Reviews with content warning for Rape - Yellowface

I could not put this book down. Seeing how Junes perspective and outlook changed as she morphed into ‘Juniper’ turned her from a self conscious aspiring writer into an insufferable best seller, and finally to a jaded, victim mindset, guilt ridden woman. Viewing the world through her lens and FEELING IT CHANGE made me feel deeply disappointed in her, but then watching her downfall, was juuuuust a little bit satisfying because of it. I mean, being so self serving while the body is STILL WARM???? K.

This book has a lot of racist and xenophobic themes within and the author is able to drive her point home. So many parts made me gag at how obtuse and ignorant Juniper was.

There are so many stories being told at the same time.

The satire is palpable.

It’s very well done.

Content Warnings

abigail_baxter's review against another edition

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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 :)

Content Warnings

komiification's review against another edition

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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.

Content Warnings

ecjl's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious 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

5.0

Content Warnings

grunbean's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad 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

If I had a penny for every time I’d read a book by an amazing Asian author about yellow face this year, I’d have two pennies, but it’s cool that it has happened twice!

I don’t think I’ve read a book where I’ve been so invested but so revoked by the main character at the same time. This isn’t a story of heroes, and every character can be viewed as shitty in some way. Which ultimately ties in to where this book goes!

This is a unique kind of horror, and I would really recommend trying it!

Content Warnings

mjones14's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Very very good. Only reason it's not a 5 stars is I found the ending relatively predictable. The voice in this steals the show - as someone who studied creative writing, I feel so exposed it was terrifying

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capriqueen's review

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challenging dark 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

This was an electric read. Like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from. Masterfully done, weaving in June’s insistence of not being racist with all her microaggressions and stereotyping she’s clearly unaware of. June’s mindset was disturbing and fascinating, with the constant self-aggrandizing, always shifting the blame so she was the victim, the insistence that the world was just stacked against her and what else what she supposed to do?

As the book hurtled toward the end, I found myself wondering what ending would be satisfying. Would June learn her lesson, finally feel regret as she crumbled away. Would she end her life from shame, would she flee to a foreign country. All I knew was that it wouldn’t be a happy ending. And it wasn’t, and she didn’t learn, she just cling to the narrative she’s been telling herself, and I honestly think that’s the perfect ending. I pity her, her inability to self-reflect and process, and I think that causes the reader to look inward. Am I like her? How do I not be like her?

This is going to be a book I’ll think about for a long time

Content Warnings

ajzou's review against another edition

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dark funny tense fast-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

4.75

Reads like a tell-all memoir with an unreliable narrator. Nice beach read that’s not romance

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