Rouge - Mona Awad

In Rouge, Mona Awad delivers a haunting tale that intertwines beauty, obsession, and the complexities of mother-daughter relationships. The story follows Belle, a dress shop clerk with an intense fixation on skincare routines and beauty standards. Upon the mysterious death of her estranged mother, Belle returns to Southern California to settle her mother's affairs. There, she encounters a cryptic woman in red and a peculiar video about a transformative spa experience. Drawn by curiosity and a pair of red shoes, Belle finds herself at La Maison de Méduse, the same enigmatic spa her mother once frequented. As Belle delves deeper, she uncovers unsettling truths about her mother's past and the dark side of the beauty industry.​

Described as a blend of Snow White and Eyes Wide Shut, Rouge is a surreal descent into the dangers of internalizing societal beauty standards and the lengths one might go to achieve perfection.