Scan barcode
A review by doomkittiekhan
Bunny by Mona Awad
5.0
What a weird, genre-hopping, twisty plot romp of a book!
This book is some thematic combination of Heathers (even the main character's middle name is Heather), The Craft, Jawbreaker, any episode of GIRLS when Hannah goes to her writing workshops, and reads like a truly fucked up version of a Francesca Lia Block novel. In other words, I loved it. Falling into this book really was like falling down the rabbit hole of female friendships, frenemies, grad school, poverty, imposter syndrome, stress, and the emotional burden of creativity.
I don't know if this book hit so hard because I went to graduate school, or just that anything graduate school related is a raw nerve with me. Either way, I fully acknowledge that my own experiences tainted my reading of BUNNY, so take what I say as you will.
We meet our narrator, Samantha Heather Mackey, while she is in her final year of her post-graduate work in a creative writing program at a prestigious east coast university called, wait for it, Warren (get it?) that happens to be overrun with cute floppy bunnies. She's surrounded by insufferable peers - archetypes of late 20s girlhood in upscale Hot Topic and Hell Bunny clothing - that collectively refer to each other as 'Bunny' and seem way too comfortable with one another.
“How fiercely they gripped each other’s pink-and-white bodies, forming a hot little circle of rib-crushing love and understanding it took my breath away. … All four of their glossy mouths making squealing sounds of monstrous love that hurt my face.” (Page 3)
We get the sense that this cattiness is a two-way street when Samantha complains about the Bunnies to her gothy friend, Ava, a Warren drop-out. That is until Samantha and the Bunnies have one final workshop together and she's drawn into their claustrophobic and cupcake scented world via an invitation to attend a "Smut Salon" at one of their McMansion homes. Samantha has a surprisingly wonderful time at this event and begins accepting additional invitations from the Bunnies, against the advice of Ava.
What follows is a really strange, self-reflective story that is difficult to put into words. It's a faerie tale, it's a satire, it's a handbook, a cautionary tale, it's yours to interpret like a tarot spread. Awad is critical in her writing and cuts directly to the heart of what makes a story work. She sets the reader's expectations up incredibly high and still somehow manages to surpass them.
Much in the same way you were fascinated by the Lululemon Murders (admit it), I know you'll dig BUNNY. Also, can we talk about the magnet, mug, and "Smakey"?? I'm dying over here the more I think about the intricacies of this book. BUNNY is the perfect canned champagne, book club pick - just saying.
This book is some thematic combination of Heathers (even the main character's middle name is Heather), The Craft, Jawbreaker, any episode of GIRLS when Hannah goes to her writing workshops, and reads like a truly fucked up version of a Francesca Lia Block novel. In other words, I loved it. Falling into this book really was like falling down the rabbit hole of female friendships, frenemies, grad school, poverty, imposter syndrome, stress, and the emotional burden of creativity.
I don't know if this book hit so hard because I went to graduate school, or just that anything graduate school related is a raw nerve with me. Either way, I fully acknowledge that my own experiences tainted my reading of BUNNY, so take what I say as you will.
We meet our narrator, Samantha Heather Mackey, while she is in her final year of her post-graduate work in a creative writing program at a prestigious east coast university called, wait for it, Warren (get it?) that happens to be overrun with cute floppy bunnies. She's surrounded by insufferable peers - archetypes of late 20s girlhood in upscale Hot Topic and Hell Bunny clothing - that collectively refer to each other as 'Bunny' and seem way too comfortable with one another.
“How fiercely they gripped each other’s pink-and-white bodies, forming a hot little circle of rib-crushing love and understanding it took my breath away. … All four of their glossy mouths making squealing sounds of monstrous love that hurt my face.” (Page 3)
We get the sense that this cattiness is a two-way street when Samantha complains about the Bunnies to her gothy friend, Ava, a Warren drop-out. That is until Samantha and the Bunnies have one final workshop together and she's drawn into their claustrophobic and cupcake scented world via an invitation to attend a "Smut Salon" at one of their McMansion homes. Samantha has a surprisingly wonderful time at this event and begins accepting additional invitations from the Bunnies, against the advice of Ava.
What follows is a really strange, self-reflective story that is difficult to put into words. It's a faerie tale, it's a satire, it's a handbook, a cautionary tale, it's yours to interpret like a tarot spread. Awad is critical in her writing and cuts directly to the heart of what makes a story work. She sets the reader's expectations up incredibly high and still somehow manages to surpass them.
Much in the same way you were fascinated by the Lululemon Murders (admit it), I know you'll dig BUNNY. Also, can we talk about the magnet, mug, and "Smakey"?? I'm dying over here the more I think about the intricacies of this book. BUNNY is the perfect canned champagne, book club pick - just saying.