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juanitamfm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
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
5.0
Usually when the main character is unrelatable or unlikable it makes a book harder to read, but this main character was straight hateable and I couldn’t put it down!! June’s thought process were always so surprising, and I didn’t expect the ending at all!
i didn’t really know anything about the whole writers journey into publishing, so this book was eye-opening as far as that industry goes as well.
i didn’t really know anything about the whole writers journey into publishing, so this book was eye-opening as far as that industry goes as well.
bookishreadingbean's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
lucywan's review against another edition
challenging
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
4.0
swayzerainey's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.5
Book was interesting and am excited to discuss with my book club! Not the best book ever but kept my attention.
counterfeitnickel's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
keelin04's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I found this book SO well done. The first person writing style with our ridiculously unreliable narrator is really engaging and made me think about situations in ways I never would have otherwise. It was frustrating (in a good way) to read through June's obsessive and twisted paths of logic and reasoning, and to realize things like the fact that she would often name white authors/actors/people in general directly before or after referring to POC as things like "that Asian lady" or similar. Throughout the book, it is also evident that June does have experiences to dive into in which she is a victim. Her relationship with her mom and her assault are both experiences that would garner attention and sympathy, yet she seemingly chooses to ignore these things in favour of villifying asian people and complaining that because she is white, nobody will read her stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual assault and Racism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Violence
cassstillwill's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
yukti_k's review against another edition
4.0
This book genuinely turned out to be a page turner. I have not yet dived into how parts of it mirror the author’s experience but even outside of that, I truly enjoyed it. The topic is a basic one and reminded me of Black Swan in a way though this is different and we get to explore female rivalry. It also genuinely made me think and interrogate some very messy topics like racism, plagiarism, hypocrisy, doubling down and passion. I think unlike a lot of criticism for the ending, I actually found it quite satisfying because when I read it, it literally made me go “of course that’s what happens, it makes so much sense given what the author has established from the very start and reiterated over and over again.” I was not surprised but I was definitely satisfied. Of course a book like this with such politics will be critiqued immensely and judged for the stance it takes because it serves as the author’s mouthpiece. But what I find intriguing about any piece of art is how vulnerable and yet natural it must be to open yourself up to the criticism of the whole world. Non-writers like me definitely struggle with even the slightest bit of it just like June and I imagine the writer herself.
kyleeray's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75