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A review by izzyproudfoot
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
dark
mysterious
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
3.0
I haven't read Babel but I have the Poppy Wars (which I loved book one of and then ended up hating the overall series). Once I heard the premise of this, it sounded quite interesting so I decided to add it to my to-read list.
Reading this, I wouldn't say it's the same author as the Poppy Wars. (Not that she stole the Poppy Wars 🤣 imagine.) But the genre and the feel of the book was completely different.
This was a really easy read. Everything flowed and made sense. The dialogue was was to the point and the plot was that kind that was like watching a soap.
I had from the very start- wanted to know more about Athena. Who was she really? Was she kind and super vulnerable or was she a stuck up bitch? There are references to Athenas life, her mother says she never would have wrote something like that. But why? Why was she afraid to look in the notebooks really? I feel like Athena had an Incredibly interesting story there, her character had so many layers and I'd have liked to see that.
The first half was better, it flowed better, it was funnier. There was a sense of heaviness and darkness in the second half towards the end where I was kind of hoping the book would just end now. Of course none of the characters are likable but I'm pretty sure that's intentional. This book addresses multiple topics and multiple view points, I always like things which allows for such a broad debate and discussion. It also brings forthright some things that maybe people don't think about every day and maybe they'll realise and consciously male an effort to do better. There were many subtle not so subtle examples of micro-agressions which again I think given some of the books purpose this was really well done. I wonder how many people read this and guilty cringed and certain things and how many people obliviously didn't bat an eye.
The characters although unlikable did feel a bit flat, the MC especially as the book went on felt more and more flat.
There was one thing that was touched upon in the book which I really feel was not done well and this is completely a personal opinion. There is an event in the book where the MC thinks something may or may not have happened and refers to it as a maybe event. I found it particularly tactless not in how the event occurs or even after but in how it is referenced and touched upon. I feel the carelessness in which it is referred to as a 'maybe' somewhat invalidates it. It gives that open debate to maybe it didn't happen at all, how can something be a maybe and not a full 'yes it did'. With this particular subject all accounts are valid and it would not need a certain amount of violence or a certain something else for it to be classed as a real experience. I feel this was incredibly poorly done and a let down to women with similar experiences further perpetuating the belief women overreact and it was nothing.
Reading this, I wouldn't say it's the same author as the Poppy Wars. (Not that she stole the Poppy Wars 🤣 imagine.) But the genre and the feel of the book was completely different.
This was a really easy read. Everything flowed and made sense. The dialogue was was to the point and the plot was that kind that was like watching a soap.
I had from the very start- wanted to know more about Athena. Who was she really? Was she kind and super vulnerable or was she a stuck up bitch? There are references to Athenas life, her mother says she never would have wrote something like that. But why? Why was she afraid to look in the notebooks really? I feel like Athena had an Incredibly interesting story there, her character had so many layers and I'd have liked to see that.
The first half was better, it flowed better, it was funnier. There was a sense of heaviness and darkness in the second half towards the end where I was kind of hoping the book would just end now. Of course none of the characters are likable but I'm pretty sure that's intentional. This book addresses multiple topics and multiple view points, I always like things which allows for such a broad debate and discussion. It also brings forthright some things that maybe people don't think about every day and maybe they'll realise and consciously male an effort to do better. There were many subtle not so subtle examples of micro-agressions which again I think given some of the books purpose this was really well done. I wonder how many people read this and guilty cringed and certain things and how many people obliviously didn't bat an eye.
The characters although unlikable did feel a bit flat, the MC especially as the book went on felt more and more flat.
There was one thing that was touched upon in the book which I really feel was not done well and this is completely a personal opinion. There is an event in the book where the MC thinks something may or may not have happened and refers to it as a maybe event. I found it particularly tactless not in how the event occurs or even after but in how it is referenced and touched upon. I feel the carelessness in which it is referred to as a 'maybe' somewhat invalidates it. It gives that open debate to maybe it didn't happen at all, how can something be a maybe and not a full 'yes it did'. With this particular subject all accounts are valid and it would not need a certain amount of violence or a certain something else for it to be classed as a real experience. I feel this was incredibly poorly done and a let down to women with similar experiences further perpetuating the belief women overreact and it was nothing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape