Bookishrealm’s review of Yellowface > Likes and Comments
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![s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1735525095p1/6431467.jpg)
Wonderful review!
I agree completely! Some of the negative reviews were making me side eye.
Great review with lots of food for thought. Yellowface is on my TBR, and I appreciate having your take before I pick it up.
I couldn't love or agree with this review more - perfectly said on every point.
I enjoyed this book too. Your review is much better thought out than my quick one was.
I used Athena’s death to remind my son to slow down when he eats instead of overstuffing his face. He’s 12. Does he listen? Never.
s.penkevich wrote: "Wonderful review!"
Thank you love!
Kasiah wrote: "Whew Chile lol"
Rightttttttt
Gillian wrote: "I agree completely! Some of the negative reviews were making me side eye."
LOL I understand
Jayne wrote: "I couldn't love or agree with this review more - perfectly said on every point."
Thank you!!
Sarah wrote: "Great review with lots of food for thought. Yellowface is on my TBR, and I appreciate having your take before I pick it up."
I hope you enjoy it!
Amy wrote: "I enjoyed this book too. Your review is much better thought out than my quick one was.
I used Athena’s death to remind my son to slow down when he eats instead of overstuffing his face. He’s 12. D..."
LMAO of course not!
I like how you highlight that Juniper is unlikeable intentionally. I also thing people are missing that Juniper is a bad writer but they’re putting that on Kuang in this book. I think they’re really missing how slick that is.
the yellowface review. we stan
I don’t understand how Kuang inserting herself detracts from the story, though. Why can’t a writer use themselves? I just don’t understand that as a reason to take away from the point of the story, which I thought was well done and well written.
What a review!! I loved reading your thoughts, brilliant writing.
Thanks @Bookishrealm for putting together this review. I almost never read reviews or join bookish internet conversations but here I am playing right into the story like a hungry ghost seeking but never fulfilled 😂 I appreciate your perspectives on the book, your explanation of Kuang's commentary about "own-voices" literature, and reminders of how white privilege shows up both in the book and in reality. I'll be thinking of your review when I re-read the book!
This review helps me put some of my own thoughts into words, but you do it so much better than me!
The only added part that still has me thinking, because it was one of the most clear to me and my experiences is the part where June hates Chinese food because it is greasy but next chapter is inhaling pizza, hot dogs, hot pockets, etc. And then goes back to the "oily Chinese food".
It's such a great criticism that made me so uncomfortable.
The book sucked and it is only through political biases that this gets any more than a 2 star review. The anti-racists have become the racists.
Yes! You said everything so much better than I could and you really captured what was so effective about the book (and what's been irritating about a majority of the negative reviews). Thank you!
Go off! An amazing review!!!! A lovely friend read it and also enjoyed it, gotta add it to my list!
great review! the James Patterson comment reminded me of this quote, “when you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression”. I feel like this sentiment is part of what allowed June to delude herself into thinking she was the victim
EXCELLENT review! You nailed exactly what I couldn't say!
Fantastic review!! Absolutely hit the nail on the head!!
This this this!!!! I was confused by some of the criticisms in some reviews. It’s obvious that the way RF wrote this book was completely intentional. Loved it!
Thank you for your review. I wasn’t sure if I should read based on low reviews. Now have on my To Read shelf.
barely finished with this book and already agree with this completely. rebecca is brilliant imo
She said the SAME I'm her interview on NPR today. According to the author, there are layers and layers of irony. I am intrigued.
This helped straighten out my thoughts and add a new perspective for me
I just finished this book and ur so right
Wow. Fabulous review, and highly accurate! I have loved anything written by Ms Kuang so far, and this may be my next read 😉
I loved reading your review and POV, however I’m curious about your POV on two other books written by White women about Black protagonist and lambasted by the Black community; The Book of Lost Friends, by Lisa Wingate, and Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult.
First, let me preface by saying that there was a lot wrong with The Book of Lost Friends, especially the entire white savior Bennie half (which was a snooze fest regardless), but the Hannie half kept me rapt, mostly because I hadn’t known about these lost letters beforehand.
I enjoy reading other amazing authors of color from our Black community to authors around the world about their cultural or national plight. I won’t use BIPOC, because I’m including authors from South America, the Middle East, and Southeast and Southwest Asia. In addition to the Muslim and Palestinian POV, Far East Asian and the Indian Subcontinent.
While I understand why the African American, or even white community, automatically rejected the white savior half of this book, isn’t there some merit to the Hannie story, the story told by an enslaved female, even if written by a white author who diligently researched her subject?
RecognizIng the fact that there my have been POC authors who tried to write about this subject and were ignored, isn’t there some merit to Wingate bringing such an important part of history to her very large global fan base?
