Bunny by Mona Awad is a fictional novel set at Warren University in the East Coast town of Warren. The narrator tells the story from a third-person perspective in an assertive mood. The novel's central character is Samantha, and the antagonists are the Bunnies. The primary conflict is between Ava and the Bunnies, who drug Samantha into their evil rituals, which involve converting rabbits into men called hybrids. The novel's main themes include individuality and identity, while the primary symbol in the entire poem is the swan.
The novel's title Bunnies refers to the uncharacteristic autonomous female students in the university. These females call each other "Bunny," meaning they belong to the upper class with endless privileges. Samantha hates and loves the Bunnies in equal measure. Samantha hates the Bunnies because they are selfish and exclusive. On the other hand, Samantha loves the Bunnies because of their individuality and class. When Samantha receives an invitation to attend the Bunnies' party, she finds it irresistible because she has always wanted to be one of them. The other dominant theme in the novel is identity. Samantha's identity slowly changes when she starts transitioning into a Bunny.
The primary symbolism in the novel is the swan, which represents Ava. Samantha created Ava as an imaginary friend in her mind. When Samantha sees the swan beside the pond, she imagines she is Ava. After several years, Samantha returns to the pond and discovers that Max has murdered the swan. As a result, Samantha realizes that Ava is not a human being but an imaginary friend she created in her mind due to her loneliness.
The reader finds Bunny humorous but also horrifying. In the early stages of the novel, the reader encounters unusual contours involving bizarre rituals. Consequently, Bunny is a dark comedy compared to (1988) Heathers' film and the cult-classic horror The Craft (1996). Nonetheless, the novel is about relationships and friendship.
