Rouge is the first and only Mona Awad novel I’ve read and even when I was midway through the book, I frantically opened Good Reads to add her other novels to my TRL immediately. It’s a dark, surrealist thriller that continued to surprise me page after page. Jarring moments that were jam packed with characters (including demonic jellyfish) filled with metaphors. You read it thinking, ‘could this get any weirder?’ and in the mind of Awad, it most certainly can.
Sometimes a weird novel can be just that — weird. Leaving an unsettled feeling deep in the pits of your stomach that doesn’t feel great, but Awad weaves in her underlying message about the unrealistic beauty standards we as women try to keep up with masterfully. The story is used as an allegory of how damaging the industry is as a whole. While the protagonist, Belle, seems to view a lot of things on the surface, this novel is anything but that. Going into the depths of her mind to crack the relationship she has with the mirror once and for all.
“My reflection was even mouthing it beside me in one of Mother’s many mirrors. I could feel myself in the glass going, Goblin, goblin, goblin. So in the end, I just said, Farewell. I said it in French, which was funny. Adieu, meaning ‘to god.’ Curtsied as I closed the door, to make it look like I meant to say it that way, to make it pretty. Pretty is a word that’s always there for me in the fog. And the French for it, which is my own name, Belle. That’s lucky.”
Drinks
Red is definitely going to be my through-line for this post. Everything Belle does feels so extreme, which is why I went for a Negroni. A beautifully crimson colored drink with intense bitter flavors that perfectly describe our Belle.
Photo by Queen St LA
The perfect Negroni recipe:
1¼ ounces gin
1¼ ounces Campari for that incarnadine color
1¼ ounces sweet vermouth
Orange twist, for garnish
Menu
Since it’s Summer (meaning peak tomato season) and we’re still sticking to this theme of rouge, rouge, and more rouge, let’s celebrate with a tomato party. I’m endlessly inspired by Yasmine Mei and her tomato garden parties. Sliced tomatoes with olive oil, salt, & pepper? Count me in. Keeping tomatoes on the vine like she does almost has an otherworldly feel to it, too. They feel like tentacles, drawing inspiration from the jellyfish sectioned off in the house on the cliff.
Photo by Yasmine Mei
The Tablescape
I decided to play with the surrealist theme a little bit. Gohar World makes that easy to do, and I love these line drawing placemats from Misette.
The sunburst candle holder from Matilda Goad also felt cult-like, which is how Awad views the beauty industry.
Short Glasses, Gohar World
Sunburst Candle Holder, Matilda Goad
The arrangement: roses, red roses… taken from Simone Gooch of Fjura’s incredible book titled, Rosa.
The Outfit
Belle’s mother owned a boutique in the Southern California beach town that she’s from, and since fashion is a huge part of your image and how it’s perceived, there’s a lot of references in the book noting Belle’s outfits. Her relationship with her mother has many layers. She loved her, but there was a dark side to their connection — one rooted in a sickly devotion and obsession to her mother’s perfect facade. After her death, Belle travels back to live in her childhood home temporarily, and starts rummaging through her mother’s room and things. There’s a reference to a big floppy hat and large sunglasses that stuck out — plus the plethora of red things her mother owns. That helped dictate the ensemble below!
Dress, Hat, Shoes, Sunglasses
The Playlist
The book was a little creepy, unnerving, and unsettling. Hence, this moody sad girl playlist.
The Mood Board
From left to right: Still from Jacques Rivette’s ‘Out 1: Noli me Tangere,’ Pinterest, Pinterest, Still from Tennis music video ‘Modern Woman,’ Pinterest, Image from Petra Collins, Pinterest, Image from Stephanie Somebody, Pinterest
Tell me - have you read the book? Would love to start a discussion in the comments!
i’ve been waiting until it was closer to fall to finally start reading this and now i’m so excited!!
Need the shoes 👠 need the tomatoes 🍅