Mona Awad| 2019 | 305 Pages | ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genres: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Magical Realism, Adult
SUMMARY
We were just these innocent girls in the night trying to make something beautiful. We nearly died. We very nearly did, didn't we?
Samantha Heather Mackey couldn't be more of an outsider in her small, highly selective MFA program at New England's Warren University. A scholarship student who prefers the company of her dark imagination to that of most people, she is utterly repelled by the rest of her fiction writing cohort--a clique of unbearably twee rich girls who call each other Bunny, and seem to move and speak as one.
But everything changes when Samantha receives an invitation to the Bunnies' fabled Smut Salon, and finds herself inexplicably drawn to their front door--ditching her only friend, Ava, in the process. As Samantha plunges deeper and deeper into the Bunnies' sinister yet saccharine world, beginning to take part in the ritualistic off-campus Workshop where they conjure their monstrous creations, the edges of reality begin to blur. Soon, her friendships with Ava and the Bunnies will be brought into deadly collision.
MY THOUGHTS
Bunny is a wild, genre-bending ride through the surreal and unsettling world of academia. The story revolves around Samantha Mackey, a 25-year-old fiction writer enrolled in the MFA program at Warren University. Samantha finds herself at odds with a clique of four enigmatic women known as the Bunnies: Creepy Doll (Kira), Cupcake (Caroline), Vignette (Victoria), and the Duchess (Eleanor). This group, with their blend of cuteness, sexiness, and violence, creates a disturbing mix that Samantha and her best friend, Ava, find both intriguing and repelling.
In her first year at Warren, Samantha managed to avoid the Bunnies. However, as her second year begins, she's drawn into their orbit by an invitation to a mysterious event called the Smut Salon. At this salon, Samantha reveals a personal story about her high school crush, Rob Valencia, only to find herself at odds with the Bunnies' expectations. Her confusion and eventual departure from the salon set the tone for the bizarre events that follow.
Samantha's fiction workshop, held in a room ominously called "the Cave," introduces her to a bizarre teacher named Fosco and her fellow students, including the Bunnies, who showcase their experimental and unsettling work. Samantha's traditional storytelling approach earns her both critique and reluctant praise from the clique.
The novel's narrative takes an even stranger turn when Samantha attends a Bunny-hosted Prom Night, where she reencounters Rob Valencia—this time with disastrous consequences. It soon becomes clear that the Bunnies have a dark and twisted method of creating idealized young men from rabbits, a process that challenges Samantha's sense of reality and morality.
As Samantha gets drawn further into the Bunnies' world, her sense of identity begins to blur. Her friendship with Ava becomes strained, and she finds herself entangled in increasingly bizarre and violent scenarios. These experiences, which include a Bunny-hosted Prom Night and a shocking revelation about Ava, turn Samantha's understanding of herself and her world upside down.
Winter brings further chaos, with Samantha grappling with writer's block and an uneasy relationship with her thesis advisor, the Lion. Her emotional and psychological unraveling culminates in a shocking revelation about Ava and a confrontation with the Bunnies, leading to a dramatic climax that leaves you on the edge of your seats.
Bunny is bizarre, strange, and confusing from start to finish. The plot constantly makes you question what's real and fake, with twists that leave you doubting everything. Awad's novel is a rollercoaster of surrealism and dark humor, challenging readers to navigate its layers of meaning and absurdity. While Samantha's whiny tendencies might test your patience, they also deepen the book's exploration of identity and creative struggle. With its offbeat humor and unsettling twists, Bunny is a provocative and memorable read, though its bizarre narrative may leave you scratching your head.
DETAILED CHARACTER OVERVIEW
Samantha Heather Mackey is the protagonist and narrator of Bunny by Mona Awad, and she's definitely a character you'll find hard to forget. At 25, Samantha feels like an outsider—an underdog trying to find her place at the prestigious Warren University. Her background in the working-class town of Falling adds to her sense of being on the fringes. Her mom worked in a hair salon, and her dad had a brief stint with real estate before disappearing. Even though her parents are gone—her mom's dead and her dad's absent—they still haunt her thoughts.
