This story is messed up. At times it works and at other times it doesn’t work. There are points in the story where you’re not sure if things are really happening or not, but that’s what Awad seems to want is for the reader to feel uncertain on what’s real versus what isn’t. 

At about four chapters in, I hated all of the characters. I worried that it wouldn’t change and that I’d hate the book. But, I started to relate to Samantha. Obviously my experiences differ, but Samantha is always an outsider, feeling like she’s always on the outside looking in and, ultimately, just wanting someone to love her and to care. She so badly craves somewhere to fit in and belong that she starts creating scenarios where she does and creating people who will fill that need. At the same time, she creates her own vengeance. Who doesn’t occasionally fantasize about exacting revenge? I’m still not sure if I like Samantha, but I left her feeling more like I can relate and understand than when I started off. 

The novel starts to lose me in some of the chapters with rambling descriptions. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to overly descriptive language, but in a more rambling, excessive nature it’s frustrating. The caveat being that Samantha is an unreliable narrator and this over-descriptive narration reflects her obsession and her instability. 

The whole story reads as an early Chuck Palahniuk version of Mean Girls. 

PS, I wanted Samantha to swing the axe. I understand why she didn’t, but I wanted her to do it.