📖 Overview
Mona Awad is a Canadian novelist and short story writer born in Montreal in 1978, recognized for her darkly comic literary works that often blend elements of horror and social commentary. Her writing frequently explores themes of body image, identity, and female relationships through a distinctive lens that combines sharp wit with unsettling undertones.
Her debut novel "13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl" established her as a significant voice in contemporary literature, earning a Giller Prize nomination and winning the Amazon.ca First Novel Award. Subsequent works including "Bunny," "All's Well," and "Rouge" have further cemented her reputation, with multiple nominations for the Goodreads Choice Award in the Horror category.
Awad brings a diverse cultural background to her work, being the daughter of an Egyptian Muslim father and a French-Canadian Catholic mother of Serbian and Irish descent. She currently serves as an assistant professor at Syracuse University, contributing to the next generation of writers while continuing to produce her own acclaimed works.
👀 Reviews
Readers consistently note Awad's dark humor and ability to blend horror with social commentary. Many praise her unique writing style that shifts between reality and surrealism, particularly in "Bunny" and "All's Well."
What readers liked:
- Sharp commentary on body image and female relationships
- Unpredictable plots that challenge expectations
- Raw, honest portrayal of difficult topics
- Strong character development in "13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl"
What readers disliked:
- Confusing narrative structures
- Uncomfortable or triggering content
- Endings that feel unresolved
- Experimental style can be hard to follow
Ratings across platforms:
- "Bunny": 3.6/5 on Goodreads (80,000+ ratings)
- "13 Ways": 3.4/5 on Goodreads (12,000+ ratings)
- "All's Well": 3.5/5 on Amazon (1,000+ ratings)
Common reader comment: "Not for everyone, but unforgettable for those who connect with her style."
Notable criticism: Many readers report abandoning her books midway due to disorienting plot structures or disturbing content.
📚 Books by Mona Awad
13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl (2016)
A novel following Lizzie's journey through various stages of her life as she grapples with body image, relationships, and self-perception in contemporary society.
Bunny (2019) A dark satirical novel about a graduate student who becomes entangled with a clique of wealthy classmates who call each other "Bunny" at a prestigious New England creative writing program.
All's Well (2021) A story centered on a theater professor suffering from chronic pain who becomes increasingly obsessed with staging Shakespeare's "All's Well That Ends Well" while experiencing strange encounters that blur reality and fiction.
Rouge (2024) A novel exploring the beauty industry and mother-daughter relationships through the story of a makeup counter employee who becomes involved with a mysterious skincare line.
Bunny (2019) A dark satirical novel about a graduate student who becomes entangled with a clique of wealthy classmates who call each other "Bunny" at a prestigious New England creative writing program.
All's Well (2021) A story centered on a theater professor suffering from chronic pain who becomes increasingly obsessed with staging Shakespeare's "All's Well That Ends Well" while experiencing strange encounters that blur reality and fiction.
Rouge (2024) A novel exploring the beauty industry and mother-daughter relationships through the story of a makeup counter employee who becomes involved with a mysterious skincare line.
👥 Similar authors
Ottessa Moshfegh writes dark literary fiction that explores female alienation and psychological complexity through an unflinching lens. Her works like "Eileen" and "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" share Awad's ability to blend horror elements with social commentary.
Carmen Maria Machado creates stories that weave together horror, magical realism, and feminist themes while examining body politics and relationships. Her memoir "In the Dream House" and story collection "Her Body and Other Parties" demonstrate similar genre-bending approaches to exploring female experience.
Alexandra Kleeman combines elements of horror and satire to critique contemporary society and consumer culture through a feminist perspective. Her novels "You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine" and "Something New Under the Sun" share Awad's interest in body image and identity within modern contexts.
Rachel Yoder examines motherhood and feminine rage through a mix of horror and dark comedy in her writing. Her novel "Nightbitch" employs a similar approach to Awad's work in its blend of psychological horror with social observation.
Samantha Hunt writes literary fiction that incorporates elements of the supernatural and explores female relationships and identity. Her novels "Mr. Splitfoot" and "The Dark Dark" share Awad's interest in mixing realism with darker, unsettling elements.
Carmen Maria Machado creates stories that weave together horror, magical realism, and feminist themes while examining body politics and relationships. Her memoir "In the Dream House" and story collection "Her Body and Other Parties" demonstrate similar genre-bending approaches to exploring female experience.
Alexandra Kleeman combines elements of horror and satire to critique contemporary society and consumer culture through a feminist perspective. Her novels "You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine" and "Something New Under the Sun" share Awad's interest in body image and identity within modern contexts.
Rachel Yoder examines motherhood and feminine rage through a mix of horror and dark comedy in her writing. Her novel "Nightbitch" employs a similar approach to Awad's work in its blend of psychological horror with social observation.
Samantha Hunt writes literary fiction that incorporates elements of the supernatural and explores female relationships and identity. Her novels "Mr. Splitfoot" and "The Dark Dark" share Awad's interest in mixing realism with darker, unsettling elements.