"Rouge is a fever dream-a brilliant, intense, unforgettable horror story about a beauty cult with a deeply moving mother-daughter story at its core. Mona Awad's signature and singular imagination and black humor and empathy are on full display here, and her wild-ride of a tale is masterfully grounded in the emotional devastation of childhood and grief. I loved every word of this." -Laura Zigman, author of Small World "There is nobody else like Mona Awad, daring enough to plunge her hands-rings and all-into the viscera of ...
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"Rouge is a fever dream-a brilliant, intense, unforgettable horror story about a beauty cult with a deeply moving mother-daughter story at its core. Mona Awad's signature and singular imagination and black humor and empathy are on full display here, and her wild-ride of a tale is masterfully grounded in the emotional devastation of childhood and grief. I loved every word of this." -Laura Zigman, author of Small World "There is nobody else like Mona Awad, daring enough to plunge her hands-rings and all-into the viscera of story and discover an unsettling beauty within. ROUGE is her most magnetic work yet, a thrilling dystopian romp that knows that beneath the glossy, aspirational veneer of self-care lurks the same old gothic abyss." -Alexandra Kleeman, author of Something New Under the Sun "A brilliant, biting critique of western beauty standards as well as a soaring, phantasmagoric, Angela Carter-esque fairy tale about trauma and the loss of self. Rouge is deeply unsettling, funny, obsessive, and unlike anything I've read. A truly mesmerizing read." -Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World and A Head Full of Ghosts "Unsettling, whimsical, and moving, Rouge is an authentic, innovative kind of narrative magic that's both surreal and absolute. A striking novel of incandescence and heart." -Iain Reid, author of I'm Thinking of Ending Things From the critically acclaimed author of Bunny comes a horror-tinted, gothic fairy tale about a lonely dress shop clerk whose mother's unexpected death sends her down a treacherous path in pursuit of youth and beauty. Can she escape her mother's fate-and find a connection that is more than skin deep? For as long as she can remember, Belle has been insidiously obsessed with her skin and skincare videos. When her estranged mother Noelle mysteriously dies, Belle finds herself back in Southern California, dealing with her mother's considerable debts and grappling with lingering questions about her death. The stakes escalate when a strange woman in red appears at the funeral, offering a tantalizing clue about her mother's demise, followed by a cryptic video about a transformative spa experience. With the help of a pair of red shoes, Belle is lured into the barbed embrace of La Maison de M???duse, the same lavish, culty spa her mother to which her mother was devoted. There, Belle discovers the frightening secret behind her (and her mother's) obsession with the mirror-and the great shimmering depths (and demons) that lurk on the other side of the glass. Snow White meets Eyes Wide Shut in this surreal descent into the dark side of beauty, envy, grief, and the complicated love between mothers and daughters. With black humor and seductive horror, ROUGE explores the cult-like nature of the beauty industry-as well as the danger of internalizing its pitiless gaze. Brimming with California sunshine and blood-red rose petals, ROUGE holds up a warped mirror to our relationship with mortality, our collective fixation with the surface, and the wondrous, deep longing that might lie beneath.
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Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $3.97, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill Central & Coastal VA rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Richmond, VA, UNITED STATES, published 2023 by S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books.
Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $3.98, very good condition, Sold by Best Peddler LLC rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Huntsville, AL, UNITED STATES, published 2023 by Scribner.
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Very good. Excellent condition with just a hint of character. Minor signs of love but the pages are still clean and ready to be enjoyed! May have limited writing in cover pages. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! ! **Ships SWIFTLY! ** Occasionally a book in our inventory had a previous life in a library. While the story inside is exactly the same libraries often purchase specially reinforced editions and add protective covers and labels-which can actually make for a sturdier copy.
Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $3.99, fair condition, Sold by ClickGoodwill rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Indianapolis, IN, UNITED STATES, published 2023 by Scribner.
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Fair. Used-Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact but shrink wrap dust covers or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes highlighting or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may be missing bundled media.
Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $4.11, good condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2023 by Scribner.
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Good. Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. May be ex-library with library markings. Ships promptly!
Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $4.31, fair condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2023 by S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books.
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Fair. This copy has clearly been enjoyed-expect noticeable shelf wear and some minor creases to the cover. Binding is strong and all pages are legible. May contain previous library markings or stamps.
Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $5.52, good condition, Sold by Goodwill of Greater Milwaukee rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milwaukee, WI, UNITED STATES, published 2024 by Scribner.
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Book is considered to be in good or better condition. The actual cover image may not match the stock photo. Hard cover books may show signs of wear on the spine cover or dust jacket. Paperback book may show signs of wear on spine or cover as well as having a slight bend curve or creasing to it. Book should have minimal to no writing inside and no highlighting. Pages should be free of tears or creasing. Stickers should not be present on cover or elsewhere and any CD or DVD expected with the book is included. Book is not a former library copy.
Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $5.52, fair condition, Sold by ClickGoodwill rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Indianapolis, IN, UNITED STATES, published 2024 by Scribner.
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Fair. Used-Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact but shrink wrap dust covers or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes highlighting or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may be missing bundled media.
Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $5.52, very good condition, Sold by Greenworld Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2024 by Scribner.
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Very Good condition book with a firm cover and clean pages. Shows normal use and some light wear or limited notes markings. A solid nice copy to enjoy.
Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $6.05, very good condition, Sold by ZBK Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Belleville, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2024 by Scribner.
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Fast &-Very Good condition book with a firm cover and clean pages. Shows normal use and some light wear or limited notes markings. A solid nice copy to enjoy.
Add this copy of Rouge: a Novel to cart. $6.52, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2024 by S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Rouge is one of those books that is a full experience to read and is genuinely quite hard to describe. It reads almost as a fever dream and the narration style gets more and more unhinged the further you read. I felt gripped from the first page and was compelled to keep reading, devouring it in just a few sittings.
Belle has always felt like she is in her mother's shadow when it comes to her beauty. When her mum passes away, a pair of red shoes leads her to a luxury, secret spa that who seem very keen on passing out free beauty treatments.
Belle is a fascinating character as even before the plot develops - she is shallow and very concerned with her skin, taking part in elaborate beauty routines with various creams and serums and watching endless Youtube videos for guidance. The book is a great commentary on the beauty and wellness industry and uses inspiration from Snow White and Fairytales to tell the story. It passes into the sci-fi and horror territories at times as well as touching on mother/daughter relationships, jealousy and grief.
I did feel that the ending was a little unsatisfying - I was expecting perhaps a final twist and some ends are not completely tied up but that felt very in-keeping with its style - it's a book that you will think about long after you turn the final page. I highly recommend it - it's the perfect Halloween read and a Kindig Gem for 2023. Thank you to NetGalley & Simon & Schuster UK - Scribner UK for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
