Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

664 reviews

roxiehrt's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Wow. At first I wasn’t sure if this book was going to be my cup of tea. I usually am a thriller/horror reader, but man this book had me TENSE. From the conversations on racism/appropriation, second hand embarrassment, and tension throughout to the desperation of the main character to try to dig herself out of a hole unscathed, I found it utterly gripping. The last 4th of the book even had some very creepy imagery which veered into ghost story territory. I think that this novel spins you in so many directions, you’ll feel like you have whiplash by the end. I’ve never felt such intensity from a novel that wasn’t straight horror. It did more than most thriller/horror books I’ve read this year with weaving such a complex page-turning narrative. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

kkpines's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.25

A masterful depiction of how guilt can drive a person to self-destruction, a descent as grotesque as it is addictive—I just couldn't look away.

I found myself itching at June to quit – as she pushed on, trapped in a performance, unable to differentiate between where her skin ends and Athena’s begins. 

The suspense escalates beautifully, only to fizzle at the end. June escapes relatively unscathed, raising questions about accountability – a detail that resonates as a commentary on her white privilege and the publishing industry's neglect of minority voices. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and War

Moderate: Alcohol and Gaslighting

Minor: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts

amysdr's review against another edition

funny informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gaslighting, Murder, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and War

Minor: Islamophobia, Stalking, Abortion, Body horror, Bullying, and Medical content

heyitsfey's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Rape, and Sexual assault

danimylove's review against another edition

dark funny reflective tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, and Death

marylysn's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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: Sexual assault and Racism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

emilywemily6's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was so good, I listened to this entire audiobook in just one day. It’s cringey and realistic, with lots of micro aggressions and covert racism. It was a fascinating read, and as a white person, I could see the slippery slope of racism/appropriation. This is a book I will think about for a long time. I didn’t prefer the ending (this book almost felt like it would end up as a literary horror but it didn’t go quite that far). The main character kind of descends into madness but I wanted more. Such a good read that talks about the sins of the publishing industry and the impact of race. The author did a beautiful job making me both hate the main character and feel for her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Racial slurs

Minor: Alcohol, Classism, Mental illness, and Medical content

poirot's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

2.25

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Vomit and Alcohol

Minor: Death of parent

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.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Sexual assault and Racism

Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Violence

tenaciousp's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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

5.0

This book was amazing, but also haunting. Kuang develops the main character to be hated but you also have this pity for her and then you feel bad about that pity. It was written to pull the reader along with the main character’s emotions. Extremely well written and fast read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Mental illness, Vomit, and Suicidal thoughts