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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book taught me a lesson on staying emotionally removed so the characters' pain didn't make its way too deeply into my soul. I nearly did not finish at 60% or so, because it didn't seem like there was any kind of redemptive arc coming for Jayne. I'm glad I adopted that emotional separation, skimmed any parts that were particularly triggering, and pushed through. Is that a good thing? Should you even be able to separate yourself emotionally from a book that succeeds fully in its attempt to draw you into the characters' world? Even so, for this reason I was able to walk away feeling hopeful and generally undamaged, something I can't say for many other books I've read that cover similar topics. Maybe I'm just getting older, growing as a person, in a 'good place'. Gross.
I think this book is wildly successful at providing a completely relatable and informative window into disordered eating, being close to someone with any kind of sickness, and learning to adult in a city that can chew up and spit out those without a financial and emotional safety net. I am so glad Jayne's character arc included learning that she does, indeed, have some version of this safety net, even if she was living for years as if she didn't. There's a lot that's wrong with her experiences growing up, but we learn that her parents are full human beings who tried their absolute hardest to provide a good life for their children.
I didn't entirely mind that the writing is a little pretentious and poetic, though I could have done with just a little less of that. Generally I enjoy Mary H.K. Choi's writing so stinking much, so despite the floweriness at times I was able to speed through.
I think this book is wildly successful at providing a completely relatable and informative window into disordered eating, being close to someone with any kind of sickness, and learning to adult in a city that can chew up and spit out those without a financial and emotional safety net. I am so glad Jayne's character arc included learning that she does, indeed, have some version of this safety net, even if she was living for years as if she didn't. There's a lot that's wrong with her experiences growing up, but we learn that her parents are full human beings who tried their absolute hardest to provide a good life for their children.
I didn't entirely mind that the writing is a little pretentious and poetic, though I could have done with just a little less of that. Generally I enjoy Mary H.K. Choi's writing so stinking much, so despite the floweriness at times I was able to speed through.
slow-paced
Wow. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book until about the 70% mark. Like, I figured I would rate this book 3 stars, but I was very impressed with the ending and how everything wrapped up. I was super emotional and fully invested in Jayne's (and June's) story.
Trigger warnings for a lot in this book. Cancer, racism, eating disorders, mental illness, abuse, and more.
I'll be honest, I would have never picked this book up if it wasn't written by Mary H.K. Choi who despite only having written two books prior to Yolk, I consider one of my favorite authors. I'll read anything she writes. That being said, this book was pretty dark and bleak and stressful to read. I read mostly for entertainment and escapism purposes so, yeah, if she didn't write this book I probably wouldn't have picked it up. But, she DID write this book, and she did so fucking amazingly and I'm glad I read it. You just really have to be in the right headspace to handle the heavy topics. I would say cancer and eating disorders are probably the two heaviest and most prevalent topics in this book. There is a detailed scene near the end of the book about bingeing/purging so be aware.
But, wow. This book was so good. I cried, man, I cried so much. Jayne and June are sisters, are Korean American, and they don't get along - well, that's an understatement. They hate each other - or, do they? To make matters worse, June gets diagnosed with cancer and commits insurance fraud and uses Jayne's insurance because she doesn't have her own. Talk about messy. What ensues is a harrowing and raw look at these two troubled sisters, daughters of immigrants, growing up in an age where women especially have to be perfect because everyone is watching. The pressure that comes with that is astronomical. Jayne is selfish and kind of terrible, but she's real and I love her all the more for it. Those of you that bitch about Mary Sues, come give this book a try.
I flew through this book. Being familiar, and a fan, of Choi's writing meant I had no problem being immediately immersed in her world and her beautiful prose. I didn't really enjoy a lot of my time reading this book because Jayne's life is messy and heartbreaking, but I'm glad I stuck through it because the payoff is wonderful. There's no love like the love between two sisters.
I think this book probably classifies as upper YA (maybe even New Adult).
Trigger warnings for a lot in this book. Cancer, racism, eating disorders, mental illness, abuse, and more.
I'll be honest, I would have never picked this book up if it wasn't written by Mary H.K. Choi who despite only having written two books prior to Yolk, I consider one of my favorite authors. I'll read anything she writes. That being said, this book was pretty dark and bleak and stressful to read. I read mostly for entertainment and escapism purposes so, yeah, if she didn't write this book I probably wouldn't have picked it up. But, she DID write this book, and she did so fucking amazingly and I'm glad I read it. You just really have to be in the right headspace to handle the heavy topics. I would say cancer and eating disorders are probably the two heaviest and most prevalent topics in this book. There is a detailed scene near the end of the book about bingeing/purging so be aware.
