Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

180 reviews

hayreading's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

It was very well written. The pain of reading from the MC's pov brought my rating down - which I know was the point. Very well done. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Grief, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

sophiestbr's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective tense fast-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

4.75

Such a well written book that had me squirming and uncomfortable with how I felt about the characters, situation, context and choices. Was it an easy feel good read? Not at all. Was it meant to be? Not at all, and that’s why it was so good. 
Not a full 5* in my opinion because it started to drag a little with repetitiveness towards the end, and 
*not a spoiler but if you don’t want to go into the ending with possible preconceived notions stop here* 
the direction the penultimate chapter goes in felt oddly out of place and served cliché soap opera vibes that didn’t feel like it matched the caliber of the rest of narrative. 
It was, overall though, a memorable read that I think will stick with me for a long time to come.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Cursing, Racial slurs, Rape, and Colonisation

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

navayiota's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Brilliant, like everything else she writes. I felt pulled to continue the story at every second of the day. 
Kuang inspires me to write, every word she lays on the page is like a string pulling at my heart, urging me to follow along. Her work makes me believe, for a second, that I too, could create something amazing. And at the same time I feel unbelievably silly and inexperienced. That's all I have to say. A Must-Read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Stalking, Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism, and Deportation

nicolinebl's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective 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

4.5

Even nurturing a reading slump and several migraines, I flew through this book. If that doesn't tell you how good and compelling it was, I don't know what will. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Racism, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Alcohol, and War

casira's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Violence and Alcohol

miayukino's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

Many people can contribute to a conversation, but less can help change it. This book manages to cram so much self awareness, brutal transparency, and incisive depictions of the reality the power of white women’s tears through sharp satire with balance, rage, and eloquence. So good. I’ll have to buy a hard copy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual assault, Stalking, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Vomit and Alcohol

soph_mills's review against another edition

challenging reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

drawahardline's review against another edition

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

I am really impressed by the art of writing a main character that is so utterly disgusting und racist in her actions and thoughts, and despite all still having enough empathy to paint her out as a main character full of complex insecurities, passions and motives that seem realistic. normally, i despise books in which i hate the main character, yet this one had me really intrigued - by great use of the first-person narrative, rebecca f. kuang amazingly portrays a white role of victim and (sadly) thoughts and entanglements of an average white person in a system that favors exactly that narrative.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

jennifermreads's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.5

Wow. Wow. Wow! I tend to shy away from books that are hyped. They almost never live up to expectations and I end up feeling like a pariah because I do not agree with the masses. With Yellowface, it took an audiobook narrator, Eunice Wong, personally DM’ing me and saying “You should really read this.” to get me to pick up the book. I do not think “loved it” is the correct description. Maybe the words enthralled, intrigued, and captivated do a better job. Regardless of the descriptors, Eunice was right: I needed to read this book!

As a white woman, I am not sure how much value can be put in my thoughts here. But I was fascinated with the dialog on cultural appropriation. As I was listening to the audiobook, I replayed these lines several times: “I think it’s very dangerous to start censoring what authors should and shouldn’t write. … I’d hate to live in a world where we tell people what they should and shouldn’t write based on the color of their skin. I mean, turn what you’re saying around and see how it sounds. Can a Black writer not write a novel with a white protagonist? What about everyone who has written about World War Two, and never lived through it? You can critique a work on the grounds of literary quality, and its representations of history—sure. But I see no reason why I shouldn’t tackle this subject if I’m willing to do the work.” Is there an answer? I think it is a “conversation in progress” and these lines do an excellent job of explaining the dynamic. Yes, I whole-heartedly believe that traditionally underrepresented authors need to be heard and given a spot on the bookstore and library shelves. But to categorically say a story cannot be told unless it is told by an author of the same background as the character(s)? I think that takes representation too far. 

I also was especially taken with June’s fall into the social media quagmire. Ah, the pros and cons of putting yourself out there as an author. It pains me to see that social media has become a place where things are said without thinking, without a care as to if a comment or post is factual and with no thought as to how it will affect the subject. Before I post, I try to always think “Would I say this to my grandmother?” and “Am I saying something that is factual or questionable? Am I citing my sources or stating my uncertainty?” 

Overall, Yellowface was a book that made me think about so many current topics while I was being thoroughly entertained. June made for one hell-of-a unreliable narrator. I am in awe that I swung back and forth between being categorically, hands-down convinced that “June stole a manuscript” to “Well…maybe she stole the idea?” On finishing the novel, I am still left wondering exactly what I do believe about June’s story. It is rare for me to feel satisfied at the end of a book when so many questions remain. But the story was all about the questions—and pondering the many facets of the answers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol

Moderate: Rape

leechachatotheright's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I will say that this book was very thought provoking, a social commentary on racism, diversity, etc. I gave it a 3 as it was a good read in its writing itself and does tackle an interesting perspective but, I don't think I'd recommend this to a friend to read. The first two thirds of the book was very inticing, but the ending felt like

"This, really? Is that all? You haven't learned anything."

and honestly, that may be the point of it. I find the narrative very different from anything I've read before, but maybe that's also why it felt flat at the end. I don't mind endings not having the whole

character learns from their mistakes trope, if anything, it is kind of refreshing to see this perspective.

But alas, the ending did feel a bit inconclusive to me, though I understand the intention of it. I don't know if I'll read it again, but I'll definitely say it was a unique read and I didn't put the book down until I was finished. I basically wanted more from the ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship and War

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Rape, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts