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iordanmoore's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Death, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racism, and Gaslighting
Minor: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
vaykay's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Minor: Biphobia, Hate crime, Incest, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Islamophobia, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
chanatova's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Minor: Genocide and Islamophobia
danieladas8's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
They are so well constructed, they’re raw, emotional, flawed and even when you hate them, you get them and pity them.
The story in itself is so unique and well thought out, I’m glad I had the chance to cleansed my reader palette with something so different. Its writing is messy, confusing and at the same time well paced and transparent. It’s a reflection of its protagonist complexities and state of mind. Which, I believe, also showcases, and I’m not sure how accurately, the mischievous and derogating publishing industry and world we live in.
Thank you, R. Kuang, for such an interesting and exciting narrative.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, and Colonisation
Moderate: Drug abuse, Rape, Toxic friendship, and War
Minor: Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Dementia
issy_jacob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Self harm and Death of parent
jenniferbowman's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Violence, Stalking, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Medical content, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
emmagreenwood's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
winterwoodbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Classism
thatswhatshanread's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Although my review may be full of basic bookish rambling about the perpetual spiral of the so-called delulu in regards to the main character who is a writer, the writing in this book by the witty R. F. Kuang is so sharp, timely, and addictive that you certainly feel like you’re delulu too. (Okay I’ll stop using that word now.)
So this novel is basically a ridiculously well-written reddit thread of “AITA for stealing the manuscript of my dead Asian friend and passing it off as my own since I’m a woman, but I’m also very much a cishet white woman?”
GIRLLLLL. Kuang crafted such a punchy, visceral novel about race, loneliness, envy, and the pros and cons of the publishing industry. I was glued to every page, almost like watching a train wreck. It’s like, chapter after chapter, our white MC (June) goes deeper and deeper into her web of lies and you’re like “there’s no way she gets away with this” in a non-Scooby Doo villain kind of way, and then SHE DOES!! She just keeps at it!! The secondhand embarrassment and utter frustration was so real, especially in the way that could absolutely happen in real life, which is messed up but also shows the reality of diversity in today’s society—not always as advanced or progressive as we perceive it to be when it’s not directly related to us. This narrative was such an interesting piece on how far someone will go to save their reputation, when said reputation is a fabricated construct in and of itself. Fascinating.
Parts did remind me of “American Fiction”, which is another great example of the assumptions made about POC writers, just in a sort-of opposite form. In any case, I highly recommend both.
TL;DR June Hayward is kind-of the Hannah Horvath of this story, but somehow even worse. If you liked HBO’s “Girls” for the writing and not for the characters, this book is for you.
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Gaslighting
Minor: Self harm, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
jennaviolet's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Stalking, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent and War