amyycresswellx's review against another edition
4.0
⚠️Minor spoilers ahead⚠️
“It’s dazzling how disposable we all are.”
Yolk discusses ED’s in a way that doesn’t romanticise them. It’s raw and messy and devastating to read. In addition to bulimia, the book discusses racism, cancer, mental health, body dysmorphia and abuse; in doing so it opened my eyes to the everyday racism that the Asian community face and more people need to be aware of this.
I read another review that said “Do you ever get the feeling that a book was written just for you?” And with regards to Yolk, i think that it’s spot on. The observations Jayne makes, how she sees the world and those in it, are so similar to my own that I’m now convinced I’ve never had an original thought!
This book largely focuses on Jayne and her relationship with her sister June, who’s diagnosed with cancer. The things they bicker about and how they are together reminded me so much of me and my own brothers that it made their whole journey so much more emotional to read.
The main character Jayne, was not likeable at all, but funnily enough i found that made me like her even more. Lots of books tend to put the MC under a rose-coloured spotlight, so much so that they no longer feel real or relatable. I had no such issues when reading this and even found myself needing to put the book down for a second so i could recover from secondhand embarrassment!
I’ve never read one if Mary HK Choi’s books before, but Yolk is definitely not going to be the last.
“It’s dazzling how disposable we all are.”
Yolk discusses ED’s in a way that doesn’t romanticise them. It’s raw and messy and devastating to read. In addition to bulimia, the book discusses racism, cancer, mental health, body dysmorphia and abuse; in doing so it opened my eyes to the everyday racism that the Asian community face and more people need to be aware of this.
I read another review that said “Do you ever get the feeling that a book was written just for you?” And with regards to Yolk, i think that it’s spot on. The observations Jayne makes, how she sees the world and those in it, are so similar to my own that I’m now convinced I’ve never had an original thought!
This book largely focuses on Jayne and her relationship with her sister June, who’s diagnosed with cancer. The things they bicker about and how they are together reminded me so much of me and my own brothers that it made their whole journey so much more emotional to read.
The main character Jayne, was not likeable at all, but funnily enough i found that made me like her even more. Lots of books tend to put the MC under a rose-coloured spotlight, so much so that they no longer feel real or relatable. I had no such issues when reading this and even found myself needing to put the book down for a second so i could recover from secondhand embarrassment!
I’ve never read one if Mary HK Choi’s books before, but Yolk is definitely not going to be the last.
nysssa's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.5
minty's review against another edition
3.0
I feel like recently I've read a few books where it seemed as if the author was seeking emotional impact, but I felt none. This book, I didn't feel as though I'd connected with either character and then something toward the end totally made me cry!
jisnthome's review against another edition
5.0
This book. I swear. Not only does it capture the relationship between two siblings perfectly—the bickering, the inside jokes that sound more like arguing to anyone else, the vulnerability that comes with living in each other’s space for so long—it also captures sickness in a way that needed to be brought up. Cancer, disordered eating—both are destruction of the body. Neither should be romanticized, and this book does no such thing. It basks in a blunt telling of struggles and hardship, leaving nothing to be desired or sought after—because it shouldn’t. So often we find literature that makes disease out to be beautiful, spinning words so delicate and pretty you can’t help but see sickness as a means to be well. This story, instead, takes these beautiful words and uses them to tell of the good, the ugly, and everything in-between. It’s what made me love it so much, because it’s shockingly real, and sometimes that’s what you need.
marypmcg's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I might have gone through this book faster in print. This was not my favorite audiobook narration, but it did get better (or I got used to it) in the 2nd half of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
zoebird81's review against another edition
3.0
YOLK is a satisfying and well-meaning read that at times bites off more than it can chew (unintended distasteful pun, sorry) ((oh my god I did it again)). Writer Mary H.K. Choi wraps a myriad of conflicts into one book, attempting to tackle eating disorders, cancer + women's reproductive issues, the U.S. healthcare system, love and romance in the digital age, and the first-generation immigrant experience all in one. I want to take Choi in good faith and believe she attempts to reflect the true experience of the human condition, wherein we are all consumed by layers and layers-worth of inner turmoil. However, reading YOLK at times felt like being slammed from one Big Problem into the next, and I feel Choi doesn't attempt to provide solutions, answers, or catharsis until the final seven pages. It is a beautiful finale, all things considered, but feels less of an inevitable confrontation and more of a jarring, emotionally-packed conclusion that would have been better served across multiple narratives rather than just one.
YOLK might resonate with anyone who has a sibling—sisters, specifically. It certainly worked for me—your sibling knows you better than anyone (ANYONE), and that's why you run from them.
We also both hate the smell of eggs!
