Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

87 reviews

mmayern's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

4.5

I’m normally not a fan of writer main characters but I’m so glad I picked this book up anyway! Not sure if I devoured the story or if it devoured me, but I couldn’t put it down. The main character is horrible, but you can’t look away from the whole train wreck

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Mental illness, Cultural appropriation, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence

gillian_aftanas's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Bullying, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Racism

Moderate: Racial slurs

Minor: Vomit

lexihworth's review against another edition

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

5.0

Absolute insanity. Every plot point was just adding up to a nightmarish train wreck that got worse and worse as the story went on, but in the best way possible. I️ absolutely couldn’t look away. Written beautifully and perfectly by Kuang. No surprise for those who are familiar with her work. She’s not one to half ass anything. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Toxic friendship, Panic attacks/disorders, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Death, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Violence, Racism, Gaslighting, Cursing, Blood, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship

praaliine'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

let’s call it literary horror, because that’s what this was. and not horror in the way one would expect. i heard a creator say it read like a true crime documentary and i totally agree. i was extremely entertained while reading this and couldn’t peel my eyes from the page. i found myself howling with laughter at the sheer insanity of it all, with several moments where my jaw just hung wide open, it was like everyone was a victim and yet a transgressor at the same time. june hayward was simply delusional from start to finish and i couldn’t help but feel that this book was giving pretty little liars vibes. to me athena (as described by june and others) was so similar to allison dilaurentis in a way i can’t explain.

it’s the way june never stopped and kept crawling back like a cockroach that really got me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Death

Moderate: Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Rape

mysterymom40's review

challenging emotional funny informative mysterious reflective tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Racism, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Xenophobia, Sexual content, Mental illness, War, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Racial slurs, Stalking, Emotional abuse, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Misogyny

ktkeps's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

clairew97's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative 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? N/A

4.25

Well if there was one way to get me out of a reading slump it was picking up this book. Rebecca has done it again. I read the entire thing in one sitting, I could not put it down.

The main character is as insufferable and delusional as you would expect. Her justifications for her actions were wild to me, but I also believe that there are people out there who think like June does. 

The exploration of racism within the publishing industry and the insight into the industry was incredibly interesting. Also, the exploration into the online world as a writer was an interesting take. The ending took me completely by surprise and I was hooked.

A completely satirical look into the publishing world and life as an author, I don’t think anyone else could have handled the premise of this book quite as well. A complete 180 from Babel, so if you’re looking for that type of book again this is definitely not it. I can’t wait to see where R F Kuang goes next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, War, Blood, Alcohol, Classism, Sexual assault, Sexism, Bullying, Homophobia, Racism, Stalking, Violence, Grief, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Gore, Mental illness, Murder, and Racial slurs