Reviews with content warning for Sexual violence - Yellowface

literally perfect??? i was trying to find flaws in this book that would make it not five stars and i literally could not think of any. perfectly executed for what it was.
thrilling and tense with such an interesting narrative and protagonist especially.
follows lowkey evil protagonist who felt so realistic, and obviously she sucks but somehow you're vaugely endeared to her because you're only hearing her side of the story throughout.
it has genius and amazing writing with such a clear line of thought throughout, i was so hooked on it.
not the main point of thee book but i enjoyed the look into the world of publishing lol.
read the whole thing in one sitting on the camp bus.
(with coco in the background which also has a stealing work plotline so that was silly)

Content Warnings

shadowolf19's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This was such a weird book. Premise aside, after the story kicks into its gears, it quickly runs out of gas, and by the half point, I was left wondering what was the author going to write for the remaining part of the book. As it turns out, not that much. It just keeps going around in circles, pretty much like the main character. The critique about the publishing world and the power/role of social media on people are obviously the main focus, but again, by the half point is just running around in circles over and over. This ruins the suspense and the tension that might have intrigued and hooked the reader onto the story, maybe even getting them to care about the protagonist's feelings. Instead, it turns into a pedantic repetition with intervals of plot that serve to move the story forward, and all the while I kept wondering, "Where is this going"?

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readingwithcoffee's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

June is such a raging bigot with a victim complex but that kind of white liberal is sooooo present and visible in the publishing world beyond the dozens of white people and especially white women that have been caught doing digital or literally race faking “to get ahead” the ending in particular reminded me of putlizer prized awarded white women that made Alice Munroe’s daughter Andrea Skinner talked about how her “feminist” mother enabled and defended and denied the sexual assault and pedophilia of her step father to her and how that being a part of her legacy was all she wanted, and this Pulitzer Prize winner made it about joking about how she know has an artist she wishes she could separate from the art—the only thing a victim of pedophilia and decades of familial abuse covering it up asked for us to not do!! And then Rebecca Malaki seeing that she was getting ratioed tried to make it about her own csa story that was completely different and again has nothing to do with her making another woman’s csa about herself and pretends she’s a victim of it or other people especially when skinner literally the literary world especially Canadian media literally protected her mother bc her stepfather was convicted and self confessed pedophile, but Alice is one of Canada’s most awarded literary women. And Malaki is such a liberal white Woman obsessed with cancel culture even when she criticized Pen America for being anti Palestinian she gave excuses or said she didn’t blame authors who associate with them as if she as non Palestinian has that damn right and as that’s not defeating the fucking purpose of criticizing a institution tied to genocide. There’s just soooo many white women from no bodies in publishing (including people who aren’t even traditionally published and harass Latino and black authors on twitter with multiple accounts!!) to Pulitzer Prize and Nobel literature “feminists” fucking obsessed with their reputations and legacies I see in June lol.

I did enjoy all the prominent Asian women in the story were also fucked up.

I did kinda wish it was Athena stalking her the entire time Ngl

Content Warnings

mrlsdevos's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Content Warnings

maresuju's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Content Warnings

danieladas8's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

I was so annoyed and disgusted with the main character that more than once I wanted to punch her or through the book across the room, and for that I know I love the story and its characters.

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.

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