Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

25 reviews

norwegianforestreader's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and War

hayleyvem's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Colonisation, Mental illness, Body horror, Cultural appropriation, Death, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Rape, Toxic friendship, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol and Islamophobia

steen19's review against another edition

challenging reflective tense slow-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Body horror

Moderate: Racism, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Xenophobia

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, and Stalking

redefiningrachel's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Racism, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Classism, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit

marioosa517's review

challenging informative mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racism, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Mental illness, Death, Xenophobia, Bullying, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Vomit, Alcohol, and Violence

Minor: Body horror, War, Racial slurs, Blood, and Drug use

peggy_racham's review against another edition

5.0

Hard to review a book with a narrator such as this. I loved "I am not okay" so this was a natural conclusion. Cant say I love the MC but I do love how the story molds its self through the book. And every time you think you have all the details, there's more underneath. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Racism, Gaslighting, Medical content, War, Cultural appropriation, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

danielleganon'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Body horror

espookita's review

challenging dark funny mysterious tense fast-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

3.5

R. F. Kuang’s Yellowface is a biting commentary on white privilege, entitlement, cultural appropriation, and the publishing industry. It explores the inherently exploitative nature of writing as a whole, and digs into ethical questions regarding storytelling. It is fast-paced, compelling, and impossible to put down. Our narrator is a Karen caricature unable to resist doom scrolling on Twitter, and the many social media and pop culture references are somewhat jarring. While the sharp critique on both the industry and whiteness were valid, I found myself wishing more of the relationship between the narrator and the victim of her theft was more drawn out. I feel I am left with more questions than answers—especially about what it means to be friends with someone whom you both fear and admire. Worth the read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and War

Moderate: Colonisation, Genocide, Medical content, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

dlsmk's review against another edition

dark informative 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

4.5

I hated this main character. However, this is precisely the point.

She also learns positively nothing in the end.

R. F. Kuang has written a stunning insight into the world of publishing from what I imagine is very close to 100% accurate. This was thoroughly engrossing. The characters are flawed and unlikeable while also being so innately human. This is my first novel from Kuang but I am so interested to read more. Stupendous. 

(Not a full 5 stars as I hate all things pop culture reference. Eg mentions of Goodreads, Twitter, trending actors of the moment, recently released books, [ie within the last decade] and the references irked me every time they were mentioned. While I also acknowledge they were necessary to the plot, it hindered my enjoyment. However, this book is beautiful and lyrical and Kuang is a vision. I am a nobody on the Internet.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Body horror, Hate crime, Rape, Toxic friendship, Death, and Gaslighting

deetabz's review

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Murder, Gaslighting, Grief, Violence, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Self harm

Minor: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Hate crime, and Sexism