Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

21 reviews

ceceska's review against another edition

dark funny informative reflective 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

O.M.G. Ce livre était absolument FABULEUX. Je n'en reviens juste pas à quel point ce livre était bon. C'est un 5 étoiles SOLIDE. Je vais le dire tout de suite même si d'habitude je le met à la fin de mon review : je recommence ce livre à TOUT LE MONDE. Vous devez lire ce livre!

Ce livre suit l'histoire de June, une femme blanche, qui vole le manuscrit non publié de son amie asiatique suite à son décès. Le manuscrit porte sur le rôles des travailleurs chinois lors de la Première Guerre mondiale. Elle publie le récit de son amie en le faisant passer pour le sien, mais en y faisant quelques modifications...

Les thèmes de ce livre sont : le racisme, la solitude, la jalousie et l'appropriation culturelle. Ces thèmes sont explorés dans un long monologue fiévreux et dérangé de la protagoniste.

Ce livre était unique puisque la majorité de celui-ci était le fil de pensées de la protagoniste, June. Les dialogues sont peu nombreux mais sont très efficaces. Dans ce cas-ci, moins de dialogue a rendu l'histoire très intéressée puisqu'on voit bien la psyché de la protagoniste ainsi que le raisonnement qui la pousse à prendre des décisions chaotiques.

J'ai beaucoup aimé détester June. Je ne sais pas quand est la dernière fois que j'ai autant détesté une protagoniste d'un roman. June était extrêmement raciste, méchante et qui pense que tout lui est dû. Elle est absolument horrible. Chacune de ses décisions est pire que la précédente. J'ai adoré ça. 

Ce roman m'a tenue en haleine du début jusqu'à la fin. J'ai eu des réactions de surprise à haute voix plusieurs fois pendant ma lecture. Je n'en revenais simplement pas des événements qui se produisaient. 

Ce roman était très bien écrit. J'ai beaucoup apprécié ma lecture. Le rythme était très rapide, ce que j'apprécie énormément. Je ne m'attendais pas du tout à cela considérant que la majorité du livre est ses pensées.

Bref, encore une fois, je recommande ce livre à TOUT le monde.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, War, Cultural appropriation, Hate crime, Colonisation, Bullying, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, Genocide, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Death of parent, Medical content, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Deportation, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

sarasbookmark's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Cultural appropriation, Bullying, Death, Colonisation, Physical abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Stalking, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic friendship, War, Misogyny, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Vomit

emmagreenwood's review against another edition

dark 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

Graphic: Self harm, Stalking, Classism, Death, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic relationship, Cultural appropriation, Sexism, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, and Sexual assault

winterwoodbooks's review

dark 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Violence, War, Rape, Sexual assault, Addiction, Murder, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Biphobia, Bullying, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, and Sexism

_meganrose's review

challenging dark medium-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

4.0

This felt like a hate read, but in the way that it is kind of supposed to be a hate read. It was refreshing in the sense that every character is morally grey (some darker grey than others). Kuang has such a captivating writing style and I loved the development of these complex characters. A page turner for sure!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Blood and Death

Minor: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Physical abuse

linneak's review

challenging dark emotional informative tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Bullying, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Death

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Cursing, Grief, Rape, Stalking, Violence, and War

Minor: Death of parent, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Xenophobia

sierrabowers's review

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

3.75

I thought this book was okay. The narrator was not likable at all and I think that was the point. The main character was unspeakable in her racism, bigotry, and entitlement. It opened my eyes to a lot and I think the main idea that the author was trying to get across was crystal clear. I think after a while, I was just so tired of the main character that the book wasn’t enjoyable anymore, but I think it highlights real life. Some people are like her, and it is monstrous. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcohol, Racism, Classism, Death, Toxic friendship, Murder, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Sexual assault, Stalking, Bullying, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

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

beaubaggins's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Bullying

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, War, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

moond4ncer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.0

Absolutely riveting take on cultural appropriation and representation in literature. I was enthralled from start to finish by this dark look behind the curtain but find myself relieved to leave Juniper behind me.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Violence, Sexual assault, Death, Physical abuse, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

Moderate: Alcohol