Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

36 reviews

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

chwinters's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

This should be classified as new adult; don’t consider this YA at all. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Grief, and Cancer

logikitty's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, and Mental illness

Moderate: Vomit, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Grief, Medical content, and Toxic friendship

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

kat_withthebooks09's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Cancer, Eating disorder, Dysphoria, Grief, and Mental illness

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,

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

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

seoulatte's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• 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: Eating disorder, Dysphoria, and Vomit

Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Sexual harassment, Death, Child death, Blood, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Bullying, and Alcoholism

thevietvegan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny 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

Honestly I think don’t remember what it was that inspired me to add this to my TBR but this book was gutwrenching and so hard in so many ways but so beautiful and familiar in many. It’s also written so beautifully and shares such concisely perfect moments that I can picture or feel so clearly. I love when an author is able to so this.

It had a few traditional romance novel tropes but it surprised me in so many ways. At first it was really hard to read Jayne’s thoughts and perspectives. I thought, wow, is this what its like to hate yourself so much? Seeing how jayne steels herself from being hurt and how she throws herself into shit situations was really hard to read. My heart hurt for her. 

The dynamic of June and Jayne was so clear and vivid and truthful of so many sibling relationships.

I wanted to hate Patrick but I liked him. I liked who P and J were for each other. I wanted something good for her with him and I am really glad he wasn’t the catalyst for her to change. I’m so thankful it was her and her sister and her own desire for change and not a love interest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cancer, Blood, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Abandonment