Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

81 reviews

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

dark emotional tense

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Death, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Grief

Moderate: Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, Classism, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Trafficking, Abortion, Deportation, and Drug use

yolie's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-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

We use the term “unhinged” a lot in recent times, but meet a protagonist who truly is. 

June Hayward, is unlikeable and very unapologetic about it - matter of fact according to her, everyone else owes her an apology. 

I really enjoyed this book, and I think it stirred up thoughts about not only representation but also who is allowed to tell a story and who we give a platform to.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual violence

Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Colonisation

mirandaschnoor's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Colonisation and Sexual violence

justwingit03's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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: Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Gaslighting, Bullying, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, and Rape

macykey's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

5.0

This book is amazing on so many different levels. Firstly, the absolute CAUCASITY of the female main character, June. The entitlement comes off the page so strongly it’s almost overpowering. She constantly is talking about how she can’t be racist because she voted for Biden and how it’s so annoying how people are calling what she’s doing yellow face because ‘they don’t understand what yellow face is’. She says she doesn’t want to associate herself with right wing conservative talk show hosts, but in  the end, uses their same talking points to justify her actions and why she’s actually the victim. 

Can we also just talk about how freaking meta this book gets? This book is written by an Asian woman, writing in the POV of a white woman, who steals works done by her Asian ‘friend’ and passes them off as her own. ALSO, at the end when we realize what’s going on,

when we realize that Candice is the ghost of Athena on IG, June tries to use the tapes and information Candice gathers to write the book that Candice is going to write. She even brags about how it’ll be better than Candice’s and how she’ll be come a publishing industry darling again.

 

Also, June goes on and on and on about how she put her blood, sweat, and tears into this book, making it what it was. But what evidence do we have that she’s actually a decent writer? Her own self importance is gaslighting us in a way of thinking she deserves this.

There also becomes a point where you’re questioning everything June is telling you. She clearly states near the end of the book that she’s been spinning her story so much she’s able to believe her own lies. But after that, she talks about good memories she had with Athena. Are those true or are they part of her narrative? 

This book absolutely blew my mind and I blew right through it. I’ll read anything Kuang writes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Death of parent, Death, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Colonisation

krisfailedtosubmit's review against another edition

challenging dark informative 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

5.0

Yikes 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Colonisation, Death, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Rape, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Ableism, Bullying, Hate crime, Medical content, Racial slurs, Classism, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Fatphobia, and Homophobia

kchin's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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: Racism, Colonisation, Toxic friendship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Cultural appropriation, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

challenging dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, Racism, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Stalking, Xenophobia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Hate crime, Slavery, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Islamophobia, Colonisation, and Violence

farrahsoa's review against another edition

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

4.5

Had no idea what to expect considering this my first R. F. Kuang book. I couldn’t put this down. It was sickening and enthralling all at the same time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Death, and Stalking

Moderate: Colonisation

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

espookita's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious tense fast-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

3.5

R. F. Kuang’s Yellowface is a biting commentary on white privilege, entitlement, cultural appropriation, and the publishing industry. It explores the inherently exploitative nature of writing as a whole, and digs into ethical questions regarding storytelling. It is fast-paced, compelling, and impossible to put down. Our narrator is a Karen caricature unable to resist doom scrolling on Twitter, and the many social media and pop culture references are somewhat jarring. While the sharp critique on both the industry and whiteness were valid, I found myself wishing more of the relationship between the narrator and the victim of her theft was more drawn out. I feel I am left with more questions than answers—especially about what it means to be friends with someone whom you both fear and admire. Worth the read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and War

Moderate: Colonisation, Genocide, Medical content, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship