What a stunning, disgusting gem of a book! I love it!!
Mona Awad goes above and beyond anything she’s written to produce Rouge, a book th 5/5 stars
What a stunning, disgusting gem of a book! I love it!!
Mona Awad goes above and beyond anything she’s written to produce Rouge, a book that is so good, I challenge anyone to hate it. It’s tightly written, incredibly sharp, and plotted to perfection. There is no wasted space in this book. Every scene is perfect and engaging.
Belle learns of her estranged mother’s death and flies to sunny California where she must confront her complex feelings about her mother and their relationship. Here, she is drawn into the mysterious world of the spa called Rouge, one her mother frequented before her untimely death, and the beauty that lays within.
Awad’s writing is even better here than in Bunny. She cleverly plays with words, swapping words like “serve” with a darker variant like “sever”, and it is really good at making this book just that much darker and fucked up. Yes, this book is fucked up. Just as much as Bunny is, but I think this will be much less divisive than that. It’s strange and horrific in a dream-like way, but it always makes sense and it’s clear to see what Awad was conveying here: obsession with beauty and race, the cult-like love of skincare, the complexities of grief and the mother-daughter relationship. It’s beautiful and done so well.
We get to see such a flawed woman in Belle, and in her mother, Noelle. Flawed and broken ladies are some of my favourite heroines, and Awad excels at characterising them, making them perfectly dislikable yet always, always grounded and understandable.
The ending scene of this book will stick with me for a long time. It’s such a magical scene and perfect for this story.
If you hated Bunny, try this book. If you LOVED Bunny, then read this book. If you like sharp commentary on society and beauty, read this book. If you like dark and twisted fairy tales, read this book. If you like books at all, read this book! I cannot recommend it enough.
5/5 stars I will buy anything this woman writes
Merged review:
5/5 stars
What a stunning, disgusting gem of a book! I love it!!
Mona Awad goes above and beyond anything she’s written to produce Rouge, a book that is so good, I challenge anyone to hate it. It’s tightly written, incredibly sharp, and plotted to perfection. There is no wasted space in this book. Every scene is perfect and engaging.
Belle learns of her estranged mother’s death and flies to sunny California where she must confront her complex feelings about her mother and their relationship. Here, she is drawn into the mysterious world of the spa called Rouge, one her mother frequented before her untimely death, and the beauty that lays within.
Awad’s writing is even better here than in Bunny. She cleverly plays with words, swapping words like “serve” with a darker variant like “sever”, and it is really good at making this book just that much darker and fucked up. Yes, this book is fucked up. Just as much as Bunny is, but I think this will be much less divisive than that. It’s strange and horrific in a dream-like way, but it always makes sense and it’s clear to see what Awad was conveying here: obsession with beauty and race, the cult-like love of skincare, the complexities of grief and the mother-daughter relationship. It’s beautiful and done so well.
We get to see such a flawed woman in Belle, and in her mother, Noelle. Flawed and broken ladies are some of my favourite heroines, and Awad excels at characterising them, making them perfectly dislikable yet always, always grounded and understandable.
The ending scene of this book will stick with me for a long time. It’s such a magical scene and perfect for this story.
If you hated Bunny, try this book. If you LOVED Bunny, then read this book. If you like sharp commentary on society and beauty, read this book. If you like dark and twisted fairy tales, read this book. If you like books at all, read this book! I cannot recommend it enough.
5/5 stars I will buy anything this woman writes
Merged review:
5/5 stars
What a stunning, disgusting gem of a book! I love it!!
Mona Awad goes above and beyond anything she’s written to produce Rouge, a book that is so good, I challenge anyone to hate it. It’s tightly written, incredibly sharp, and plotted to perfection. There is no wasted space in this book. Every scene is perfect and engaging.
Belle learns of her estranged mother’s death and flies to sunny California where she must confront her complex feelings about her mother and their relationship. Here, she is drawn into the mysterious world of the spa called Rouge, one her mother frequented before her untimely death, and the beauty that lays within.
Awad’s writing is even better here than in Bunny. She cleverly plays with words, swapping words like “serve” with a darker variant like “sever”, and it is really good at making this book just that much darker and fucked up. Yes, this book is fucked up. Just as much as Bunny is, but I think this will be much less divisive than that. It’s strange and horrific in a dream-like way, but it always makes sense and it’s clear to see what Awad was conveying here: obsession with beauty and race, the cult-like love of skincare, the complexities of grief and the mother-daughter relationship. It’s beautiful and done so well.
We get to see such a flawed woman in Belle, and in her mother, Noelle. Flawed and broken ladies are some of my favourite heroines, and Awad excels at characterising them, making them perfectly dislikable yet always, always grounded and understandable.
The ending scene of this book will stick with me for a long time. It’s such a magical scene and perfect for this story.
If you hated Bunny, try this book. If you LOVED Bunny, then read this book. If you like sharp commentary on society and beauty, read this book. If you like dark and twisted fairy tales, read this book. If you like books at all, read this book! I cannot recommend it enough.
5/5 stars I will buy anything this woman writes
Merged review:
5/5 stars
What a stunning, disgusting gem of a book! I love it!!
Mona Awad goes above and beyond anything she’s written to produce Rouge, a book that is so good, I challenge anyone to hate it. It’s tightly written, incredibly sharp, and plotted to perfection. There is no wasted space in this book. Every scene is perfect and engaging.
Belle learns of her estranged mother’s death and flies to sunny California where she must confront her complex feelings about her mother and their relationship. Here, she is drawn into the mysterious world of the spa called Rouge, one her mother frequented before her untimely death, and the beauty that lays within.
Awad’s writing is even better here than in Bunny. She cleverly plays with words, swapping words like “serve” with a darker variant like “sever”, and it is really good at making this book just that much darker and fucked up. Yes, this book is fucked up. Just as much as Bunny is, but I think this will be much less divisive than that. It’s strange and horrific in a dream-like way, but it always makes sense and it’s clear to see what Awad was conveying here: obsession with beauty and race, the cult-like love of skincare, the complexities of grief and the mother-daughter relationship. It’s beautiful and done so well.
We get to see such a flawed woman in Belle, and in her mother, Noelle. Flawed and broken ladies are some of my favourite heroines, and Awad excels at characterising them, making them perfectly dislikable yet always, always grounded and understandable.
The ending scene of this book will stick with me for a long time. It’s such a magical scene and perfect for this story.
If you hated Bunny, try this book. If you LOVED Bunny, then read this book. If you like sharp commentary on society and beauty, read this book. If you like dark and twisted fairy tales, read this book. If you like books at all, read this book! I cannot recommend it enough.
5/5 stars I will buy anything this woman writes
Merged review:
5/5 stars
What a stunning, disgusting gem of a book! I love it!!
Mona Awad goes above and beyond anything she’s written to produce Rouge, a book that is so good, I challenge anyone to hate it. It’s tightly written, incredibly sharp, and plotted to perfection. There is no wasted space in this book. Every scene is perfect and engaging.
Belle learns of her estranged mother’s death and flies to sunny California where she must confront her complex feelings about her mother and their relationship. Here, she is drawn into the mysterious world of the spa called Rouge, one her mother frequented before her untimely death, and the beauty that lays within.
Awad’s writing is even better here than in Bunny. She cleverly plays with words, swapping words like “serve” with a darker variant like “sever”, and it is really good at making this book just that much darker and fucked up. Yes, this book is fucked up. Just as much as Bunny is, but I think this will be much less divisive than that. It’s strange and horrific in a dream-like way, but it always makes sense and it’s clear to see what Awad was conveying here: obsession with beauty and race, the cult-like love of skincare, the complexities of grief and the mother-daughter relationship. It’s beautiful and done so well.
We get to see such a flawed woman in Belle, and in her mother, Noelle. Flawed and broken ladies are some of my favourite heroines, and Awad excels at characterising them, making them perfectly dislikable yet always, always grounded and understandable.
The ending scene of this book will stick with me for a long time. It’s such a magical scene and perfect for this story.
If you hated Bunny, try this book. If you LOVED Bunny, then read this book. If you like sharp commentary on society and beauty, read this book. If you like dark and twisted fairy tales, read this book. If you like books at all, read this book! I cannot recommend it enough.
5/5 stars I will buy anything this woman writes...more
This book was fantastic!! The writing was beyond beautiful and the characters were so well-done and fleshed out, especialEffy and Preston are just <3
This book was fantastic!! The writing was beyond beautiful and the characters were so well-done and fleshed out, especially Effy bc my god that poor girl has SEEN ENOUGH. Let her rest!! I also guessed most of the twists in the story but I was still satisfied with how it all panned out :) Defs recommend this one for a great gothic horror/fantasy vibe!!...more
WOOOOO BABY I knew this was gonna slap hard and it did >:) god I’m good
Plot:
So, what’s this thicc juicy book actually about (aside from c 5/5 stars
WOOOOO BABY I knew this was gonna slap hard and it did >:) god I’m good
Plot:
So, what’s this thicc juicy book actually about (aside from causing me mental anguish)? It’s about Vis, an orphan boy who is adopted by a high-ranked member of the Catenan elite, and is sent to the distinguished Academy, where he’s meant to discover the secrets the government is hiding and all that good stuff :) BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE: Vis is also the prince of Suus, a nation that was conquered and colonised by Caten. Cue revolutionary music and destroying the evil Hierarchy from within — or is it? ;)
This book seems like a basic mix of Red Rising and any another magical school book, which is downright iNSULTING. This book is SO MUCH MORE. We are torn between many different political parties trying to use Vis for their own means, while Vis himself has his own secrets and agenda.
And when I say secrets, I MEAN SECRETS. This book has layers and layers of secrets, and trying to puzzle through them all while devouring this huge book was such a treat. Once I got into the nitty-gritty (aka finally was able to separate myself from the glorious Wheel of Time universe), I could not put this book down. Each chapter is short and punchy and GREAT.
Characters:
Vis is our main character, and he really teeters the line of being a Gary Stu, while never fully falling over the ledge. He’s had a royal education so I can’t be too harsh on him, and he does fail and learn a lot during this book, so I hereby decree that he is Not a Gary Stu. But it’s close.
Vis is smart and quick-thinking, strong and loyal, and just a downright nice person. He has his demons like everybody but he was never an Edge Lord, thankfully. I like how he has his morals and sticks to them, even if it makes his life harder. We need more people like Vis.
The side characters have some standouts like Callidus (my king), Eidhin, and Aequa. These three were by far my favourites, but the full cast is just great and incredibly fleshed out. Veridius is a terrifying villain because is he really a villain? We will need more books to find out >:)
Emissa and the romance with her was pretty … whatever. Emissa was very bland to me: she’s pretty in a girl-next-door kind of way, she’s friendly to everyone, she’s the popular girl who stands up for the “nerds” — she has no flaws/depth until the very end of the book, and at that point, I just didn’t believe this was a real human girl. She’s very much the archetypal “girlfriend” that every 16 year old boy wants: lacking any of the characteristics that make her more than a girlfriend-shaped husk. The romance was fine but bland and forgettable.
BUT THAT’S OKAY because I’m not here for the romance. I’M HERE FOR THE
Worldbuilding:
AND OH BOY IS IT GOOD!
The Catenan Republic is based off Ancient Rome, and it SLAPS. It borrows a lot while also feeling fresh, adding the magic system of Will (more on that soon) and advanced technologies that are complicated and cool af. We get dudes in togas who fly around in massive airships. If that hasn’t made you wanna buy this book, then don’t talk to me.
Will is confusing as fuck, and very scientific in nature. It can be used to imbue oneself to make one very physically strong and durable, or objects to do particular things, given you have the requisite materials and amount of Will. Honestly, my eyes glazed over at some of the attempts to describe Will to me. I’m not an idiot, but I’m no mathematician, and the maths required for this was simply Too Much. It’s a great system, but one I will gaze at like a pretty and confusing animal, me like “wooooooahhhh O.O”
AND THE MYSTERY ABOUT THE CATACLYSM? Inject that shit into my VEINS. So good.
I’m not even gonna do a section on prose because honestly that isn’t why I read High Fantasy, and it was neither amazing nor terrible enough to even go into. I have 0 complaints :) I always could tell what was happening, I could imagine the world and characters, and there were a multitude of lines that had me go :O Wordy and beautiful prose is nice, but not something I’ll quibble over.
