A review by madelinedalton
All's Well, by Mona Awad
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I have no idea what just happened. I think that was the point.
When presented with an unreliable narrator in a story that's supposed to confuse the reader, my preference is to receive at least a few kernels of truth from an outside perspective. That way, I can use those kernels of truth to create my own theories about what is actually going on. Awad doesn't provide any source of truth outside of Miranda's narration, which gives readers no starting point in trying to decipher what is true and what is not. As soon as I felt like I had a handle on how things were happening, a bunch of curveballs were thrown. I closed the book having more questions than answers. I assume that was Awad's intent, and it's a valid artistic choice, but it's not my preference. I was so overwhelmed by what just happened that I didn't care to figure out the truth or tie up the loose ends in my mind.
Basically, if you love weird shit that is not supposed to ever make sense, pick up this book. If you need things to make at least a little sense, skip this one.
When presented with an unreliable narrator in a story that's supposed to confuse the reader, my preference is to receive at least a few kernels of truth from an outside perspective. That way, I can use those kernels of truth to create my own theories about what is actually going on. Awad doesn't provide any source of truth outside of Miranda's narration, which gives readers no starting point in trying to decipher what is true and what is not. As soon as I felt like I had a handle on how things were happening, a bunch of curveballs were thrown. I closed the book having more questions than answers. I assume that was Awad's intent, and it's a valid artistic choice, but it's not my preference. I was so overwhelmed by what just happened that I didn't care to figure out the truth or tie up the loose ends in my mind.
Basically, if you love weird shit that is not supposed to ever make sense, pick up this book. If you need things to make at least a little sense, skip this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness