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navayiota's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Kuang inspires me to write, every word she lays on the page is like a string pulling at my heart, urging me to follow along. Her work makes me believe, for a second, that I too, could create something amazing. And at the same time I feel unbelievably silly and inexperienced. That's all I have to say. A Must-Read.
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Stalking, Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism, and Deportation
rachaelcandoit's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book feels like a car crash I couldn't look away from. I deeply disliked many of the characters and was honestly fascinated at their story.
I think it's incredibly admirable for Kaung to write at story like this showcasing such an antagonistic perspective. I loved seeing the internal workings of the publishing industry too.
Honestly with how much this book is talked about it I was expecting to find it more controversial and didn't really. I do think that some ideas could've been expanded upon or made more introspective but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
My only super tiny gripe is that I don't love the narrator speaking directly to the reader. It took me a while to get into the story because of it. I also don't love the overt foreshadowing. These are my personal preferences and if they don't bother you then you won't find an issue here.
Otherwise really loved the book and it's messaging.
Graphic: Racism and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Rape
Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Deportation
alyxandrathegr8's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Book in a very new way. Gripping. I knew nothing of the book before a tube ad in London a few months ago. Got a copy from the library and wow. The plot is complicated and at the same time not. Like we all know the whole time what is right and wrong and also you can follow the justification turning into “truth”, what ever that is, and feel uncomfortable with going along with the justification. Ahhh so good.
Graphic: Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Deportation
ceceska's review
- 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
5.0
Ce livre suit l'histoire de June, une femme blanche, qui vole le manuscrit non publié de son amie asiatique suite à son décès. Le manuscrit porte sur le rôles des travailleurs chinois lors de la Première Guerre mondiale. Elle publie le récit de son amie en le faisant passer pour le sien, mais en y faisant quelques modifications...
Les thèmes de ce livre sont : le racisme, la solitude, la jalousie et l'appropriation culturelle. Ces thèmes sont explorés dans un long monologue fiévreux et dérangé de la protagoniste.
Ce livre était unique puisque la majorité de celui-ci était le fil de pensées de la protagoniste, June. Les dialogues sont peu nombreux mais sont très efficaces. Dans ce cas-ci, moins de dialogue a rendu l'histoire très intéressée puisqu'on voit bien la psyché de la protagoniste ainsi que le raisonnement qui la pousse à prendre des décisions chaotiques.
J'ai beaucoup aimé détester June. Je ne sais pas quand est la dernière fois que j'ai autant détesté une protagoniste d'un roman. June était extrêmement raciste, méchante et qui pense que tout lui est dû. Elle est absolument horrible. Chacune de ses décisions est pire que la précédente. J'ai adoré ça.
Ce roman m'a tenue en haleine du début jusqu'à la fin. J'ai eu des réactions de surprise à haute voix plusieurs fois pendant ma lecture. Je n'en revenais simplement pas des événements qui se produisaient.
Ce roman était très bien écrit. J'ai beaucoup apprécié ma lecture. Le rythme était très rapide, ce que j'apprécie énormément. Je ne m'attendais pas du tout à cela considérant que la majorité du livre est ses pensées.
Bref, encore une fois, je recommande ce livre à TOUT le monde.
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Antisemitism, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Deportation
lynxpardinus's review
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Murder, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Trafficking, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Deportation
smithreads's review
- 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
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Stalking
Minor: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation