Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

425 reviews

britbreeze's review

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Death, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

Minor: Rape, Eating disorder, Vomit, and Mental illness

lostgwennel's review

funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Listened to this for free on spotify (it’s one of those audiobooks that’s included in premium) and I almost stopped in chapter one because the narrator’s attempt at an english accent was so bad. The story was gripping and a fun satire, but it left me feeling bitter and negative, and I couldn’t tell whether it was the writing, the main character or the VA who I was finding annoying. I wanna perservere and try reading another R.F. Kuang because I have a feeling the format ruined it for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Suicidal thoughts

khaben31's review against another edition

dark informative tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

ladygetslit's review

challenging emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Yellowface was a fascinating look into the inner workings of the publishing industry through the eyes of a white woman who feels like she’s being overlooked in the age of diversity. 

As a white woman who at one point hoped to make it as a published author, this book gave me so much anxiety. I fully understand what Kuang was trying to do with the book, but it was difficult to read, even though it felt like the story flew by. 

In the end, I was left feeling… kind of lost. I feel like the premise—racist white lady tries to take credit for her deceased Asian friend’s writing—forced the book into a box when it could’ve been more complex. 

Overall: worth the read, but it could have gone further in its critique of the publishing industry and racism within the book world in particular. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape

caoimhemia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Cultural appropriation, and Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault

rnbhargava's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This is a narrative about personal jealousy, racism in publishing and interrogating race politics 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Murder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Blood, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual content, Eating disorder, Medical content, Dysphoria, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, War, Drug use, Grief, Biphobia, Classism, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, and Rape

The entire narrative of this book is about a White American woman excusing and justifying her actions against a college friend and writer colleague who is Chinese American plus the varying moods and swings in action to conceal what she is doing. We are in the mind of the white woman character the whole time and it’s intentionally uncomfortable to be in this character’s head. Pace yourself if you need to though this novel isn’t that long.

rcarr14's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Panic attacks/disorders

letterpress's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I hope R.F. Kuang had as much fun writing this as I did reading this! 

R. F. Kuang is a master of language. This book had everything I love about a very fast paced read. She hooked me from the very beginning with the death of Athena and I was here for the thrilling ride of June Hayward. The ending even keeps you guessing. She has a way with toying with perceptions that is just delightful. 

I am not so slowly making my way through her catalogue and I have not been dissatisfied yet. This a refreshing way to take on the racial challenges within the publishing industry. 

Any book that I can’t put down in three days deserves nothing less than 5 stars! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cursing and Rape

machenn's review

tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

willow1113's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Cultural appropriation, Death, Mental illness, and Racism

Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Grief, Gore, Rape, and Alcohol