Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

80 reviews

joanna_banana's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

4.5

This is a juicy page-turner! The commentary on racism and cultural appropriation is a must-read. Reminded me a bit of The Other Black Girl - a thriller set in the publishing industry with racism and in that case cultural assimilation as its central theme - but Yellowface is entirely its own. The ending was excellent, unpredictable, and I loved the first person voice, very effective for this story that feels so real it’s hard to remember you’re reading a novel and not Juniper’s tell-all memoir.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Sexism

Minor: Abortion and Blood

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

dark funny reflective tense fast-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

Um, this book??? IS SO CRAZY. This story takes “delulu girly” to the most insane level. GIRLY!! IS!! DELULU!!

Although my review may be full of basic bookish rambling about the perpetual spiral of the so-called delulu in regards to the main character who is a writer, the writing in this book by the witty R. F. Kuang is so sharp, timely, and addictive that you certainly feel like you’re delulu too. (Okay I’ll stop using that word now.)

So this novel is basically a ridiculously well-written reddit thread of “AITA for stealing the manuscript of my dead Asian friend and passing it off as my own since I’m a woman, but I’m also very much a cishet white woman?” 

GIRLLLLL. Kuang crafted such a punchy, visceral novel about race, loneliness, envy, and the pros and cons of the publishing industry. I was glued to every page, almost like watching a train wreck. It’s like, chapter after chapter, our white MC (June) goes deeper and deeper into her web of lies and you’re like “there’s no way she gets away with this” in a non-Scooby Doo villain kind of way, and then SHE DOES!! She just keeps at it!! The secondhand embarrassment and utter frustration was so real, especially in the way that could absolutely happen in real life, which is messed up but also shows the reality of diversity in today’s society—not always as advanced or progressive as we perceive it to be when it’s not directly related to us. This narrative was such an interesting piece on how far someone will go to save their reputation, when said reputation is a fabricated construct in and of itself. Fascinating.

Parts did remind me of “American Fiction”, which is another great example of the assumptions made about POC writers, just in a sort-of opposite form. In any case, I highly recommend both. 

TL;DR June Hayward is kind-of the Hannah Horvath of this story, but somehow even worse. If you liked HBO’s “Girls” for the writing and not for the characters, this book is for you.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Hate crime

Minor: Alcohol, Self harm, Death of parent, Abandonment, Murder, and Suicide

juliesleseecke's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring tense slow-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Mental illness, Bullying, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Grief, Gaslighting, Death, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Stalking and Rape

Minor: Addiction

cnannery19's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

lilinn_aion's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Gaslighting, Racism, Toxic friendship, Cultural appropriation, Death, and Alcohol

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Mental illness, and Rape

amaranth_wytch's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, and Death

Moderate: Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Misogyny, and Mental illness

Minor: Death of parent, Violence, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Islamophobia, Toxic relationship, Classism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, and Racial slurs

abicaro17's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense 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

0.5

God this book was unbearable. I will say first off, that Kuang has a beautiful writing style and the base of this book is really interesting. That being said, the execution of said base is god awful.

Juniper Song Heyward is a jealous, manipulative, vindictive, racist, bitch. She spends the entire book a plagiarist who attempts to convince the reader she's a victim somehow. June continuously uses racist language and defends her actions by blaming Athena for being more talented and likable. Every word that came out of her mouth made her less likable.

The plot is unbearably slow. You spend like 80% of the book reading tweets. Why? Who knows. I considered DNFing so many times it's a miracle I finished at all. I would recommend this to someone only if I hated them. Brb while I go cleanse my aura of this nightmare. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Vomit, Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Alcohol, Body horror, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, Islamophobia, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, Medical content, Sexual assault, Stalking, Cursing, Rape, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Physical abuse, and Racial slurs

eblankenship23's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Racism, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Stalking, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

sofiarodriguez's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.5

I was absolutely in love with this book until the last 50 pages. I feel liek Candance faking being Athena was too expected. I would have much rather seen June end up having some tragic ending due to her own psychosis. I loved the themes and messages--June as an unreliable narrator gave such an interest perspective and how the book views intersectionality and the self-victimization of white woman. I love how this book talks about the duality of social media, especially in times of crisis and reinforcing systems of harm without it being "cringey." I think it fell into some of the pitfalls of thrillers at the end, and should have leaned more lit fic in being able to end with some "loose ends." This book is so beautifully written and self-aware, and I would have given it 5 stars without the last 50 pages. I have so many thoughts I cannot even express in this review. Such a beautiful piece by R.F. Kuang. God I loved this book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Cultural appropriation, Death, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis and Violence

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

jillianselene's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Bullying, Sexual violence, Death, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Stalking, Grief, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Death of parent and Suicidal thoughts