The Chartreuse

by Mona Awad

This is the Fiction piece for The New Yorker's July 28, 2025 issue.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

Unknown Binding

First published July 20, 2025

About the author

Mona Awad is the bestselling author of the novels BUNNY, ROUGE, ALL'S WELL and 13 WAYS OF LOOKING AT A FAT GIRL. She is a three time finalist for a Goodreads Choice Award, a finalist for the Giller Prize, and a winner of the Amazon Best First Novel Award. BUNNY was also a finalist for the New England Book Award and it won the Ladies of Horror Fiction Best Novel Award. It's currently in development for film with Bad Robot Productions. Her forthcoming novel, WE LOVE YOU, BUNNY will be released with Simon & Schuster in September 2025.

She earned an MFA from Brown University and an MScR in English from the University of Edinburgh where her dissertation was on fear in the fairy tale. In 2018, she completed a Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literary Studies at the University of Denver. She currently teaches creative writing at Syracuse University and lives in Boston.

Reviews

[Greekchoir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunting!!! Something about the colors, the claustrophobia, the encroaching madness reminded me of The Yellow Wallpaper. The ending is roiling and inevitable. Aren’t we all just waiting for the package that will change everything?

[derdeluch · Rating 5 out of 5]

where is a paczkomat inpost when you need it

[Riley Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

me waiting for my packages fr

[(:Alexia:) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2,5 stars)

Oh my Rouge!! This was definitely just a shorter version of the novel that I reaaally enjoyed, from the depths of my heart, here the object of dread and obsession just being replaced by dresses. The focus subject here was overall escapism through beauty & delusion, while in Rouge the utter obsession with beauty was more emphasized, but both are floating around the same vibe👗💄🌊💃✨️

The shortness of the story did not allow for much depth overall compared to Mona's works, and while still stunning in its own little way, it doesn't quite open up the universe of characters and scenery or have a unique (after)taste and punch in the gut that only she can create... I also imagine she could have done some things a little differently for greater impact (storytelling & imagery related). However, I know what my girl is capable of, and her works only keep stunning me ❤️🕯

I also respect this little detour while encouraging that she could create a short story that leaves a greater impression💛💢

[Mary Autumn ✨🐉🧚🏼‍♀️🦄💘 · Rating 4 out of 5]

connections to rouge???

[Malak Souama · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sadly think this story was written about my obsessive tendencies.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Mona Awad's writing, and I appreciate her continuing to tackle themes relating to women, and specifically in this story, body dysmorphia, societal expectations and perceptions of self, and the instant yet fleeting gratification of online shopping. However, I did think this was very similar to Awad's most recent novel, Rouge, down to the eerie beachy cliff-side manor. I really want to read something a bit different from her!

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shades of Jean Rhys - see Rapunzel, Rapunzel. Like Rhys, Awad's heroines are outsiders adrift in the world, usually parentless, unloved, impoverished and on the edge of ruin, placing all their validation on their perceived femininity. (There is always money for that new lipstick). No accident that Sam Mackie saw herself as an outsized frump, obliged to pair up with her best friend at tango class.

This is a small Rouge - but it also reminded me of the heroine in Moshfegh's "Bettering Myself", both are absolutely about to go over the edge and don't see it. There is some really beautiful writing and observations here as always, see the passage where she imagines trying on the chartreuse.

In terms of Awad's published work, I always felt Alls Well was much overlooked, partly due to the hurricane that has developed around Bunny, and I'd like to see her tackling more real world stories and issues as part of her core themes, and short story form like this would be the place to start.

[lucia]

me when i wait for my packages but have also read the awakening by kate chopin

[__mickayla__ · Rating 3 out of 5]

so cool!👗🖤 if this was written by any other author i don’t think i would’ve liked it as much — it was written so well.