Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Yolk, by Mary H.K. Choi

4 reviews

woolgatherer's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

3.5

I saw a lot of praise for Yolk and, out of curiosity, decided to pick it up. I should preface that I’m really particular about YA books, one of the reasons being that I often find myself not liking the protagonists very much. Unfortunately, this was the case with Yolk, too, but my feelings for Jayne were... far more complicated than I anticipated. I understand why she acted the way she did throughout this book. It’s frustrating when you’re on the outside, knowing how so much of this could be solved with some help, but also knowing that you can’t... quite force it, either. It’s more so the case when you’ve also been in a similar position of spiraling, knowing how hard it is to get out of it. However, there’s only so much self-sabotaging you can deal with before it gets too frustrating that you start resenting the character. I think what upsets me is that you do see glimpses of positive development, especially towards the end, but it makes me wish that was occurring throughout the book.

Some things felt a bit too forced for my taste such as the whole relationship with Patrick which honestly felt random and somewhat out-of-place, or the dysfunctional elements of relationships. Regarding the latter, I think showing the messiness of it all was executed well (maybe too well), especially when it came to the relationship Jayne had with her sister, June. I think Choi could have pulled back a little to allow for some more plot development.

All in all, I think some really important topics were covered, especially about eating disorders. I think Choi really navigated this with sensitivity and grace but without sugarcoating anything. It’s rare to see a book cover this matter, despite its prevalence in society, and I appreciate that the book exists for people to feel a little less alone and understand that, like Jayne, help and support are always there. I would have loved more on the family relationships, since that was clearly important but it came and went so quickly sometimes. It wouldn’t make sense to take it out, but it didn’t feel as though there was enough either. But I’m glad that, at the very least, Choi dove deep into the sisters’ relationship that showed how complex they can get. It feels rare to see books that centers sibling relationships as much as Yolk did, and despite my complaints earlier, I appreciated the time she took to develop their relationship. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Eating disorder, Medical content, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexism, and Sexual content

Minor: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

navayiota's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

What a fucking fantastic book. I relate so much. She went through such horrible things, I just wanted to hold her. The audacity of some characters. I felt it in my soul. As much as the last chapter wants me to love June and their mum, I would never forgive them. I want to imagine a bright future for Jane. She deserves it. My fucking heart.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Child death, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Racism, Rape, and Sexism

Minor: Alcoholism and Infertility

teo_rodas's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Cancer, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Infertility, Self harm, and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual assault

danajoy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Beautifully written with complex characters, Yolk is a fantastic novel and was an amazing introduction to the works of Mary HK Choi. I will caution people who see this in the YA sections of libraries or bookstores that it is the definition of 'New Adult', and directly tackles some issues that may be difficult for younger readers. As a twenty-three-year-old, this novel felt like it spoke to my demographic. The references were all things I know.

My favourite part of this book was the incredible portrayal of siblings. The dynamics between Jayne and June were so believable and nuanced. As a person with a brother, this book let me vicariously understand what its like to have a sister. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Eating disorder, Medical content, Vomit, Cancer, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Child death, and Sexism