Overall:
TL;DR GO READ THIS BOOK OR I WILL APPEAR IN YOUR ROOM AS YOUR NEW PERSONAL SLEEP PARALYSIS DEMON AND DESTROY YOUR LIFE/SLEEP UNTIL YOU FINALLY CAVE AND READ IT. :)
5/5 stars thanks for listening to me have an unhinged rant ...more
I really enjoyed the short horror stories in this one, but most were just .... so bland. Even King himself seems surprised people liked them in his afI really enjoyed the short horror stories in this one, but most were just .... so bland. Even King himself seems surprised people liked them in his afterwords LMAO ...more
An inspiring and interesting deep-dive into how Jordan created the amazing Wheel of Time series and world, which is my favourite fantasy world so far.An inspiring and interesting deep-dive into how Jordan created the amazing Wheel of Time series and world, which is my favourite fantasy world so far. This book just solidified to me how clever Randland is and the magic behind it all. Also, Robert Jordan's relationship with his wife Harriet is actually marriage goals, holy shit they're soulmates...more
total banger, with Glokta's storyline being epic and so much fun!! he is truly my favourite character and viewpoint in this whole series, I need more total banger, with Glokta's storyline being epic and so much fun!! he is truly my favourite character and viewpoint in this whole series, I need more of the political schemes pls joe
however
why does every female character have to disappoint me ? why are they all a) a love interest b) dead c) evil d) a combination of the above
pls explain joe (Ferro is awesome but she does make this list thanks to that frankly nasty sex scene that i was assaulted with halfway through the book -- my eyes almost bled out ngl)
new character tier list: S: Glokta A: Dogman, Ferro, Threetrees, Quai (he's just like me fr, always grumpy and tired, my king) B: everyone else lol C: who cares D: do people actually place things in this tier E: E for ellie F: SULT CAN THIS MAN BURN IN HELL <3 pls and thank you
weird as all hell but very enjoyable and addicting once I got the hang of it! Carolyn is a queen and Steve is such a ray of sunshine :) definitely recweird as all hell but very enjoyable and addicting once I got the hang of it! Carolyn is a queen and Steve is such a ray of sunshine :) definitely recommend for a fast-paced twisty magical realism read!!...more
The Wheel of Time is a masterpiece and my favourite series of all time. I honestly just wanna start again and begin a re 100000000000000000/5 stars
The Wheel of Time is a masterpiece and my favourite series of all time. I honestly just wanna start again and begin a re-read, because I’m so immersed and in love with this world. Robert Jordan has created something truly special here, something that I will absolutely cherish forever.
“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Mountains of Mist. The wind was not the beginning. There are no beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
A Memory of Light is the most epic book I have ever read. It’s basically one giant battle sequence. The Last Battle itself spans over 200 pages and was GLORIOUS. The build-up from every book before this comes to a head, and we see the forces of Light and Shadow finally clash in a huge way, and it was just ugh perfect. There are plenty of character deaths which WRECKED me, but with such a huge cast of characters I knew some were gonna die. Still, I am heartbroken and will never recover.
This book made me sob, laugh, scream, smile — basically every reaction one can have. I HAD THEM ALL. Especially the crying. Lots of crying was done. The ending in particular had me sobbing because a) it was perfection, and b) NO I finished! Now what? :(
If you haven’t read The Wheel of Time yet and wanna delve into this 14-book epic, then PLEASE DO!
The characters are so, so close to my heart, especially Nynaeve, Rand, and Egwene. They have come so far and changed so much from how small and cute they were in The Eye of the World that I get teary-eyed just thinking about them! Egwene and Rand have the best story arcs I’ve ever come across I’M NOT EVEN JOKING. Amazing!!!
The world-building is incredible and inspiring — I can picture everything and every nation so clearly because they’re distinct and memorable. The writing is perfection (although it does run long in some of the “sloggier” books) and made me so comforted. These books just feel like home.
The magic system is amazing and takes boring elemental magic and makes it WAY cooler and more in-depth. You can do so much with the One Power and the Aes Sedai and co. get SO creative with it. Adored it.
If you haven’t read this series, DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT! You will be sucked in and the Wheel of Time will never let you free. You’re welcome :)
“The wind blew southward, through knotted forests, over shimmering planes and toward lands unexplored. This wind, it was not the ending. There are no endings, and never will be endings, to the turning of the The Wheel of Time. But it was an ending.” >
------------------------------------------------
16/11/2023: I am simply a husk of a human being after finishing this glorious series <3 But I'm also a husk who knows this deserves a proper review when it isn't 1am and I'm not delirious and crying so RTC :D...more
i can't yet properly convey how much i love this series and how much it means to me so a 5 star rating is going to have to do for now, but I'll try doi can't yet properly convey how much i love this series and how much it means to me so a 5 star rating is going to have to do for now, but I'll try do a proper review for Memory of Light (if that book doesn't kill me) <3...more
A bittersweet 5 stars and favourite of all-time. This is the last Wheel of Time book written by Robert Jordan before he passed away, and he 5/5 stars
A bittersweet 5 stars and favourite of all-time. This is the last Wheel of Time book written by Robert Jordan before he passed away, and he did an amazing job. Knife of Dreams is epic, and up there with the best books in the series.
R.I.P. Robert Jordan and thank you for creating my all-time favourite fantasy world....more
people were truly right about this one: not much happens :( sadly the plot is mainly people feeling the reverberations of th 2.5/5 stars rounded up <3
people were truly right about this one: not much happens :( sadly the plot is mainly people feeling the reverberations of the ending of Winter's Heart, without really understanding what happened, so it was a bit frustrating! barely any Rand or Nynaeve in this one, and every POV was mainly talking and planning, all in preparation for the next book.
the world was still stunning, the writing was still beautiful and detailed, and I loved the characterisation. but this book definitely suffered from being a filler instalment :(
at least "the slog" is over now even though I only really felt it in this book!
this is such an unpopular opinion but this book was fantastic and one of the best in the series!!! how are people saying it's slow or a s 4.5/5 stars
this is such an unpopular opinion but this book was fantastic and one of the best in the series!!! how are people saying it's slow or a slog? I had a blast reading this and found the pacing excellent :) hopefully the rest off the "slog" proves this entertaining (although I am very nervous about Crossroads of Twilight hahahaha)...more
The Wheel of Time once again releases another BANGER of a book, although this one was definitely slower-paced than the others have been. I 3/5 stars
The Wheel of Time once again releases another BANGER of a book, although this one was definitely slower-paced than the others have been. I see the infamous Slog coming, but not only am I ready for it, I’m embracing it! I love these characters to death and any content I can get will make me happy. They seriously are all becoming comfort characters and this world is a comfort, too. I love it so much.
I want to finish this series this year, but I also know I’m going to be in the biggest book hangover afterwards because of how epic and amazing this series is. Yes, it has some faults, but the world-building is unlike anything I’ve read before and the characterisation continues to impress me, especially with Rand.
A Crown of Swords continues building Rand in such an interesting way. Nynaeve is excellent as always, Mat is the star of the show, Min surprised me and now I quite like her, and Elayne is great! Perrin and Egwene take a back seat in this book, which is fine (especially because it means less Faile) but I’m very excited to see where their stories head, especially Egwene’s.
NOW FOR SPOILERS BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY SPOILERY THOUGHTS!
