Bunny - Mona Awad - A Short Summary and Review

 Bunny - Mona Awad - A Short Summary and Review

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review

Multiplying rabbits in lieu of men, for literature.

A Short Summary:

Bunny by Mona Awad follows Samantha, an outsider in a prestigious MFA program who is reluctantly drawn into the strange, insular clique of wealthy women who call each other “Bunny.” What begins as a satire of academic culture quickly spirals into something far darker and more surreal.

As Samantha becomes entangled in the group’s bizarre rituals and increasingly distorted reality, the line between imagination and truth begins to dissolve. The novel explores identity, loneliness, belonging, and the unsettling nature of creative obsession.

My Favorite Quote from the Book:

"Never lower your gaze first."

-Mona Awad, Bunny

Questions to ponder while reading:

Have you ever tried to fit it?

Would you even consider a rabbit?

My Review:

This is one of those books where “what did I just read?” is a completely fair reaction.

Bunny leans hard into the surreal. It starts off feeling like a sharp, slightly exaggerated critique of elite academic circles, cliquish, performative, and a little absurd, and then it takes a turn into something far stranger. By the end, you’re not entirely sure what was real, what was imagined, or if that distinction even matters.

Calling it a fever dream isn’t an exaggeration. There’s a repetitive, almost hypnotic quality to the writing, and the imagery gets increasingly bizarre as the story unfolds. Some readers will find that compelling. Others will find it frustrating. It really depends on how much ambiguity you’re willing to sit with.

For me, it lands squarely in that uncertain middle space, interesting, definitely memorable, but not entirely settled. It’s quick, it’s weird, and it’s the kind of book you’ll either want to talk about immediately… or set down and stare at the wall for a minute.

If you liked Bunny, you may also like:

The Strange Library - Haruki Murakami

Tales From the Gas Station - Jack Townsend

What Moves the Dead - T. Kingfisher

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About the Author

a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

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