Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

475 reviews

katrinalamothe's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Toxic friendship, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Xenophobia, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Gaslighting, Slavery, Emotional abuse, War, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Bullying, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Alcohol, Death of parent, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Vomit

Minor: Islamophobia, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

kellyofcali's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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

3.5

This was an easy read and a pretty good story - kept me turning the pages! It also had good messaging about race and art, though occasionally got a bit heavy-handed on that front to drive the point home. Felt a little shark-jumpy towards the end, but overall I enjoyed the read and appreciated the conversations it wanted to start.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racism, and Death

Moderate: Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Grief, and Mental illness

Minor: Death of parent, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

dejanira's review against another edition

funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Ironically the beginning might suggest that some overly-intellectual-try-hard-fic-lit author had to choke on something to account for the pretentious style of the book. However, the literary baby resulting from this particular author-editor intercourse is a witty, devourable satire that fires shots at the publishing industry with precision and finesse. The pointed social critique is both the center of this book and a cherry on top. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape, Cultural appropriation, Death, Grief, Racism, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship

forestfloor's review

tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Incredible book, as engaging as it is uncomfortable - I could not put it down!

I was most impressed by Kuang's ability to write from June's perspective as the villain while walking the line between making her neither flat and one dimensional, nor a sympathetic anti-hero. Despite most of the characters having their negative traits far more readily described and explored that their positives, they all still felt like they were whole people, past the limitations of June's perspective. 

I found it so interesting to follow June's fluctuating reliability as a narrator, particularly as her mental health degrades. Her descent into anxiety and delusion was so evocative, and again - it's so impressive that even as she's breaking down she is clearly not the victim. 

I have heard some people found the ending to be too predictable - I would have described it as believable, but your appreciation of it may vary depending on how much of a surprise you like the reveal of your mysteries to be.

Overall an absolutely brilliant exploration of whiteness, writing and publishing. Cannot wait to read more of Kuang's other works. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Cultural appropriation, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and War

aestass's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racism, Death, Sexual assault, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Death of parent

avasbookmark's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Rape

sophiemarijam's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Rape, Death, Toxic friendship, and Panic attacks/disorders

bibliorama's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

I feel like this book executed its premise perfectly. The writing was good, the characters were believable, and the plot rolled out at a consistent pace. I am usually a pretty slow reader, but I flew through this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Racial slurs

marina_michelle's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Cultural appropriation, Mental illness, Bullying, Rape, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Grief, Xenophobia, Racism, Cursing, and Vomit

Moderate: Stalking and Classism

Minor: War and Colonisation

corabookworm's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was absolutely sickening in the best way. The actions and inner-monologue of the main character, paired with the building stakes, create constant discomfort and anxiety for the reader.

I skimmed some reviews for this book after reading it, and while I understand the mixed feelings, if you go in expecting a very meta dark satire book with a very unlikable main character and just roll with it, you'll be able to appreciate the story a lot more. If references to real-world companies and social media sites bug you, I don't recommend Yellowface—the author references these companies, platforms, and cultures to weave in commentary on the modern publishing industry. She addresses many aspects of it: "cancel culture," the racism of "token diversity," and the loneliness of the job, to name a few. (The last one there felt very exaggerated for the point of this book; that, or the real world is just very depressing.) If you do enjoy that "meta-ness", or if you're willing to accept it as part of the satire and social commentary (like me), then this book is pretty damn good. R.F. Kuang never disappoints.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Cultural appropriation, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Rape, Bullying, Xenophobia, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Sexism