But, wow. This book was so good. I cried, man, I cried so much. Jayne and June are sisters, are Korean American, and they don't get along - well, that's an understatement. They hate each other - or, do they? To make matters worse, June gets diagnosed with cancer and commits insurance fraud and uses Jayne's insurance because she doesn't have her own. Talk about messy. What ensues is a harrowing and raw look at these two troubled sisters, daughters of immigrants, growing up in an age where women especially have to be perfect because everyone is watching. The pressure that comes with that is astronomical. Jayne is selfish and kind of terrible, but she's real and I love her all the more for it. Those of you that bitch about Mary Sues, come give this book a try.
I flew through this book. Being familiar, and a fan, of Choi's writing meant I had no problem being immediately immersed in her world and her beautiful prose. I didn't really enjoy a lot of my time reading this book because Jayne's life is messy and heartbreaking, but I'm glad I stuck through it because the payoff is wonderful. There's no love like the love between two sisters.
I think this book probably classifies as upper YA (maybe even New Adult).
3,5 stars
This felt like a really long read... especially in the beginning.
Yolk tells the ugly truth of life in a beautiful and hopeful way.
This was very raw, with a lot of heavy topics told in a very realistic way.
This felt like a really long read... especially in the beginning.
Yolk tells the ugly truth of life in a beautiful and hopeful way.
This was very raw, with a lot of heavy topics told in a very realistic way.
Unfortunately, I think I have grown into eating yolks and grown out of enjoying Yolk.
Ultimately, it just seemed like a critical element was missing from the book. (And its not the egg whites, lol) There was so much potential. Our main protagonist, Jayne, draws so many parallels to truly incredible people like Michelle Zauner and Jennette McCurdy and their books profoundly impacted me, but I really struggled to connect with her pessimism and impulsive decisions. I really enjoy a messy character and almost every one of her interactions with Patrick and June had me simultaneously cringing and totally hooked. But then we never get to see Jayne actually clean herself up or repair her relationship with her mom throughout the course of the book. Instead, it’s a sloppy tell-all wrap-up in the final chapters, which at best was a little optimistic and at worst, completely unfulfilling.
Also, Patrick is aggressively, unrealistically, infuriatingly written by women. (Like even his crowning problematic moment was rationalized away by him “being a nice guy who can’t help but help people”.) Ugh. No single, self-respecting, Upper East-side inhabiting sweatshirt-lending creative-directing man is falling in love with a drunk hot mess on the first night. And if this man does exist, he’s either busy getting scammed or pursuing other men.
I would’ve eaten Yolk up in high school, though. Only figuratively speaking.
Ultimately, it just seemed like a critical element was missing from the book. (And its not the egg whites, lol) There was so much potential. Our main protagonist, Jayne, draws so many parallels to truly incredible people like Michelle Zauner and Jennette McCurdy and their books profoundly impacted me, but I really struggled to connect with her pessimism and impulsive decisions. I really enjoy a messy character and almost every one of her interactions with Patrick and June had me simultaneously cringing and totally hooked. But then we never get to see Jayne actually clean herself up or repair her relationship with her mom throughout the course of the book. Instead, it’s a sloppy tell-all wrap-up in the final chapters, which at best was a little optimistic and at worst, completely unfulfilling.
Also, Patrick is aggressively, unrealistically, infuriatingly written by women. (Like even his crowning problematic moment was rationalized away by him “being a nice guy who can’t help but help people”.) Ugh. No single, self-respecting, Upper East-side inhabiting sweatshirt-lending creative-directing man is falling in love with a drunk hot mess on the first night. And if this man does exist, he’s either busy getting scammed or pursuing other men.
I would’ve eaten Yolk up in high school, though. Only figuratively speaking.
THIS is the novel I've wanted from Choi. LOVE the voice. Love the tension. Love the sister relationship, the growth from the trauma... y'all everyone needs to read this book it's EXCELLENT
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5
I loved this book—although the writing style may not be for everyone, I thoroughly enjoyed tha rawness and unabashed humour that’s sprinkled through. It feels realistic to human life. It’s not a story about cancer, but rather a story of family and love and loss.
I loved this book—although the writing style may not be for everyone, I thoroughly enjoyed tha rawness and unabashed humour that’s sprinkled through. It feels realistic to human life. It’s not a story about cancer, but rather a story of family and love and loss.
