A review by savvylit
All's Well, by Mona Awad

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.
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