YOLK might resonate with anyone who has a sibling—sisters, specifically. It certainly worked for me—your sibling knows you better than anyone (ANYONE), and that's why you run from them.
We also both hate the smell of eggs!
xandraj's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-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
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Cancer, Medical content, and Infertility
jeannamarie's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
Most of the reviews say, this is “heavy” or “difficult to relate and read.” While I do generally agree with those statements, the book was also incredibly light as well. Choi does a great job at balancing the book all the way through and an amazing job interweaving the daily mundane tasks of these two sisters, the lives they’ve built and their past situations.
This book is about L I F E. How to take the time to understand people - family, friends, strangers - how caring about people is essential to being human, that caring for yourself is essential to not only your own happiness, but those closest to you.
While I personally did not relate to the sisters, as I am an only child and not Korean-American and we do not overlap on any life experience, I was intrigued and drawn to their world and the choices they made. Only reason I rated 4.5/5 is because the sisters are a tad aggressive to themselves, others and each other. Jayne and June might be crass and rough around the edges, but I appreciate how the story was told. Their triumphs made me so happy, their struggles and heartbreak made me ugly cry. Especially at the end, when the mother enters the room. This was one of the main things I could relate to having had my mom go through multiple surgeries. These women are so different, but in the end they’re family, good or bad. June/Jayne crying “omma” just about killed me and spoiler, the mother saying she “just needed to be home” also made me ugly cry.
Choi most definitely highlights the struggles of being an immigrant in the US and how the next generation handles identifying as both Asian and American. She interweaves this seamlessly into the main aspect of the story, the relationship between the sisters.
I really enjoyed reading about their lives and pondering what if’s and the narrative style of the book. Would 10/10 read again.
Update to my initial review:
This needed an epilogue. I need to know how Patrick and Jayne are doing and how June’s surgery went. I need closure. Also after further reflection and discussion with my friend, I am adding more to this review. She read the ebook and I listened with the audiobook and we felt differently about the book overall. We feel the method in which one reads this book may alter what one may take away from the book. I could casually listen and trudge through parts that may be more difficult to physically read with the audio, but she could not. Something to keep in mind.
Most of the reviews say, this is “heavy” or “difficult to relate and read.” While I do generally agree with those statements, the book was also incredibly light as well. Choi does a great job at balancing the book all the way through and an amazing job interweaving the daily mundane tasks of these two sisters, the lives they’ve built and their past situations.
This book is about L I F E. How to take the time to understand people - family, friends, strangers - how caring about people is essential to being human, that caring for yourself is essential to not only your own happiness, but those closest to you.
While I personally did not relate to the sisters, as I am an only child and not Korean-American and we do not overlap on any life experience, I was intrigued and drawn to their world and the choices they made. Only reason I rated 4.5/5 is because the sisters are a tad aggressive to themselves, others and each other. Jayne and June might be crass and rough around the edges, but I appreciate how the story was told. Their triumphs made me so happy, their struggles and heartbreak made me ugly cry. Especially at the end, when the mother enters the room. This was one of the main things I could relate to having had my mom go through multiple surgeries. These women are so different, but in the end they’re family, good or bad. June/Jayne crying “omma” just about killed me and spoiler, the mother saying she “just needed to be home” also made me ugly cry.
Choi most definitely highlights the struggles of being an immigrant in the US and how the next generation handles identifying as both Asian and American. She interweaves this seamlessly into the main aspect of the story, the relationship between the sisters.
I really enjoyed reading about their lives and pondering what if’s and the narrative style of the book. Would 10/10 read again.
Update to my initial review:
This needed an epilogue. I need to know how Patrick and Jayne are doing and how June’s surgery went. I need closure. Also after further reflection and discussion with my friend, I am adding more to this review. She read the ebook and I listened with the audiobook and we felt differently about the book overall. We feel the method in which one reads this book may alter what one may take away from the book. I could casually listen and trudge through parts that may be more difficult to physically read with the audio, but she could not. Something to keep in mind.
joyyboyy's review against another edition
4.0
A really good book! The emotion behind the narration was raw and felt compelling like the character. I felt like there was more to the story in the end, but that might just be because I hate loose endings!! The character development and growth was slow in the beginning but enjoyable after the fact. Lots of moving parts that kept the story dynamic and made me end up loving Jayne & June
nicoreads333's review against another edition
dark
funny
hopeful
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
Mary Choi has a way of transporting a reader back in time to teen/young adult years with her writing. I love her writing style, the characters she crafts, and the worlds they live in. Yold is dark, but humorous, and sad and relatable. Choi eloquently paints the complicated dynamics between mother and daughter and between sisters (especially as immigrants in the US), so even if you can't relate in your life, you get a glimpse of what it's like. She handled the conversation of food and body issues respectfully, while remaining true to the character.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Eating disorder