bloomed's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
Moderate: Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, and Addiction
lindseyhall44's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
All’s Well may be one of the weirdest book I have ever read, and I mean that in the best possible way. Any fan’s of the fever dream-esque atmosphere of Bunny will adore this novel, since the stream of consciousness writing amplified the feeling.
For any fans of character studies, Shakespeare, and darker stories, I would 100000% recommend.
For any fans of character studies, Shakespeare, and darker stories, I would 100000% recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Medical content, Abandonment, Ableism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Injury/injury detail
coffeecass's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness and Ableism
Moderate: Blood and Suicidal thoughts
reggiethebird's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Medical trauma, Drug use, Alcohol, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Sexual content and Blood
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
dearbhlanoonan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Ableism, Medical content, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
jillgoober's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
When I attempt to rate books, I try to take into consideration both how much I personally enjoyed it as well as objectively how well written the book was. I personally did not enjoy reading this book for the most part, however I do feel as though it was interesting and thought-provoking and therefore I gave it a middle range score.
Good chunks of this book were what I imagine an ecstasy trip would feel like. Miranda, our protagonist, has chronic pain that it seems everyone thinks she could simply will away if she wasn't so set on being miserable. This book is a solid commentary on how society and doctors especially don't take female pain seriously. However, the book takes a turn into magical realism territory when three strange men appear (Macbeth's witches?) to "help" her. This is where the whole "ecstasy trip" thing starts to ramp up. In addition, the ending was very open-ended and a little confusing which was probably the point but just wasn't for me personally. However, I always have to give points to a book for having theatre references.
If you enjoy reading books that are a bit outside the norm, character-driven, and have unresolved endings, you would probably enjoy this more than I did.
Good chunks of this book were what I imagine an ecstasy trip would feel like. Miranda, our protagonist, has chronic pain that it seems everyone thinks she could simply will away if she wasn't so set on being miserable. This book is a solid commentary on how society and doctors especially don't take female pain seriously. However, the book takes a turn into magical realism territory when three strange men appear (Macbeth's witches?) to "help" her. This is where the whole "ecstasy trip" thing starts to ramp up. In addition, the ending was very open-ended and a little confusing which was probably the point but just wasn't for me personally. However, I always have to give points to a book for having theatre references.
If you enjoy reading books that are a bit outside the norm, character-driven, and have unresolved endings, you would probably enjoy this more than I did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Injury/injury detail, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Blood and Suicidal thoughts
brotestantethic's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
hauntingly unique and deeply thought- provoking. definitely some allegories i didn’t understand, but accesible enough to piece together. awad writes with hunger. half a star off for a very slow beginning.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
hrserrano's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Drug abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
savvylit's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
All's Well has very intense descriptions of chronic pain. Miranda's pain truly dictates every part of her day. Despite her immense suffering, she experiences disbelief and cruelty from friends and medical professionals alike. Everyone Miranda knows suggests that her symptoms are psychosomatic. As if real, lasting pain wouldn't be a consequence of a traumatic accident. Mona Awad vividly and empathetically portrays Miranda's world of pain and the resulting painkiller addiction.
This wouldn't be a Mona Awad book, though, without a hypnotic descent into fever dream territory. After Miranda has a magical encounter at a pub, her narration becomes more and more unreliable. What's real in Miranda's life? She herself has no idea. This segment of the book was certainly an entertaining rollercoaster ride. However, it seemed to drag on and on only to maintain ambiguity. Perhaps my lack of familiarity with Shakespeare's less popular plays is what led to my feeling of disconnect from All's Well by its ending. I could tell that Awad was referencing Shakespearean tropes and characters but many of the references flew right over my head.
This wouldn't be a Mona Awad book, though, without a hypnotic descent into fever dream territory. After Miranda has a magical encounter at a pub, her narration becomes more and more unreliable. What's real in Miranda's life? She herself has no idea. This segment of the book was certainly an entertaining rollercoaster ride. However, it seemed to drag on and on only to maintain ambiguity. Perhaps my lack of familiarity with Shakespeare's less popular plays is what led to my feeling of disconnect from All's Well by its ending. I could tell that Awad was referencing Shakespearean tropes and characters but many of the references flew right over my head.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Chronic illness, Drug use, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, and Injury/injury detail
genny's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Gorgeous prose, oh my goodness. I was afraid Bunny would be a one-hit wonder in regards to my own enjoyment of Awad's work, but clearly that isn't the case! In fact, I'm a little peeved that this hasn't gotten the same amount of hype as Bunny, because it's fantastic IMO. Less comedic & visceral but equally as dark. I wish I wrote a review right after I finished this instead of putting it off for a week so that I could've gushed more thoroughly.
Apparently some people found Miranda's POV tiring, but I was engrossed. Awad does love her "can't tell if they're still experiencing reality" protagonists. I work in the medical field so the discussion about chronic pain was doubly haunting to me; I don't ever want my patients to feel unheard, to become this hopeless, although I understood the struggle of treating an "invisible" illness. Other than the Weird Brethren, there was probably a bunch of other parallels to Shakespeare's work that sadly went over my head. I already enjoyed this so much, I can only imagine how cool it must be to have that added perspective. Even the interview with the author at the end made for great reading, with the explanations about how theater/performance/pain can intertwine.
I'll leave a few of my favorite quotes here because I don't know what else to say other than I LOVED THIS, it was so freaking good.
Apparently some people found Miranda's POV tiring, but I was engrossed. Awad does love her "can't tell if they're still experiencing reality" protagonists. I work in the medical field so the discussion about chronic pain was doubly haunting to me; I don't ever want my patients to feel unheard, to become this hopeless, although I understood the struggle of treating an "invisible" illness. Other than the Weird Brethren, there was probably a bunch of other parallels to Shakespeare's work that sadly went over my head. I already enjoyed this so much, I can only imagine how cool it must be to have that added perspective. Even the interview with the author at the end made for great reading, with the explanations about how theater/performance/pain can intertwine.
I'll leave a few of my favorite quotes here because I don't know what else to say other than I LOVED THIS, it was so freaking good.
Spoiler
I felt a drop, I told Grace. Felt their anger in the filthy air. Felt the sword above my head. Felt my doom in the thickening night as we drove here. Three silhouettes looming in my side mirror, loping along the shoulder like wolves. But the dread had strangely left me in the dressing room. I even smiled at the fog all around as I parked the car and walked toward Grace. Walked, not limped. Not yet. I held up my aching hands to the drizzle. Go ahead, I whispered to the black clouds gathering. Come for me.Spoiler
Her leaf-green eyes have returned to their former brightness but there are shadows among the leaves now.Spoiler
And my tear-streaked face impossibly smiling. Not the brightly beaming face of the young woman from the old Playbill photo, not anymore. No more eyes like stars, no more blinding eclipse. This face shines another light. This face says I have lived, I’m alive. This face says I’ve known joy and pain, known them both. I’ll know them both again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, and Ableism
Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Sexual content