Rouge by Mona Awad: Summary and brief review



Some books don’t just tell a story, they pull you into a dream, or maybe a nightmare. Rouge by Mona Awad was one of those books. It’s tense, gothic, poetic, and filled with a kind of sadness that tries to get you with every page. I haven’t read Bunny by this author yet, but I’m definitely tempted to do it soon after reading this one.
First, I chose to read this book simply because of the name (duh). And when searching for some reviews, I read it was a mix of literary fiction, horror, and psychological thriller with fairy-tale elements. Now, my thoughts:
In short words, the novel follows Belle, a woman obsessed with beauty and skin care (not fiction at all, considering the world we currently live in), haunted by her mother’s mysterious death. When she returns home for the funeral, she’s drawn into an elite spa that promises perfection, but at a cost. The deeper she goes, the more she loses herself (literally…?).
As for the fairy-tale elements, I wouldn’t say they are obvious. It’s more about how you interpret them. Since beauty is the main theme and considering the physical description of Belle and her mom, you could definitely think of Snow White or even Jasmine.
I think a way to describe it would be like a story about how far we go to chase beauty, the pain that comes with it, and the ghosts we carry (from the past or from your own expectations in the present).
I liked Mona’s writing in this one because it was very delicate, but at the same time, full of emotion making you feel kinda scared, yet desperate to know what’s happening next and at some point you need to stop for a moment to process the chapter and see if your mind is playing tricks on you or if that’s reality… It also made me wonder two things: First, why do we hurt ourselves for beauty? And second, why does grief feel like a dream we can’t wake up from?
This book is dark and weirdly beautiful. And I liked that mix! If you like gothic, eerie stories with an emotional punch, Rouge can be your next reading.
Instagram: @rouge.readings