Reviews with content warning for Xenophobia - Parachutes

Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Parachutes by Kelly Yang

15 reviews

cosmicwillow's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a really important, powerful story. I really enjoyed it, however, it definitely started slow and took too much, unnecessary time establishing the setting and the way the characters interact before getting into the main subject matter at the core of the story. When it got to that content, I felt it moved too fast, so a bit of a pacing issue in there, too.

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platypusinrainboots's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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amycrehore's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow this went in a direction I did not expect. Intense!

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lio_clementine's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Dani: “You sacrificed us.”

Parachutes ought to be required reading. Years after the first time I read Dani and Claire’s stories, I am struck by Kelly Yang’s remarkable ability to accurately portray the culture of sexual violence perpetuated in the education system today.

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madelynxnguyen's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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khart's review against another edition

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emotional fast-paced

4.25

This is a very different book than I was expecting. It centers around a girl name Dani who lives with her single mom and goes to a prep school on scholarship for her debating skills and a Parachute (Chinese child who is sent to high school in USA without their parents) named Claire who moves in with Dani and her mom. The girls do not get along for most of the book due to constant misunderstanding and miscommunications, but in the end they find each has faced a similar trauma and together they seek justice. The authors note at the end of the book adds to the heart break. A very important and timely story of what it means to grow up.

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kayco's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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lynnmarier99's review against another edition

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The characters are boring, there’s too much action and not enough internal thoughts throughout the story. It’s too long to keep going.

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jojo__'s review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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genny's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

The POV switching in the beginning made the story feel a bit disjointed - I would be just starting to get into Dani's or Claire's story when the chapter ends abruptly and we change to the other girl's POV. It smooths out in the second half as the girls become more connected.

Being Filipino myself, I was wary of the representation this offered me, but I think it succeeded in not tokenizing Dani. Her financial situation was presented almost matter-of-factly, without overwrought pity. The cast is mostly Asian, and their voices & personal issues were distinct enough to dispel the idea of a unified Asian-American experience. While the things that Dani and Claire went through made me feel sick, the book ends on a hopeful note.

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