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hgdaniels's review against another edition
5.0
Easily one of the best books I’ve read so far this year :)
jjzach777's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5. the ending alone almost made it a 5. i had no expectations going into this book and that made it so much better. i loved reading it and how brutally honest it was
laylabetweenthelines's review against another edition
4.0
TW: Dysmorphia, Disordered Eating, Bulimia, Cancer, Parental Abuse/Neglect
“It's crazy how lonely it is to be in a family.”
This is a heavy read. Please know yourself and check the trigger warnings so you can best prepare for (or take a step away from) this book.
I have yet to read anything else by Mary H.K. Choi, so I don't have much to compare it to, but wow, she sure makes a strong first impression. From the first page alone I knew that Jayne's neuroticism might put people off from reading... but it had the opposite effect on me. I related to her cynical analysis of everything a little too much and it reminded me of a time in my life when there was nothing else to do but list the things about myself that I'd rather die from than acknowledge. So yeah, it's a heavy read. But I think there are certain types of readers who will get a lot out of this reading experience. The most comforting part was getting to close the book at the end, looking around me and realizing that I am not in that headspace anymore. It's just a story to me now.
“It's crazy how lonely it is to be in a family.”
This is a heavy read. Please know yourself and check the trigger warnings so you can best prepare for (or take a step away from) this book.
I have yet to read anything else by Mary H.K. Choi, so I don't have much to compare it to, but wow, she sure makes a strong first impression. From the first page alone I knew that Jayne's neuroticism might put people off from reading... but it had the opposite effect on me. I related to her cynical analysis of everything a little too much and it reminded me of a time in my life when there was nothing else to do but list the things about myself that I'd rather die from than acknowledge. So yeah, it's a heavy read. But I think there are certain types of readers who will get a lot out of this reading experience. The most comforting part was getting to close the book at the end, looking around me and realizing that I am not in that headspace anymore. It's just a story to me now.
d34nn3_29's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
imworthyandenough's review against another edition
4.0
Totally bingeread! I really enjoyed this one! Though I do wish that the ending had a bit more to it!!
Note: this was a heartbreaker read with many triggers (cancer, disordered eating/bulimia, etc)
Note: this was a heartbreaker read with many triggers (cancer, disordered eating/bulimia, etc)
akane_shio's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
yoonreads's review against another edition
5.0
Immediate thoughts: wow, I’m wrecked. So damn good.
--
Thanks to #bookstagram for flagging this book to me. I had known about Choi, but wasn’t sure if I’d be interested in this one since I don’t typically read a lot of YA books.
While the cover drew me in, it was the intense reviews and posts about the book that convinced me to finally read it. I buddy read this one with @unofficialbookstagram & @one.sitting. It was probably the best book to read together since we’re all Asian older sisters and had a LOT of thoughts about Jayne, but also who we are as older sisters.
When reading a book, how judgmental can we be of a fictional character? Jayne, a Korean American college student, is obnoxious, kind of dysfunctional and not someone I’d want to be around - but I was immensely intrigued by her. If she were my church dongseng, I’d want to yell “GET YOUR LIFE TOGETHER” and I guess that’s the inner unni coming out of me. Her actual unni, June, is the complete opposite of Jayne - responsible, poised, but also distant. I didn’t like her either, but Choi’s sharp writing charms readers to find ways to stay committed to the characters as their lives unfold. What I appreciate is the book won’t manipulate you to feel a certain way - it’s really up to the reader on how to engage with June and Jayne as they navigate this messy time of their lives.
We have these two sisters living in NYC but barely in one another’s lives - maybe still connected out of obligation and a dark sense of jeong/affection that even comes out in violent ways. Despite their spiteful and painful relationship, we know the sisterly affection exists. We are able to feel and gain insight to both their insecurities, their fears and their broken understanding of how to relate to one another, to love, and to family. The layered personalities and existence of both Jayne and June were beautifully painted for us and I think this is why so many are drawn to Choi’s writing.
“I think about the two of us. Our tiny cult.”
For 80% of the book, I was frustrated and had a wide range of feelings, but then with 20% left, I was up until almost 2am, reading as fast as I could with tears welling up because of how moving the story comes together.
Content warning: disordered eating, dysmorphia, bulimia, cancer, female fertility
--
Thanks to #bookstagram for flagging this book to me. I had known about Choi, but wasn’t sure if I’d be interested in this one since I don’t typically read a lot of YA books.
While the cover drew me in, it was the intense reviews and posts about the book that convinced me to finally read it. I buddy read this one with @unofficialbookstagram & @one.sitting. It was probably the best book to read together since we’re all Asian older sisters and had a LOT of thoughts about Jayne, but also who we are as older sisters.
