Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

810 reviews

bentenjones's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny informative lighthearted 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


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

leanneymu's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark 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

4.0

A deeply unlikeable narrator, but a really interesting story about plagarism, professional jealousies, egos and insecurities. Almost everyone in this story is awful, but that's necessary to give us a look into the cut-throat world of publishing. Reading this is as a writer is an uncomfortable experience, but the narrative is so compelling, it doesn't even matter!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

marylysn's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny informative reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

emilywemily6's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was so good, I listened to this entire audiobook in just one day. It’s cringey and realistic, with lots of micro aggressions and covert racism. It was a fascinating read, and as a white person, I could see the slippery slope of racism/appropriation. This is a book I will think about for a long time. I didn’t prefer the ending (this book almost felt like it would end up as a literary horror but it didn’t go quite that far). The main character kind of descends into madness but I wanted more. Such a good read that talks about the sins of the publishing industry and the impact of race. The author did a beautiful job making me both hate the main character and feel for her.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

poirot's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

2.25


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

keelin04's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

5.0

I found this book SO well done. The first person writing style with our ridiculously unreliable narrator is really engaging and made me think about situations in ways I never would have otherwise. It was frustrating (in a good way) to read through June's obsessive and twisted paths of logic and reasoning, and to realize things like the fact that
she would often name white authors/actors/people in general directly before or after referring to POC as things like "that Asian lady" or similar.
Throughout the book, it is also evident that
June does have experiences to dive into in which she is a victim. Her relationship with her mom and her assault are both experiences that would garner attention and sympathy, yet she seemingly chooses to ignore these things in favour of villifying asian people and complaining that because she is white, nobody will read her stories.
 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

abigail_baxter's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious 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

4.75

this one’s a thinker just like babel (still my favorite Kuang book) and i would love to see a full analysis of the layers to this story. if you are interested in the complexities of diversity and the way that it is commodified in many industries/cancel culture/the thought process of someone who is so audacious in their appropriation but also always has a justification then this is the book for you. also love knowing all the spots in dc that juniper goes to :)

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

neurodivergentbookshit's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional funny inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

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

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

turidt's review against another edition

Go to review page

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

4.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

komiification's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

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. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings