Reviews

The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong

bgood_xo's review

emotional mysterious medium-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

3.75

graceesford's review

dark emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Abandonment

Moderate: Pedophilia, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Racism, and Child abuse

sdugal's review

adventurous emotional funny reflective sad 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? No

3.75

mikayllawilson's review

reflective medium-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

3.25

hootreads's review

challenging medium-paced

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

4.5

emjay2021's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

I love the cover design of this book.

The book itself was intriguing but very confusing. Is it the book or is it me? I couldn’t tell, so I’m not going to rate it. I don’t always do well with experimental fiction, even though I actually do enjoy reading it from time to time, and I did enjoy reading this. There are some strongly metafictional aspects of the book and other parts of it are fairly straightforward narrative, and they’re mixed together so it’s a bit confusing. I certainly felt empathy for what the two protagonists (*or are they*) were experiencing. The bits set in Chinatown in the 1980s were very atmospheric, and Benny in particular is an affecting character. The adult graphic novelist, Yu, is hard to like, yet I couldn’t help feeling for him because you know why he’s so messed up. Anyway, this book is quite the trip; if you like experimental fiction masquerading as a straightforward narrative at first, give it a try. CW: Physical and sexual abuse of a child (not graphic, mostly alluded to).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Death

Minor: Death of parent, Child abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

mireillecg's review

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

bexwillson's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-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

2.5

thecolorsofhelen's review

Thought it would be too triggering

smalljude's review against another edition

Knew child abuse was coming