Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

215 reviews

literary_liv's review against another edition

dark funny tense fast-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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism

Moderate: Grief and Gaslighting

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

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

courtneys_reading's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

The writing style of this one had me hooked from the get-go but honestly by the end I just wanted it to be over lol
I think I was expecting something more from it but not sure what to be honest. I think it was interesting to know more about the publishing industry and on some level I relate to the main character and how she feels about writing but yeah overall I think the story was fine.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Racism

Moderate: Rape and Toxic friendship

Minor: Grief, Stalking, and War

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

frogspawn's review against another edition

dark funny informative reflective sad 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

4.75

sharp, informative, deeply reflective, and doubtlessly witty

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Racism, Stalking, War, Rape, Colonisation, and Grief

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

mt_tana's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

I could not put this book down. Seeing how Junes perspective and outlook changed as she morphed into ‘Juniper’ turned her from a self conscious aspiring writer into an insufferable best seller, and finally to a jaded, victim mindset, guilt ridden woman. Viewing the world through her lens and FEELING IT CHANGE made me feel deeply disappointed in her, but then watching her downfall, was juuuuust a little bit satisfying because of it. I mean, being so self serving while the body is STILL WARM???? K.

This book has a lot of racist and xenophobic themes within and the author is able to drive her point home. So many parts made me gag at how obtuse and ignorant Juniper was.

There are so many stories being told at the same time. 

The satire is palpable.

It’s very well done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Grief, Cultural appropriation, and Death

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Rape

grunbean's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-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

5.0

If I had a penny for every time I’d read a book by an amazing Asian author about yellow face this year, I’d have two pennies, but it’s cool that it has happened twice! 

I don’t think I’ve read a book where I’ve been so invested but so revoked by the main character at the same time. This isn’t a story of heroes, and every character can be viewed as shitty in some way. Which ultimately ties in to where this book goes!

This is a unique kind of horror, and I would really recommend trying it!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, War, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Grief

mjones14's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

4.75

Very very good. Only reason it's not a 5 stars is I found the ending relatively predictable. The voice in this steals the show - as someone who studied creative writing, I feel so exposed it was terrifying 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Grief, Colonisation, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Bullying

Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Rape

Minor: War and Islamophobia

abbysingh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Islamophobia, Medical content, War, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, and Vomit