You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
abicaro17's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
beaubaggins's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and War
moond4ncer's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcohol
eatpraylove1312's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and Cultural appropriation
gvstyris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This novel is an important commentary on racism (and realistic white attitudes to reverse racism), especially within the publishing industry and online book community. As someone who doesn’t work in publishing, I also enjoyed learning more about the publishing process.
This novel primarily falls short for me in its portrayal of June, whose disdain for Athena is both lacking nuance and inconsistent. Kuang’s messages are also clearly accessible and at times read like the author using her characters to respond to her own criticisms in the industry, rather than writing her own comprehensive work.
I think this was an interesting concept for a novel, but might’ve worked better in short story format given how repetitive the messaging and plot is. Probably still worth a read if the concept interests you.
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Racial slurs and War
scmiller's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Confinement, Racial slurs, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Death of parent, and War
zoevjester's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Reading this after reading Babel is a thrilling experience because of the author pointing a finger at all the readers who slammed the book for disturbing them with the racism that's written and shown. Seeing the dialogue in the book that's lifted from the reviews the author received? Absolutely delightful.
However, the second half of the book shifts into the characters being the focus - and this is when my stomach soured as I read on.
June is an incredibly well-written character. She is a thief and a liar and we are in her head for the majority of the story so we see her thoughts and mannerism. She's a horrible human being, adamant and persistent and her sin is Envy - over her friend, Athena Liu.
Athena, for all of appearing in only one chapter before her death, she is prominent throughout the whole story. We see her life through the perspective of June, and of other characters, and they all comment on her whole life.
It would have been nice, I think, if the final chapter of Athena's life was written from her POV, so we get an unfiltered perspective of her and who she is, but not doing so I guess adds the mystery of who she truly was.
However, I dropped this to 4 instead of 5 stars. The second half of the story contains some topics that needed content warnings. I wouldn't have read this if I'd known these topics were written about.
But, I'm curious about the quote, 'An Act of Translation is an Act of Betrayal'. It's the opener for Babel: An Arcane History, and also written in this book too. I'd love to know what this quote means for the author.
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Minor: Bullying, Misogyny, Sexism, Xenophobia, Stalking, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
broccoli_j's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
This book is a must read for everyone!
Is is a well written genius critique in which we follow the „villain“.
June is an unreliable narrator and the definition of white women tears. You are meant to feel bad for her and in conclusion feel then bad, for feeling bad for her.
This book is brilliant, shocking and most importantly of all not at all far fetched!
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
witchhenrietta's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, and Murder
phippa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Cultural appropriation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, and War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Stalking, and Death of parent