I absolutely adore the work of Halle Butler! The New Me and Jillian are two of my favorite books, so when I was able to read Banal Nightmare I was so thrilled. I read this one a few times and after it was published my colleagues read it so I wanted to sit with the book and my thoughts for a little. Butler is such a pro at writing complicated and gray area characters and I love every moment of it. This is definitely another favorite for me.

Banal Nightmare by Halle Butler delivers dark humor and sharp social commentary in a painfully relatable way. Butler captures the absurdity of everyday life with biting prose, making you cringe and laugh in equal measure. It’s a brutally honest and satirical look at the disillusionment of adulthood, perfect for readers who enjoy raw, uncomfortable truths wrapped in wit. Fans of Otessa Moshfegh will be interested!

I had a tough time with this one. I found it hard to get through and it lacked anything that kept me engaged. The reason I do give it two stars is because I understand that the characters in this book are not supposed to be likable, Halle Butler certainly succeeded in that regard. There were some moments that did make me laugh but overall this one just wasn't for me.

*Banal Nightmare* offers a sharp and often darkly humorous look at the complexities of returning home and facing the ghosts of one's past. As Moddie Yance navigates her discontent after a tumultuous relationship, the novel cleverly dissects the dynamics of friendships and the tensions that arise as her old circle grapples with the realities of aging and unmet expectations. With Butler's keen eye for detail, readers are drawn into Moddie's chaotic world, where every interaction brims with subtext, resentment, and the haunting weight of nostalgia. This book will resonate with those who enjoy character-driven narratives that explore the messiness of adult relationships, making it a must-read for anyone who has ever questioned the paths they've taken or the friends they've left behind.

I would recommend "Banal Nightmare" for fans of Curb your Enthusiasm," academic settings but not as a student, morally ambiguous characters in the midwest, and seeing your high school friends 15 years after high school. What I liked about this novel was the dialogue, the conversations capture so accurately discussions among friends in our generation, and the main character's earnestness, who I was simultaneously cringing at and rooting for. There were some aspects I was not crazy about, such as the multiple POVs from other character, I sometimes found myself wondering who was speaking and if I cared or not. I also found that the SA themes were not fully fleshed out or explored which was a little disorienting.
I absolutely love Butler's "Jillian" and am eagerly anticipating her next work, even if this novel was not my favorite of hers.

Banal Nightmare is a razor-sharp look at the absurdity of modern life. It follows a woman navigating a soul-crushing job, a stagnant relationship, and a general sense of ennui that feels all too familiar. Butler's writing is darkly funny, capturing the monotony and frustration of everyday existence with lines like, "I felt like I was living in a stock photo of despair."

While I appreciated the book's unflinching honesty and relatable portrayal of disillusionment, the plot felt a bit thin at times, and I found myself wanting a little more depth from the characters. Overall, Banal Nightmare is a thought-provoking and darkly humorous read that hits close to home for anyone who's ever felt trapped in the mundanity of modern life.

I love Halle Butlers writing and her absolutely bizarre protagonists and my main critique of Banal Nightmare is that it doesn’t have enough of this. The protagonists are bizarre but the narration is a constant jump from one character to the next, and this book has SO many characters that it’s honestly hard to keep track. Though the characters it’s jumping to and from are bizarre, it didn’t have the same impact as Butlers previous books that follow one clear protagonist from start to finish. Even with this critique, Butlers writing is so hilarious and captivating that I found myself unable to put this book down. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for her next piece of work.

Banal Nightmare is a sharp, satirical portrayal of millennial disillusionment, set in a Midwestern town that serves as the perfect backdrop for protagonist Moddie's post-relationship unraveling. After moving back to her hometown from Chicago, Moddie reconnects with her old friends, all of whom are experiencing the disappointments of adult life in their own twisted ways. Butler creates a cast of deeply flawed, often unlikable characters who, through biting humor and dark introspection, embody the complexities of modern life, relationships, and the emptiness of social expectations.

Halle Butler's style, with its dry wit and dark comedy, makes this novel both entertaining and deeply unsettling. The dialogue is often hilarious, though the underlying themes of dissatisfaction, self-sabotage, and the aimless search for meaning in life give the story a sobering weight. While the characters can be frustrating in their apathy and bad decisions, Butler excels at showing the absurdities of their lives, making the book feel like a social commentary on the dissatisfaction of adulthood in the modern age.

The novel's tone oscillates between cringe-inducing awkwardness and bleak humor, with Butler masterfully navigating the intersection of satire and existential dread. While Banal Nightmare may not be for everyone due to its often cynical and grotesque portrayal of life, it’s a thought-provoking read for those who appreciate unflinching, raw takes on the human experience.

Recommended for readers who enjoyed Butler's previous work, The New Me, and fans of literary fiction that delves into the darker aspects of the mundane.

