BookLens — See inside before you read

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What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

A lot

Graphic body horror sequences in the novel's second half; the horror is visceral and deeply strange

Language

Some

Some strong language; the novel's voice is sharp and occasionally profane

Sexual Content

Barely any

Minimal sexual content; the novel's unsettling energy is psychological and body-horror in nature

Substance Use

Barely any

Some drinking in academic social settings

Emotional Intensity

A lot

Escalating psychological disorientation, social cruelty, and the horror of female socialization done through violence create a sustained disturbing effect

What this book is about

Mona Awad's darkly comic horror novel follows Samantha, a scholarship student at an elite MFA program, who becomes increasingly drawn into the disturbing rituals of a wealthy, performatively sweet clique she calls the Bunnies. What the Bunnies do in their workshops involves body horror and escalating violence that satirizes both academic culture and feminine performance. The novel is often funny and always strange, and it builds to genuinely disturbing body horror sequences. A cult favorite for readers who enjoy literary horror with sharp feminist teeth.