Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

923 reviews

okaychanly's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective 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

3.75

Overall, I liked it more than I disliked it. I understand June is written as a narrator to be hated, as she's very obviously prejudiced against Asian people (specifically Chinese). It was so satisfying seeing her squirm and get justice at various points in the story. I understand why this book captured so many people's attentions: R.F. Kuang is a talented author, and it was interesting to get a glimpse into the publishing world through this almost subversive lens. Yet at the same time, I had a hard time actually "liking" the book because of the narrator and the lack of likable characters in general. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, and War

jessismoore's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative mysterious reflective tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Stalking

It was hard to tell what was meant to be satire or not and especially what the author wanted you to believe or not when you’re done with this book. The main parts I felt were exaggerated were the narrator’s rationale behind her decisions but otherwise it felt believable and genuine but I know it’s a satire so that threw me off several times. Other than refusing the sensitivity reader, and then later refusing to add Athena to the credits of the book were her two main mistakes. To me this made the line of “what’s ok to say by whom” when talking about history or someone else’s story in general, more blurred, definitely not any clearer. It was certainly a critique of the publishing industry and kind of surprising that was allowed and the book wasn’t blocked or a refusal to advertise for it after release. Overall I’d recommend it as something a little different and harder to define to a genre (other than fiction).

asophiet's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Such a well written book that had me squirming and uncomfortable with how I felt about the characters, situation, context and choices. Was it an easy feel good read? Not at all. Was it meant to be? Not at all, and that’s why it was so good. 
Not a full 5* in my opinion because it started to drag a little with repetitiveness towards the end, and 
*not a spoiler but if you don’t want to go into the ending with possible preconceived notions stop here* 
the direction the penultimate chapter goes in felt oddly out of place and served cliché soap opera vibes that didn’t feel like it matched the caliber of the rest of narrative. 
It was, overall though, a memorable read that I think will stick with me for a long time to come.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Cursing, Racial slurs, Rape, and Colonisation

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

jmb1951's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

ellacostello's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-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

4.75

As a whole I loved the book 
Unsure about the ending I would have liked to see more into the possibilities of this new published book and the outcomes of the drama… although I’m sure the rounds of both good and bad would have been the same as throughout the book 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

jschwie2's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship

Minor: Rape and Suicidal thoughts

chrisb913's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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 have never hated a character as much as I did June Song. Honestly, this book should be required reading.The way Kuang was able to shine a mirror to so many important topics like racism, performative social justice, privilege, the atrocities of the publishing industry, microaggressions. and honestly the list just goes on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

shaunashares's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual assault, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

navayiota's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Brilliant, like everything else she writes. I felt pulled to continue the story at every second of the day. 
Kuang inspires me to write, every word she lays on the page is like a string pulling at my heart, urging me to follow along. Her work makes me believe, for a second, that I too, could create something amazing. And at the same time I feel unbelievably silly and inexperienced. That's all I have to say. A Must-Read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Stalking, Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism, and Deportation

emglange's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.0

The writing was incredibly compelling, but I did find the latter half of the book and the main character’s spiral a bit repetitive at times. I suppose that’s to be expected with a spiral after all, but it felt like the main character didn’t really move much between about 50% and 95% of the text. Still a really gripping read, made me think of The Telltale Heart more than once. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Rape and Suicidal thoughts