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challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this one was hard to read, but in a good way. kuang managed to portray issues like cultural appropriation, yellowfacing, „cancel culture“, victim blaming, and so much more in a way that didn‘t feel forced for the most part, but very realistically. the ending really completed and perfected it all. i cried and i laughed and i gasped. it was a lot, but i really enjoyed it because it was so spot on
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
One of the most thrilling pieces of literary fiction I've ever read. I was so engrossed in this story that I could physically not put it down. Couldn't imagine that this book won't be cemented in history as the perfect piece to analyse the current state of the publishing industry and social media.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Vomit
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Islamophobia, Death of parent
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
This book was amazing, but also haunting. Kuang develops the main character to be hated but you also have this pity for her and then you feel bad about that pity. It was written to pull the reader along with the main character’s emotions. Extremely well written and fast read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Cultural appropriation
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If I had a penny for every time I’d read a book by an amazing Asian author about yellow face this year, I’d have two pennies, but it’s cool that it has happened twice!
I don’t think I’ve read a book where I’ve been so invested but so revoked by the main character at the same time. This isn’t a story of heroes, and every character can be viewed as shitty in some way. Which ultimately ties in to where this book goes!
This is a unique kind of horror, and I would really recommend trying it!
I don’t think I’ve read a book where I’ve been so invested but so revoked by the main character at the same time. This isn’t a story of heroes, and every character can be viewed as shitty in some way. Which ultimately ties in to where this book goes!
This is a unique kind of horror, and I would really recommend trying it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book! Such a fantastic story and a very creative way to tell it. I wish I could give more stars!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Racism, Cultural appropriation
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm a big fan of Kuang's writing and I'm glad to have read it, however I can't say I liked it (?) just because June is sooo (intentionally) unlikeable. I did not necessarily have a good time reading it but there was a perverse pleasure in watching how low she would go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very very good. Only reason it's not a 5 stars is I found the ending relatively predictable. The voice in this steals the show - as someone who studied creative writing, I feel so exposed it was terrifying
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Death of parent
Minor: Islamophobia, War
challenging
dark
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
This was an electric read. Like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from. Masterfully done, weaving in June’s insistence of not being racist with all her microaggressions and stereotyping she’s clearly unaware of. June’s mindset was disturbing and fascinating, with the constant self-aggrandizing, always shifting the blame so she was the victim, the insistence that the world was just stacked against her and what else what she supposed to do?
As the book hurtled toward the end, I found myself wondering what ending would be satisfying. Would June learn her lesson, finally feel regret as she crumbled away. Would she end her life from shame, would she flee to a foreign country. All I knew was that it wouldn’t be a happy ending. And it wasn’t, and she didn’t learn, she just clung to the narrative she’s been telling herself, and I honestly think that’s the perfect ending. I pity her, her inability to self-reflect and process, and I think that causes the reader to look inward. Am I like her? How do I not be like her?
This is going to be a book I’ll think about for a long time
This is going to be a book I’ll think about for a long time
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts