Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Yolk, by Mary H.K. Choi

54 reviews

cerilouisereads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Racism, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Cancer, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Gaslighting, and Drug use

kellyofcali's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

A book about family, and love, and self-love, I think - I really enjoyed the way Choi writes, and quickly become invested in June and Jayne, two different sisters who share a lot (as sisters do). I found the ending a little weak, but endings are tough. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Eating disorder, Medical content, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual content, Grief, Mental illness, Abandonment, Addiction, and Chronic illness

cady_sass's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

“This story might be emotionally expensive for you” 

That kinda says it all, doesn’t it? What a beautiful, honest piece of writing. There is a delicate balance between loving these character and hating them, and we walk it closely, but that is what makes them come alive. The realities of family and childhood trauma and what we become, and how we carry it with us even when we run far away. The reality of living in world (country) where treating illness is a luxury. It takes a bit to get into it and, admittedly, I put it down for a few days at one point but I’m so glad I picked it back up. I love this with my whole heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Cursing, Chronic illness, Excrement, Self harm, Sexual content, Cancer, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, and Grief

leannanecdote's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Grief, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Classism, Cursing, Abandonment, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Racial slurs, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Racism, Vomit, Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Sexual content

gigireadswithkiki's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

This book was DEVASTATING and I loved every single page! Mary H. K. Choi's writing is ethereal, expertly weaving backstory within the frame of the immersive current timeline. The story was engaging and emotional, filling readers with pity and sympathy for the main character. Jayne was the absolute WORST, BUT her character growth and personal development were unparalleled, showing a troubled teen girl that I cannot help but empathize with. This book will stay with me for a while, and I encourage curious readers to pick it up after checking out content warnings! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Cancer, Alcohol, Mental illness, Vomit, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual content, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Bullying

kristlas's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Vomit, Cancer, Sexual content, Mental illness, and Xenophobia

michaelion's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Fuck I wish I wasn't an only child.

I hate contemporary references in books with a passion but this one isn't that bad.

My only issue is Jayne is constantly said to be an emotional character but reading through I can barely get a sense of her thought process. She does things / takes actions at random,

Spoiler

for example: kicking out jeremy, going with june to the doctor,

and there was no build up or explanation as to why she decided to do those things. Actually it didn't have to be explained, but those moments felt random from a character whose thoughts we're exclusively able to read. Makes the character feel plot-driven as opposed to character-driven, but the story as a whole doesn't feel the same.

I guess my other issue is misused AAVE. But also... Asian American? From Texas? New York transplants? Color me shocked.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Self harm, Vomit, Abandonment, Blood, Addiction, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Classism, Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Medical content, Fatphobia, Infertility, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia

Minor: Racial slurs and Stalking

yeimyaileen's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.75

i really liked this, maybe because none of the characters were loveable or “good”. I couldn’t put it down, and while ive never experienced this specific kind of sibling dynamic, it felt real. family is a weird trap we opt in and out of. 
edit: also a bit insufferable with that one conversation in the middle of the book about race, it barely scratches the surface of identity, but im sure it was cathartic for someone <3

please read content warnings before u read this book!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

lanosmith5's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

The novel really has a way of making you realize all of your own flaws by reading all the ways the characters fall short. How we all are victims to society and how we can be our own enemies sometimes. But in the end, it's okay. Because everyone on this earth does not match up to the expectations we make for ourselves. We are all shitty people in some way or form. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Sexual content and Vomit

Minor: Sexual harassment

The writing style is just excellent. It really has a way of absorbing the reader into the story. And an amazing talent of making your sympathize with these flawed characters. (Except for some)

onemorepagecrew's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi is an excellent choice for readers who love character-driven novels that center estranged sibling relationships.  The plot is the supporting character in this one and the main story is told through the relationship between sisters Jayne and June. 

 

The sisters are three years apart in age and even though they both moved from Seoul to New York City together, they are estranged and live different lives.  They are reunited by circumstance when June is diagnosed with cancer, and they begin to lean on each other.  

 

I loved the everyday-ness of the storyline and the way that the sisters couldn’t mask their true selves from each other.  It showed through tiny moments that no matter what different paths you take as adults, your shared experiences early in life remain part of who you are.  

 

I’d recommend this book for those who enjoy a slower-paced literary story that doesn’t rush for plot advancement.  It’s thick with sibling dynamics and peppers in events around them.  Both sisters are working through health challenges and they have family trauma as well, so be sure to check the content warnings before picking this up. 

Content warnings: Cancer, Disordered eating (graphic), Body shaming, Medical content, Grief, Abandonment, Child death, Sexual content (mild) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Medical content, Abandonment, and Eating disorder

Minor: Sexual content and Grief