frankieclc's review against another edition
4.0
There were descriptions in this book where it made me shiver because it felt too real, "I know that character, I've met them" kinda vibes.
Went a lil off the rail in places and that's the only reason it wasn't a 5, the conversations made were incredible
Went a lil off the rail in places and that's the only reason it wasn't a 5, the conversations made were incredible
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Sexism
Minor: Fatphobia
sakisreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
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
4.5
This book really does make you feel disorientated 🫠
This was a chance find on Kindle yesterday; after reading Yellowface, the algorithm clearly wanted to give me another amazing take on academia and it’s dark side.
Someone wrote ‘I hope Michael and Stephen step on LEGOs’ in a review and I really felt that 😂 Their despicable treatment of people always left my jaw hanging.
I really appreciated Ingrid and felt a big pull to her throughout this tale. Her growth is undeniable ✨ I also loved Eunice (Yoon) and what a good friend she was to Ingrid throughout ✨
Initially Vivian got under my skin (as was most likely intended by the author), but she started to grow on me.
4.5 out of 5 stars ✨
Would definitely recommend! 👏🏼
This was a chance find on Kindle yesterday; after reading Yellowface, the algorithm clearly wanted to give me another amazing take on academia and it’s dark side.
Someone wrote ‘I hope Michael and Stephen step on LEGOs’ in a review and I really felt that 😂 Their despicable treatment of people always left my jaw hanging.
Spoiler
What’s very sinister and twisted about this book is that especially at the beginning, it leads you to believe they are the ‘good guys’, and that you almost want to root for Ingrid and Stephen’s relationship 😦I really appreciated Ingrid and felt a big pull to her throughout this tale. Her growth is undeniable ✨ I also loved Eunice (Yoon) and what a good friend she was to Ingrid throughout ✨
Initially Vivian got under my skin (as was most likely intended by the author), but she started to grow on me.
Spoiler
AZUMI THOUGH. I’m not going to lie, I was shocked when Stephen revealed that she was in fact, not a sex worker and had come from an affluent family, but I also thought… Props to her 🤷🏻♀️4.5 out of 5 stars ✨
Would definitely recommend! 👏🏼
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Cultural appropriation, Racism, and Racial slurs
literaried's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Gaslighting, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Addiction, Cultural appropriation, Suicide attempt, Ableism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Stalking and Sexual content
metaphorsandmisc's review
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Body shaming, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Mental illness
olive_lol's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This novel's satire lends itself to sharp social commentary as the story ramps up in intensity and scope. It does a great job of utilizing humor and illustrates authentic themes through absurd scenarios. I loved Ingrid's development and how heartfelt it was. Overall, this book is great for someone looking for a funny book with a lot to say.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Drug abuse, Gaslighting, and Racial slurs
Minor: Sexual content, Cursing, and Suicide attempt
blairlovesbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hilarious, a bit surreal, and very very honest. I was really impressed by the way Chou guided us through Ingrid's journey in a way that was very honest about her shortcomings but didn't look down on her as a character. Everyone felt real. I hated Stephen so, so much from the very beginning. A great read about the complications of being a "model minority."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Toxic relationship
madelinedalton's review against another edition
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- 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
3.75
This book is incredibly well-crafted and touches on really important topics. It was definitely worth the read.
My rating is more of a reflection of my personal reading experience than the quality of the book. Not a single character was likable, and Ingrid starts off as an incredibly un-compelling protagonist. This isn’t a criticism of the book—it was integral to the story, and it was definitely the right choice—but I personally get a tad exhausted reading books with zero likable characters. Ingrid does grow a lot at the end though!!
My rating is more of a reflection of my personal reading experience than the quality of the book. Not a single character was likable, and Ingrid starts off as an incredibly un-compelling protagonist. This isn’t a criticism of the book—it was integral to the story, and it was definitely the right choice—but I personally get a tad exhausted reading books with zero likable characters. Ingrid does grow a lot at the end though!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation and Racism
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Racial slurs and Sexual violence
ramalam98's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
An excellent dark academia-adjacent satire.
It talks about so many things, from yellowface and cultural appropriation/fetishism to internalised racism, academic burnout, and more.
It was entertaining throughout, definitely a ‘food for thought’ kind of book.
My only gripe is with a couple of characters. I found Ingrid to be frustratingly naive and stupid ay times though I believe this was intentional. Eunice also felt underdeveloped and I would have liked to have seen more of her storyline.
It talks about so many things, from yellowface and cultural appropriation/fetishism to internalised racism, academic burnout, and more.
It was entertaining throughout, definitely a ‘food for thought’ kind of book.
My only gripe is with a couple of characters. I found Ingrid to be frustratingly naive and stupid ay times though I believe this was intentional. Eunice also felt underdeveloped and I would have liked to have seen more of her storyline.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cultural appropriation and Racism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs
Minor: Colonisation, Suicide attempt, and Deportation
amaezone's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
5.0
A clear five-star novel :
• one for the look inside "a regular person's" mind starting to reflect on their own position and attitudes regarding race,
• one for the description of academia as it works today,
• one for the great friendship and,
• one for the nuanced and clear explanation and depiction of the personalities of all the characters (which to a certain extent, avoids the bad person/good person characterization, although the sides are clearly defined,
• one for.
• one for the look inside "a regular person's" mind starting to reflect on their own position and attitudes regarding race,
• one for the description of academia as it works today,
• one for the great friendship and
Spoiler
avoidind the "they leave the bad guy and shortly after gets with the good guy" scenario• one for the nuanced and clear explanation and depiction of the personalities of all the characters (which to a certain extent, avoids the bad person/good person characterization, although the sides are clearly defined,
• one for
Spoiler
the ending out of academia as perfectly legitimate
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Violence, Mental illness, Drug abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual violence, Vomit, and Trafficking
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
disorientation is an enjoyable novel, hilarious yet blistering in its satire that spares absolutely no one, reflecting and exploring a white supremacist society but also challenging it and our own biases and conceptions.
the book
sheds light on many under- or not-as-deftly explored issues like social justice discourses while also being aware of intersectionality. my fav thing abt it is prolly how chou's satire is also chillingly realistic, humorous is its uncomfortable truths of how minorities grapple w/ them and how far the reach of yts are both in personal relationships and larger institutions.
many of the plot points are predictable, however, and what bothers me most is the scale of the story. tho xiao wen chou is supposedly an ubiquitous cultural force as america's asian american literary wet dream, the consequences/impact from revelations related to him are befuddlingly small, confined to merely a campus and city level where things play out, tho in fact it shouldve been explosive on a national level.
overall, def recommend for truth dropping and enjoyable satire, if one could withhold disbelief abt the story's scale.
the book
sheds light on many under- or not-as-deftly explored issues like social justice discourses while also being aware of intersectionality. my fav thing abt it is prolly how chou's satire is also chillingly realistic, humorous is its uncomfortable truths of how minorities grapple w/ them and how far the reach of yts are both in personal relationships and larger institutions.
many of the plot points are predictable, however, and what bothers me most is the scale of the story. tho xiao wen chou is supposedly an ubiquitous cultural force as america's asian american literary wet dream, the consequences/impact from revelations related to him are befuddlingly small, confined to merely a campus and city level where things play out, tho in fact it shouldve been explosive on a national level.
overall, def recommend for truth dropping and enjoyable satire, if one could withhold disbelief abt the story's scale.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Violence, Sexual content, and Racial slurs