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latida94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Bullying, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Death of parent and Gaslighting
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
- 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
Although my review may be full of basic bookish rambling about the perpetual spiral of the so-called delulu in regards to the main character who is a writer, the writing in this book by the witty R. F. Kuang is so sharp, timely, and addictive that you certainly feel like you’re delulu too. (Okay I’ll stop using that word now.)
So this novel is basically a ridiculously well-written reddit thread of “AITA for stealing the manuscript of my dead Asian friend and passing it off as my own since I’m a woman, but I’m also very much a cishet white woman?”
GIRLLLLL. Kuang crafted such a punchy, visceral novel about race, loneliness, envy, and the pros and cons of the publishing industry. I was glued to every page, almost like watching a train wreck. It’s like, chapter after chapter, our white MC (June) goes deeper and deeper into her web of lies and you’re like “there’s no way she gets away with this” in a non-Scooby Doo villain kind of way, and then SHE DOES!! She just keeps at it!! The secondhand embarrassment and utter frustration was so real, especially in the way that could absolutely happen in real life, which is messed up but also shows the reality of diversity in today’s society—not always as advanced or progressive as we perceive it to be when it’s not directly related to us. This narrative was such an interesting piece on how far someone will go to save their reputation, when said reputation is a fabricated construct in and of itself. Fascinating.
Parts did remind me of “American Fiction”, which is another great example of the assumptions made about POC writers, just in a sort-of opposite form. In any case, I highly recommend both.
TL;DR June Hayward is kind-of the Hannah Horvath of this story, but somehow even worse. If you liked HBO’s “Girls” for the writing and not for the characters, this book is for you.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racism, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Hate crime
Minor: Alcohol, Self harm, Death of parent, Abandonment, Murder, and Suicide
jennaviolet's review
- 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
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexual assault, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Blood, Self harm, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Rape, and Misogyny
Minor: War and Death of parent
xgabrielle_hx's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Death, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Medical content
Moderate: Blood, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Death of parent, and Islamophobia
kindaokbean's review against another edition
- 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
The audiobook is masterfully done, usually I have a hard time getting into audio versions but this time the narrator only adds value, she really brings June to life.
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
linneak's review
- 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
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
dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Cultural appropriation, Death, Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Racism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Grief, and Vomit
Minor: Suicide, Sexism, and Islamophobia
amaranth_wytch's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, and Death
Moderate: Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Misogyny, and Mental illness
Minor: Death of parent, Violence, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Islamophobia, Toxic relationship, Classism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Gaslighting, and Racial slurs
sierrabowers's review
- 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
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
rashaloves2read's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Racism and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Death of parent, Sexism, Sexual assault, Rape, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder