Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

74 reviews

paytonsbooknook's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective 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

5.0

This book was a shit show—it’s not bad but damn there is a lot to unpack in this book. From the beginning this book talk about so much. I also did not think this book would talk about Palestine as much as it did. But there a lot of racism and so much more but I loved this book and the main character was so unlikable like so much I did think about dnf this book. But I think that this book is a very important and interesting book. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Cultural appropriation

lucia2's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying, Hate crime, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Stalking

Minor: Gaslighting

hdkroon's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

brushdance's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

Interesting premise that is like being stuck inside the brain of a white person with severe colourblindess and jealousy. Some plot lines felt a bit disconnected, such as, the SA recount and how that drove the narrative forward. Overall, the commentary idea was good, yet being stuck inside a white persons perspective was a lot to sit through and felt the story dragged on at times.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs

Minor: Sexism and Sexual assault

paigerini's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-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

4.0

As someone half white and half Thai/Chinese, I found this an interesting book. (Spoilers)

One of the complaints I have seen in other reviews has to deal with the fact that June is unbearable, which she is and is supposed to be. June is horrible for stealing Athena's manuscript and taking ownership of all of her research and hard work and is definitely racist, but I would also hate Athena if I ever met her in real life. She was judgmental and hateful towards other Asian people in her field and stole the stories of others. Even June picked up on the fact that she was disingenuous, despite Athena's enthusiasm. The whole point of this novel is to show that both sides (June and Athena) can be cynical and rotten as well as genius, and I found myself hating and feeling sympathetic for both characters.

Another one of the complaints about this novel is that the whole premise seems extremely melodramatic, yet I believe that this is also the point. June should have stayed in therapy, but the result of not doing so leads to her anxious and self-pitying perception of herself and the world around her. Being in such a tough situation and such a competitive industry as publishing and writing without therapy or medical help would deteriorate even the strongest of people, so it makes sense that June (the narrator) freaks out and constantly makes mountains out of molehills. 

I connected to both June and Athena in different ways, but I also do not like both of them. Growing up mixed with my dad being second-generation American (who didn't bother teaching me about the culture at all), I found it hard to interact and find things in common with Asian kids. I didn't know a second language, had the same struggles with parental pressure, and had all AP and honors classes, so I felt like an intruder - too white or too American. However, I found a group of friends of all sorts of people who couldn't care less about what ethnicity I was and just liked my company. I liked how Athena was a brilliant writer who wanted to share untold stories, but she also seemed elitist and almost too proud and too focused on the fact that she was Asian. I liked how June obviously knows what she does is wrong but doesn't stop it due to the pressure to be successful, but she is also definitely racist and constantly makes bad decisions, not utilizing the team she's been working with.

I think that this book is a thought-provoking commentary on the link between diversity and success in the real world, and I think it is definitely worth the read, especially if you want to go into the publishing and writing industry. I didn't like the ending too much, but leaving it open-ended lets the reader infer whether she fades into obscurity or tumbles violently into a fiery pit. Overall: 4/5 stars, reading this as a mixed person was sort of weird but sort of captivating at the same time.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Grief, and Stalking

Minor: Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit

_ren's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Body shaming, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Stalking, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

katlinstirling_reads's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

3.0

A bit disappointed with this one.. I wanted to enjoy it but I think it’s a BookTok book that is unfortunately overhyped, which is a shame because the story/plot is there. The genres are ‘thriller’ and in the acknowledgments ‘horror’ but this book is far from either, it’s more of a drama in my opinion. I actually really enjoyed the bookish aspect and although I’m not sure how true those parts were I did like to read about the publishing process and huddles authors have to face. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

shadowolf19's review against another edition

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"?

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

chanatova's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Colonisation

Minor: Genocide and Islamophobia

zoea08's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Rape, Violence, Blood, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicidal thoughts