia, adult/minor relationship

Belle is distraught by her mother’s sudden death. She had been so full of life, glowing, literally, until the night she threw herself off a cliff into the ocean. In her grief, Belle becomes involved with Rouge, the titular secretive society built around advanced beauty treatments, the same society her mom was involved with up until her death. Struggling financially, she gives up on being able to afford the treatments, but a generous benefactor agrees to sponsor her instead. But what happens when the treatments are complete, when she has nothing left to improve? What happens when a rose reaches the apex of its beauty?

This dark retelling of Snow White critiques the beauty industry and society’s rigid expectations for women. The pacing is well-done and I was captivated throughout.
As a big fan of Mona Award’s other work, “Bunny,” this novel does have some similarities — mainly cults, the excellent writing style, the focus on female characters, and bizarre and dreamlike horror elements.

Fans of Bunny, literary horror, and those who are jaded with the beauty industry will most likely enjoy this novel. This is a great read to start off the spooky season.

Spooky fever dream of a book. Having read bunny and alls well I feel like if I read this book without knowing who wrote it I would be able to tell that it was another hit by Mona. I loved her use of language and the slips in and out of the wrong word. It added so much to the delirium vibe of this book.

This book has been on my mind since I finished it. I love the way it delved into the darkest aspects of beauty and skin care culture but my favorite thing about this book was the exploration of a mother's expectations. The way daughters are saddled with all this emotional baggage. Beauty viewed through the lens of safety and how twisted that can become when held up to the light. Mona Awad is a unique talent and the personality of her prose and storytelling ability jump effortlessly off of each and every page.