Scan barcode
A review by daracool
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Copy pasting a message I send to a friend bc I am absolutely not repeating myself:
I would rate the book higher but I think that’s mainly bc I really enjoyed the writing style. Like on the level of “it’s been awhile since I’ve read a book that I don’t need a break after each chapter thanks to me getting distracted”. I am so excited to read more from rfk you have no idea. Especially bc I think and mainly hope this is not her best work.
I feel like for me the authors reputation proceeded her. I was expecting an amazing critique that will dive deep to the bottom of the issue and even beyond or at the very least attempt to. Instead what I at least experienced was such a stating the issue and expecting me to do all the work kind of commentary. Which you know fair enough but it’s not something I wasn’t aware of already. This is rfk most reviewed book exactly bc people were expecting a lot from someone so close to the story and yet is the book with lowest rating from all of them bc those expectations weren’t met. Soo we are not alone in this at least.
You know you saying you didn’t like her bc she was not insane but just a humanly bad person it’s exactly the opposite for me. For solid 2/3 of the book I was like sure girl I’ll let it slide. Like in my mind the fact that it’s sm so quote on quote small and not this gigantic hate crime makes it obv not okay but helps me find sympathy. I come from balkany if you don’t have sympathy for the ignorant people you’ll walk around hating everyone. So I was ready and steady for us to explore more of that too which once again fell flat for me. In general there were so many things and topics mentioned and then left in there without further exploration. Like miss girl wanted me to see she knows about them or to make sure I do.
I am just 😕. I think I would’ve liked the book if she was a bit of a better person or a lot more of a crazy chick. But the middle ground where we found ourselves although some might argue is more realistic is also easy to grasp. I didn’t need rfk to dwell on it for this long. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again but this should’ve been a novella. I think once you get the character around the 40% there little exploring or growth/descend to happen except watch here recite the same 5 lines she knows so well.
Basically idk how to feel but I absolutely do not regret reading it, I had fun at the very least. That’s why I think I’ll give it like solid 3,5 stars.
I would rate the book higher but I think that’s mainly bc I really enjoyed the writing style. Like on the level of “it’s been awhile since I’ve read a book that I don’t need a break after each chapter thanks to me getting distracted”. I am so excited to read more from rfk you have no idea. Especially bc I think and mainly hope this is not her best work.
I feel like for me the authors reputation proceeded her. I was expecting an amazing critique that will dive deep to the bottom of the issue and even beyond or at the very least attempt to. Instead what I at least experienced was such a stating the issue and expecting me to do all the work kind of commentary. Which you know fair enough but it’s not something I wasn’t aware of already. This is rfk most reviewed book exactly bc people were expecting a lot from someone so close to the story and yet is the book with lowest rating from all of them bc those expectations weren’t met. Soo we are not alone in this at least.
You know you saying you didn’t like her bc she was not insane but just a humanly bad person it’s exactly the opposite for me. For solid 2/3 of the book I was like sure girl I’ll let it slide. Like in my mind the fact that it’s sm so quote on quote small and not this gigantic hate crime makes it obv not okay but helps me find sympathy. I come from balkany if you don’t have sympathy for the ignorant people you’ll walk around hating everyone. So I was ready and steady for us to explore more of that too which once again fell flat for me. In general there were so many things and topics mentioned and then left in there without further exploration. Like miss girl wanted me to see she knows about them or to make sure I do.
I am just 😕. I think I would’ve liked the book if she was a bit of a better person or a lot more of a crazy chick. But the middle ground where we found ourselves although some might argue is more realistic is also easy to grasp. I didn’t need rfk to dwell on it for this long. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again but this should’ve been a novella. I think once you get the character around the 40% there little exploring or growth/descend to happen except watch here recite the same 5 lines she knows so well.
Basically idk how to feel but I absolutely do not regret reading it, I had fun at the very least. That’s why I think I’ll give it like solid 3,5 stars.