When reading a book, how judgmental can we be of a fictional character? Jayne, a Korean American college student, is obnoxious, kind of dysfunctional and not someone I’d want to be around - but I was immensely intrigued by her. If she were my church dongseng, I’d want to yell “GET YOUR LIFE TOGETHER” and I guess that’s the inner unni coming out of me. Her actual unni, June, is the complete opposite of Jayne - responsible, poised, but also distant. I didn’t like her either, but Choi’s sharp writing charms readers to find ways to stay committed to the characters as their lives unfold. What I appreciate is the book won’t manipulate you to feel a certain way - it’s really up to the reader on how to engage with June and Jayne as they navigate this messy time of their lives.
We have these two sisters living in NYC but barely in one another’s lives - maybe still connected out of obligation and a dark sense of jeong/affection that even comes out in violent ways. Despite their spiteful and painful relationship, we know the sisterly affection exists. We are able to feel and gain insight to both their insecurities, their fears and their broken understanding of how to relate to one another, to love, and to family. The layered personalities and existence of both Jayne and June were beautifully painted for us and I think this is why so many are drawn to Choi’s writing.
“I think about the two of us. Our tiny cult.”
For 80% of the book, I was frustrated and had a wide range of feelings, but then with 20% left, I was up until almost 2am, reading as fast as I could with tears welling up because of how moving the story comes together.
Content warning: disordered eating, dysmorphia, bulimia, cancer, female fertility
abbygiordano12's review against another edition
5.0
TW: Disordered Eating
There are books that I know will leave a lasting impression on me, and Yolk was one of them.
Listening to this book, my soul ached in a way I don’t think I can fully articulate. Jayne is 3D, and parts of her remind of myself. Following her journey felt like a gift, a hard one, but a gift all the same.
There are books that I know will leave a lasting impression on me, and Yolk was one of them.
Listening to this book, my soul ached in a way I don’t think I can fully articulate. Jayne is 3D, and parts of her remind of myself. Following her journey felt like a gift, a hard one, but a gift all the same.
sidneyellwood's review against another edition
5.0
Yolk is my first Mary H.K. Choi book. I've heard so many good things about her books, but I was blown away reading this. Yolk is a messy, jumbled, and painfully real coming of age story about two estranged sisters coming together that resonated so deeply with me.
Jayne is the narrator, but the book revolves around her and June, her older sister. Yolk is new adult, technically; Jayne is twenty and June is twenty-three, and both of them read like young adults who are struggling to find their way in the world and dealing with their struggles in the best way that they know how to, which isn't always a good way. Jayne had a great narrative voice that kept me engaged the whole time.
What I loved about this book was that it was so raw and painful and complicated, as real life often is. Both Jayne and June have a complex upbringing, and it's reflected in both of them - Jayne's depression, impulsivity, and her eating disorder; June's high achieving and poor social life. Neither of them are in any way good at emotions or communicating them. The two argue often, miscommunicate, and hurt each other, and commiserate with each other--sometimes all on the same page. It's a fraught relationship, but you can see the pieces coming together and you can see how this family cares about each other and loves each other despite all the difficulties they have.
That being said, this book deals with eating disorders, body dysmorphia, health, and depression. It never becomes too heavy, but it's constantly in the background. Bulimia and binge eating isn't something I often see in books about eating disorders, so it was good to read about that facet of disordered eating, and I think it will resonate hard with people who struggle with disordered eating. It also ties in with Korean culture and the experiences of being an immigrant, being distanced from your culture and language, and what it means to fit into American culture as a Korean immigrant.
Yolk was a stunning dive into Mary H.K. Choi's writing; it's not an easy read, but it is a deeply personal and realistic coming-of-age story. I will certainly be picking up her other two books.
Jayne is the narrator, but the book revolves around her and June, her older sister. Yolk is new adult, technically; Jayne is twenty and June is twenty-three, and both of them read like young adults who are struggling to find their way in the world and dealing with their struggles in the best way that they know how to, which isn't always a good way. Jayne had a great narrative voice that kept me engaged the whole time.
What I loved about this book was that it was so raw and painful and complicated, as real life often is. Both Jayne and June have a complex upbringing, and it's reflected in both of them - Jayne's depression, impulsivity, and her eating disorder; June's high achieving and poor social life. Neither of them are in any way good at emotions or communicating them. The two argue often, miscommunicate, and hurt each other, and commiserate with each other--sometimes all on the same page. It's a fraught relationship, but you can see the pieces coming together and you can see how this family cares about each other and loves each other despite all the difficulties they have.
That being said, this book deals with eating disorders, body dysmorphia, health, and depression. It never becomes too heavy, but it's constantly in the background. Bulimia and binge eating isn't something I often see in books about eating disorders, so it was good to read about that facet of disordered eating, and I think it will resonate hard with people who struggle with disordered eating. It also ties in with Korean culture and the experiences of being an immigrant, being distanced from your culture and language, and what it means to fit into American culture as a Korean immigrant.
Yolk was a stunning dive into Mary H.K. Choi's writing; it's not an easy read, but it is a deeply personal and realistic coming-of-age story. I will certainly be picking up her other two books.
rebelqueen's review against another edition
3.0
Heavy. Brave. Realistic. All the trigger warnings: eating disorder, racism, rape culture, family dysfunction.