Samantha's behavior often makes her seem younger than her years. Her immersion into the Bunnies' world pulls her back into a high-school-like drama, making her act like a teenager rather than a grown-up. This regression highlights her struggle with identity and her discomfort with adulthood, as she finds herself caught between childish impulses and adult responsibilities.
Her quest for self-discovery is a big part of her character growth. She often repeats that she's "lost," which drives home her struggle to carve out a stable identity. Living in a crappy apartment during breaks and having Ava as a dependable friend shows her need for stability. Yet, she abandons Ava for the Bunnies, which reveals her difficulty expressing her true feelings. Her self-image is murky, described as a "tall watery form" in the mirror, making her a somewhat unreliable narrator.
The Bunnies are the ultimate mean-girl clique; they know how to make Samantha feel like an outsider. They have separate identities, but Samantha regularly refers to them as a “blob,” and Ava labels them a “cult.” They're rich and beautiful, while Samantha is simply tall, and they manage to make her life at Warren a lot more complicated. Despite their antagonistic nature, they're not entirely awful—they invite Samantha to their events and occasionally show kindness, which blurs the line between friend and foe.
Individually, the Bunnies don't fit into classic mean-girl roles. While the Duchess seems like the leader, there's no clear hierarchy among them. The Bunnies are equals—no Bunny is above another. Even if they don’t want or always use it, each Bunny has agency and displays it in the emergency workshop and over Max. Creepy Doll is “the literal doll-pet of the other Bunnies,” but she’s not passive. When she feels like she’s doing too many of the beheadings, she speaks up, “I just feel like someone else should pull their weight for once.” Their behavior reflects a critique of modern feminism, which can emphasize individual success over collective support.
Ava is Samantha's best friend and a total contrast to her. With her punk vibe and solid identity, Ava represents everything Samantha lacks. Her disdain for the Bunnies and her unwavering independence provide a stable counterpoint to Samantha's instability. Although their friendship has ups and downs, especially when Ava feels neglected, she's a vital, positive force in Samantha's life. Her eventual death, while devastating, helps Samantha grow by internalizing Ava's traits and becoming more self-reliant.
Jonah is Samantha's friend and a real person, despite being called "Psycho Jonah" by the Bunnies. He's down-to-earth and supportive, a contrast to the pretentious vibe at Warren.
Max is a character Samantha makes from a deer. The Bunnies see him as a perfect guy, but his story turns dark. His downfall is a big moment for Samantha as she tries to figure herself out.
The Drafts are the Bunnies' creations. They represent different stereotypes and the art of making multiple drafts before getting it right. Max's shift from a Draft to a key character highlights Samantha's struggle with fantasy and reality.
Warren Faculty
Warren University is a strange place. Fosco, whose real name is Ursula Radcliffe, is Samantha's creative writing professor. She's a bit of a stereotype but also provides critical feedback, adding more to her character.
The Lion, Samantha's thesis advisor, might seem odd initially, but he's a respectful mentor. The faculty interactions highlight the book's themes of pretentiousness and personal space.
Overall, the characters in Bunny dive intriguingly and memorably into themes of identity and self-discovery.
THEMES
The story uses a clique of mean girls and magical realism to demonstrate the fantastical drama that can occur in elite, or supposedly elite, spaces. The story blends various elements: Samantha, the Bunnies, and other characters mix different aspects of their lives. The book’s format—emails, texts, emojis, and more—creates a unique, magical narrative. Samantha struggles with her identity, influenced by various voices, including those of Ava and the Bunnies. The Bunnies are a mix of cuteness, sexuality, and violence, while faculty members like Fosco and The Lion also have complex roles. Even Jonah and the Drafts reflect this hybrid nature.
Constant Voices
The book uses italics to show the many voices Samantha hears from her past and present. These voices, including her mother’s comments, make her seem unsettled but also highlight her attentiveness as a writer. Samantha must learn to trust her own voice amid the constant flow of others.
Reality versus Fantasy versus Art
The story blends reality, fantasy, and art. The Drafts are both imaginary and real, reflecting the Bunnies’ fantasies. The Bunnies treat their art as a living experience, blurring the lines between art and reality. Samantha eventually finds her own path, embracing her unique reality and looking forward to her future.
WHERE TO READ / BUY
Hardcover: $39.56
Paperback: $12.81
Kindle: $14.99
Loved this book!