Book Spotlight: Rouge by Mona Awad – A Dark, Gothic Fairy Tale for Adults

Mona Awad, bestselling author of Bunny and All’s Well, has returned with another hauntingly unforgettable story—Rouge. This gothic, surreal novel blends obsession, beauty, and horror into a modern-day fairy tale that will leave you unsettled in the best way.

What Rouge Is About

Rouge follows Belle, a lonely woman drawn into the eerie world of a cult-like beauty industry after the sudden death of her mother. The novel explores themes of vanity, grief, and the sinister forces hidden behind the promise of perfection. It’s equal parts Snow White and body horror—fairy tale magic with a razor-sharp edge.

Why You Should Read Rouge

• Unique blend of genres: Horror, fairy tale, and satire come together in a way only Awad can deliver.
• Darkly relevant: In today’s world of social media filters and impossible beauty standards, the story feels chillingly real.
• Beautifully unsettling prose: Awad’s writing style is hypnotic—dreamlike but razor-sharp.
  
  

Who Will Love This Book?

If you enjoyed Bunny or Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic, Rouge should be at the top of your TBR. Fans of dark academia, gothic literature, and fairy tale retellings will also find plenty to love.

Pair It With Style 📚👕

Reading a dark, moody novel like Rouge? Pair it with one of our Reader’s Closet t-shirts, designed for book lovers who aren’t afraid to embrace the gothic side of literature.