Mona Awad's Rouge has garnered praise for its lyrical prose and compelling exploration of identity and beauty. Readers appreciate the rich, atmospheric world Awad creates, though some critique it for a slow narrative pace. Overall, it is lauded for its imaginative storytelling and emotional depth, appealing to fans of literary fiction with a gothic twist.

Rouge by Mona Awad captivates readers who relish dark, atmospheric tales blending the surreal with psychological depth. Fans of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath will appreciate its complex characters and eerie, introspective narrative, making it ideal for those drawn to gothic and literary fiction.

In Rouge by Mona Awad, Mira Nour, a skincare-obsessed woman, travels from Montreal to California after her mother's mysterious death and becomes entangled with a magical spa her mother frequented, which promises beauty but has sinister consequences. The novel explores how self-esteem, secrets, grief, and childhood experiences shape identity while critiquing the beauty industry. The book includes themes of drowning, mental health struggles, and grief.

Dark / Mysterious / Unnerving / Fantastical / Contemplative

Mona Awad

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

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content

Overview

Get ready to explore Rouge and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

Rouge Summary and Study Guide

Background

Rouge Background

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section

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Part 1, Chapter 6

Rouge Prologue-Part 1, Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

Part 1, Chapter 7-Part 2

Rouge Part 1, Chapter 7-Part 2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3 Rouge Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Parts 4-5

Rouge Parts 4-5 Summary & Analysis

Part 6 Rouge Part 6 Summary & Analysis

character

Character Analysis

Rouge Character Analysis

theme

Themes

Rouge Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Rouge Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Rouge Literary Devices

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citation

Important Quotes

Rouge Important Quotes

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Essay Topics

Rouge Essay Topics

Rouge: A Novel

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read Rouge?

Reading Age

Book Details