Banal Nightmare truly earns its title with a sharp, satirical look at modern discontent. The novel centers on Moddie, who returns to her Midwestern hometown after a breakup and struggles to reintegrate into a social scene dominated by discontented couples. Butler captures contemporary dissatisfaction and the superficiality of social interactions with a biting wit that lands effectively. However, the relentless focus on unlikeable characters can make the read feel drawn-out. The third-person perspective offers a broad view of the characters, though it sometimes muddles their distinctiveness. It’s a compelling exploration of modern malaise, but its portrayal of everyday drudgery can be as exhausting as it is insightful.

Halle Butler is skilled at writing characters built from an inside voice that most people prefer to not disclose even to their own diaries. If you love ugly thoughts, cruel friends, empty men (sometimes empty women?), this is your novel! I really did enjoy the truth of it all. People can and do behave poorly all the time, and I think once we hit our 30s, we become keenly aware of this reality. It's worn as a puffy parka and is no longer easy to stash away for later. Anyway, wow. I will say, the cover is deeply unsettling. Nice one! 3.5 stars (rounded up) out of 5. Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC.

this book is a lot, some might even describe parts of it as banal. halle butler nails the feeling of what everyday life can feel like sometimes

Wow this really worked for me. I can't wait to go back and read more from this author, I found her writing absolutely fascinating. These characters were beyond fascinating and the story was so funny with a lot to say.

This one honestly stressed me out so badly I couldn't finish it. The writing is really great though!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Halle Butler is at her best when she’s just riffing, and I’m this case that helps take the edge off of the fact that at it’s core this book is about something that I absolutely hate: A group of women sniping at and being nasty to each other.

Some of this girl world stuff has that can’t look away from a car crash feel, and Butler’s skill as a writer certainly helps, but plots like this just give me the ick and frustrate me because it’s a reminder of how common this form of “friendship” is.

I liked the protagonist and her best friend, which helped a lot to balance out the rest of the female characters, and to distract from the male characters, who were also mostly terrible. In the end, I just can’t get on board with this kind of mean-spirited, back-stabbing version of female acquaintance, and the author making it clear that this isn’t a “good” thing doesn’t make it any more enjoyable to read or think about.

But Butler’s humor and sharp observations *almost* make it a worthy trade-off. If nothing else, if you read this you’re going to get the most hilarious interpretation of The House of Mirth that has ever existed.

This is a deeply unsettling book about the ugliness of life in your thirties. In this novel, no one is happy. No one likes their friends or their partners. The single people are just as miserable as the ones who are married or in committed relationships. It's a bleak portrait of life as a 30-something. It will also make you feel less alone if you've experienced anything close to what the characters face. Halle Butler shows us the worst versions of ourselves, our most hideous thoughts and feelings about life and other people, and makes us feel seen and understood. She puts unhealthy relationships on display - why they're so hard to get out of, why even though we are absolutely better off by ourselves, it's still so painful to be alone at the end of the day. This book left me feeling haunted, gross, exposed, and validated all at once. I've loved Halle Butler's previous works, and I'm so thankful she wrote a much longer book this time. Worth the several years between novels.

i needed to take a second to really think how i felt after i finished this story, this book initially put me into a slump but definitely gave me a lot to think about after i had finished it.

halle butler’s sarcasm and dry humor definitely helped this otherwise grating read. the character were insufferable at times but in the best way possible, i enjoyed reading their intrusive thoughts. surprisingly, as dark as this read was, the satire about the absurdity and banality of everyday life was oddly comforting and i found the commentary on fulfillment and the pretentious air surrounding art/academics very entertaining. and refreshing.

the switching perspectives give an added layer of depth to this story. it’s a well executed trainwreck and i found the contradicting moments of self righteousness and self hatred to be incredibly ironic but unfortunately relatable, especially while going through any form of life crisis or transition.

would ultimately recommend but not without a few disclaimers regarding expectations.

thank you netgalley and random house for the digital advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest reviews and opinions!

I am a huge fan of Halle Butler's, but this book was not for me. The satirical elements didn't hit quite the right tone for me, and sort of rubbed me the wrong way. Bummer as I was a huge fan of Jillian.

Not sure if i loved this one or if I hated it. The writing was amazing but the characters were completely unlikable and awful. Unsure how to feel lol

Halle Butler's writing style isn't for everyone, and I don't see this connecting for everyone, but it is very well written. Interesting take on Millennials and as a Millennials this novel got tiresome about 60% in it just lost its steam for me. It didn't feel like it was going anywhere.

If you liked The New Me, Butler's previous novel, you will enjoy Banal Nightmare. However if you need the characters (especially the narrator) to be likeable, this is not the book for you!