Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi

66 reviews

blyttgh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

12/05/23 
“… and we’ll both keep ignoring it because breaking character would reveal how fucking embarrassing it all is.” 184 

“I’m partial to oat milk, bands no one cares about, white boys who hate me, trust-fund poverty, and I still think tattoos are subversive even though literally every-fucking-body has one.” 248 

“He leans over to get a condom, and he checks in again and I say good again, and as I watch him, I realize I’ve always looked away for this part, as if not to be complicit, so later when the regret comes, I can blame everyone but myself.” 327 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Eating disorder, Racism, and Racial slurs

sakisreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

I was honestly so rattled by this book. A friend had mentioned that this one was good to read because I’d thoroughly enjoyed ‘Disorientation’ by Elaine Hseih Chou. 

I was not expecting this depth of humanness, right down to all the upsetting content (content warnings below). But I loved Jayne for all her fucked up energy and for finally owning it, and I loved June for her fierceness, especially at the end.

Imagine getting fired because you stole a Supreme ashtray 😂

I’m going to be thinking about this book for a while now. 4 out of 5 stars, thank you ✨

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Self harm, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Cancer, Racism, Body horror, Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Bullying

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. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Eating disorder

girlgetsbook's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Racism, and Sexual harassment

booksandboba's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Vomit, Cancer, Eating disorder, and Sexual content

Moderate: Racial slurs, Mental illness, Racism, Child death, Drug use, Medical content, Cursing, and Infidelity

m4rtt4's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

So so good!!! It was really hard to put this book down once I had started reading it; I probably would have read it in one sitting had the non-book-related circumstances allowed me to do so. This one really read like a 5-star book, but I had to deduce the 0.25 stars for the communication issues. Even though pretty much all the conversations and relationships felt very realistic, down to the point of how stubborn the human nature is, it still didn't change the fact that for the reader it can be very frustrating to only read about conflicts that could have easily been resolved with some words — emotions, even. All in all, the aforementioned didn't really matter that much — in all its rawness and painfulness the story was also very beautiful, and most importantly, IT MADE ME CRY!! (which for some self-masochistic reason I consider a success.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Cancer, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Medical content, Vomit, Body shaming, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Child abuse, Dysphoria, Terminal illness, Racism, and Infertility

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Medical content, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Cancer

Moderate: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Drug use, Vomit, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Sexism, Racism, Blood, and Grief

Minor: Infertility, Child death, Excrement, Ableism, Pedophilia, Death, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Child abuse, and Racial slurs

mswarning's review against another edition

emotional funny

5.0

"I'm like a truffle pig for fuckboys." 

Great combination of funny and heartbreaking.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, and Vomit

Moderate: Cancer, Medical content, and Racism

Minor: Blood

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No

3.0

I liked this more than Emergency Contact, but I think this is the last book I'll read from this author. Her writing is just not for me. Super slow until the ending and her characters are just never likeable for me. Jayne is frustrating on so many levels. My relationship with my older sisters is clearly different but I still appreciate that the book was about a sister dynamic that isn't sunshine and rainbows. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Bullying, and Mental illness

Moderate: Miscarriage, Child death, Grief, Medical content, Racial slurs, Racism, and Cursing

gokujyoufiction's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative reflective medium-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

5.0

This book absolutely wrecked me. The sister dynamic, Jayne’s insecurities, all of it just hit so close to home it kind of hurt. The writing is absolutely gorgeous and Choi knows how to discuss intense subject matter without it feeling unnecessarily provocative or disrespectful. I highly recommend if you want something that makes you feel something but be ready to cry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Vomit, Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Bullying, and Racial slurs

Minor: Sexual assault