A review by rorikae
Bunny by Mona Awad
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
'Bunny' by Mona Awad is a fantastically tinged novel about a student in an MFA program and her relationship with a group of her peers.
Samantha has been struggling in her MFA program. She has been having a hard time writing and an even harder time connecting with her fellow students. The four other girls in her class have created a strange codependent clique, the 'Bunny's.' Samantha has always felt distant from them and has instead found a singular friend who lives in town but doesn't attend her college, Ava. When the Bunny's suddenly start showing interest in Samantha and invite her to be part of her group, Samantha lets her curiosity lead her. But what she finds out about the group and about herself will have a lasting impact on her.
This is such a strange book. There are aspects that I really appreciate, such as its commentary on academia and MFA programs in particular. Sam is an interesting character though I did feel quite distant from all of the characters in the story. I believe it is intentional, but Samantha's life before college is only hinted at and left me feeling as if I didn't have a full idea of who she was as a character. With the ending, I have a lot of questions and things that don't exactly make sense. I think I follow the gist of what is happening but there is also a lot that feels left open. One of the things that Awad nails is the atmosphere. This story has a creeping dread that is only added to by body horror. I would love to read more about what people think happened in this book because it is quite loose. I think this would make a great book club selection as it would be a lot of fun (and very helpful) to discuss.
Samantha has been struggling in her MFA program. She has been having a hard time writing and an even harder time connecting with her fellow students. The four other girls in her class have created a strange codependent clique, the 'Bunny's.' Samantha has always felt distant from them and has instead found a singular friend who lives in town but doesn't attend her college, Ava. When the Bunny's suddenly start showing interest in Samantha and invite her to be part of her group, Samantha lets her curiosity lead her. But what she finds out about the group and about herself will have a lasting impact on her.
This is such a strange book. There are aspects that I really appreciate, such as its commentary on academia and MFA programs in particular. Sam is an interesting character though I did feel quite distant from all of the characters in the story. I believe it is intentional, but Samantha's life before college is only hinted at and left me feeling as if I didn't have a full idea of who she was as a character. With the ending, I have a lot of questions and things that don't exactly make sense. I think I follow the gist of what is happening but there is also a lot that feels left open. One of the things that Awad nails is the atmosphere. This story has a creeping dread that is only added to by body horror. I would love to read more about what people think happened in this book because it is quite loose. I think this would make a great book club selection as it would be a lot of fun (and very helpful) to discuss.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Misogyny, Death, and Grief