- THE ENDING. Rand!! Being King of Illian?!!! Oh no. I’m worried for him. This ain’t lookin good!! - Nynaeve and Lan getting married FUCK YES. I love them. The most grumpy people in the world!!! - The Seanchan are actually terrifying. Their slavery system is beyond fucked up and I really need them to get crushed because they’re creeping all over the place. - Elaida is ridiculously stupid like GIRL. You are USELESS. Alviarian has you firmly in check and you still keep thinking you’re in control, building some ugly-ass palace. Get a grip. - MAT BEING R*PED ??????? WHAT THE FUCK?????? Tylin deserves prison, man. It isn’t funny when a powerful man coerces a woman and forces her at KNIFEPOINT into bed, so why is it treated as funny here? C’mon RJ, I know you were a boomer but C’MON. - Finally my girls have found the Bowl of the Winds yay — and the Seanchan are here ruining everything. Fuck. - Rand getting fucked up by Padan Fain and then waking up and immediately going to kill Sammael is such a vibe. - Side note I do not believe Sammael is dead. It was too ambiguous for A REASON and no way is he gone. - Sevanna is also dumb af girl get a grip you are WEAK. - Moiraine has to come back. After this one, I’m sure of it. Min says her visions are always right, and notes that Moiraine’s is the only one that was ‘wrong’. NOPE. SHe’s coming back, SOMEHOW. The bait with Caraline looking just like her was just rude, btw. Got me so excited and FOR WHAT - Rand has to stop using Balefire. It’s sus. - I think Cadsuane will ‘teach’ the Asha’man and Rand not to use balefire and that’ll be what she ‘teaches’ them from Min’s viewing. - Faile is so damn annoying like has this woman heard the word “communication” EVER in her life? Why are you always so jealous!!! Perrin is doing nOTHING. - I’m still suspicious of Mazrim Taim and all the Asha’man in total. Something’s not right there. They are not as loyal to Rand as they should be O.o (hide spoiler)]...more
Well the ending of this book was kinda insane. Dumai’s Wells was just as cool as everybody said it would be :D
Some spoiler-free notes:
- I 4/5 stars
Well the ending of this book was kinda insane. Dumai’s Wells was just as cool as everybody said it would be :D
Some spoiler-free notes:
- I adore Rand’s characterisation and cannot wait to see what happens to him in the next few books. By far my favourite Chosen One character in any series. - Perrin was mostly absent yet he showed up and was a boss, he’s really growing on me! (Faile, however, is not.) - Gawyn is a lil bitch and I don’t know what Egwene sees in this loser - Nynaeve is, as usual, a queen!!!! Whenever she is on page I’m happy even if she’s doing nothing Speaking of doing nothing …. Yeah okay this one was a bit slow. I have this weird thing where every chapter I read feels really important and important stuff happens yet at the end of this book I’m also like …. So what actually happened …? Like so much happened yet it feels like not much happened at the same time, if that makes sense?
ANYWAY ONTO SPOILERS BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS AND NEED TO DISCUSS
- EGWENE IS THE AMRYLIN ???? Queen shit. I love how the rebels picked her because they thought she would be easy to manipulate but she’s actually become so strong thanks to the Aiel Wise Ones and she will be a GREAT Amyrlin once they take back the White Tower. - THE BLACK TOWER? Yes. Mazrim Taim is awesome but I am also so sus of him, what is this guys endgame? I love the whole idea of the Black Tower and Rand having allies who can use saidin. - Queen Nynaeve Healing being stilled and gentled. Ugh I love. - Also Moiraine hasn’t come back yet … she’s not actually dead yeah? Right guys? Right? :( - Min/Aviendha/Elayne are just cool with sharing Rand like that …. They better than me that’s for sure - BRO CAN MAT DO SOMETHING I wanna poke him with a stick ugh like you’re so cool can Mr Jordan give you something cool to do like in Fires of Heaven :( - Nynaeve and Elayne didn’t find their damn bowl in this book like cmon mate I thought that would be their arc for the book but nope they just kinda did nothing aside from being bad bitches in Salidar, sighhhhhhhhhhh - WHO IS ARAN’GAR AND WHY CAN SHE USE SAIDIN????? WTFFFFFFFFF - Demandred has got some shit going on and I need to know his endgame. Is he part of the Black Tower? Is he Mazrim Taim (I don’t remember if they look similar)???? WHAT IS UR PLAN EVIL MAN! - Rand is 100% going crazy eventually, Lews Therin is being a little bitch in his head and I don’t think Rand will be able to keep it back for 8 more books :( - Aes Sedai gotta stop being annoying around Rand and accept that he’s their overlord now lol - Bruh when Alanna bonded with Rand I wanted to slap her like who tf do you think u are! Side characters be crazy - I think that’s everything - Oh yEAH the realisation that Rand is the son of Tigraine so he’s actually in line to the Lion Throne and distantly related to Elayne … Sweet home Alabama :)(Lauren’s theory about his parentage was 100% spot on she’ll be so proud once she reads this one!!) (hide spoiler)]
Okay bye thanks for reading please read this series if you haven’t <3 ...more