My family didn’t live in the United States until the early 1900s. They also came here poor and worked tirelessly to escape their plight. Though still segregated my Italian immigrant family lived in tenements just a few blocks away from a African American tenement area. They both lived in the “slums”, went to school together, and as children played together. My father’s family eventually moved out of the area, but when my dad could he opened a business back in his old urban neighborhood employing both Black and White. His manager was Black, which wasn’t an issue in this mixed raced community. I’m saying all this because I was sheltered growing up and didn’t know much about Jim Crow and slavery until Roots! And I continue to learned more as I aged and read. Had I not read Wingate’s tale of Hannie and the Letters of Lost Friends I would have never continued my reading into the non-fiction. This is why I adore historical fiction! I always continue the topic in what I read online or in a book about the subject my eyes were just opened to.
I had debated this aspect of The Book of Lost Friend and Small Great Things with Black friends and coworkers trying to understand their viewpoint while trying to get them to understand mine…that if it took a White author to open my eyes about a topic, so then I searched for more writing about it, often by an author of color then isn’t that a win-win? I never got my POV understood. I can’t change the inequities of publishing any more that I can change the inequities of life outside my own bubble and the people I touch, but the start of a dawning, even when told by a differing ethnicity than the protagonist, isn’t it a step in the right direction?
This review is 100% my thoughts after reading this book! Thank you for stating it so well!
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s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all]
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Jul 11, 2023 07:13AM
Wonderful review!
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I agree completely! Some of the negative reviews were making me side eye.
Great review with lots of food for thought. Yellowface is on my TBR, and I appreciate having your take before I pick it up.
I couldn't love or agree with this review more - perfectly said on every point.
I enjoyed this book too. Your review is much better thought out than my quick one was.I used Athena’s death to remind my son to slow down when he eats instead of overstuffing his face. He’s 12. Does he listen? Never.
s.penkevich wrote: "Wonderful review!"Thank you love!
Kasiah wrote: "Whew Chile lol"Rightttttttt
Gillian wrote: "I agree completely! Some of the negative reviews were making me side eye."LOL I understand
Jayne wrote: "I couldn't love or agree with this review more - perfectly said on every point."Thank you!!
Sarah wrote: "Great review with lots of food for thought. Yellowface is on my TBR, and I appreciate having your take before I pick it up."I hope you enjoy it!
Amy wrote: "I enjoyed this book too. Your review is much better thought out than my quick one was.I used Athena’s death to remind my son to slow down when he eats instead of overstuffing his face. He’s 12. D..."
LMAO of course not!
I like how you highlight that Juniper is unlikeable intentionally. I also thing people are missing that Juniper is a bad writer but they’re putting that on Kuang in this book. I think they’re really missing how slick that is.
the yellowface review. we stan
I don’t understand how Kuang inserting herself detracts from the story, though. Why can’t a writer use themselves? I just don’t understand that as a reason to take away from the point of the story, which I thought was well done and well written.
What a review!! I loved reading your thoughts, brilliant writing.
Thanks @Bookishrealm for putting together this review. I almost never read reviews or join bookish internet conversations but here I am playing right into the story like a hungry ghost seeking but never fulfilled 😂 I appreciate your perspectives on the book, your explanation of Kuang's commentary about "own-voices" literature, and reminders of how white privilege shows up both in the book and in reality. I'll be thinking of your review when I re-read the book!
This review helps me put some of my own thoughts into words, but you do it so much better than me!The only added part that still has me thinking, because it was one of the most clear to me and my experiences is the part where June hates Chinese food because it is greasy but next chapter is inhaling pizza, hot dogs, hot pockets, etc. And then goes back to the "oily Chinese food".
It's such a great criticism that made me so uncomfortable.
The book sucked and it is only through political biases that this gets any more than a 2 star review. The anti-racists have become the racists.
Yes! You said everything so much better than I could and you really captured what was so effective about the book (and what's been irritating about a majority of the negative reviews). Thank you!
Go off! An amazing review!!!! A lovely friend read it and also enjoyed it, gotta add it to my list!
great review! the James Patterson comment reminded me of this quote, “when you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression”. I feel like this sentiment is part of what allowed June to delude herself into thinking she was the victim
EXCELLENT review! You nailed exactly what I couldn't say!
Fantastic review!! Absolutely hit the nail on the head!!
This this this!!!! I was confused by some of the criticisms in some reviews. It’s obvious that the way RF wrote this book was completely intentional. Loved it!
Thank you for your review. I wasn’t sure if I should read based on low reviews. Now have on my To Read shelf.
barely finished with this book and already agree with this completely. rebecca is brilliant imo
She said the SAME I'm her interview on NPR today. According to the author, there are layers and layers of irony. I am intrigued.
This helped straighten out my thoughts and add a new perspective for me
I just finished this book and ur so right
Wow. Fabulous review, and highly accurate! I have loved anything written by Ms Kuang so far, and this may be my next read 😉
I loved reading your review and POV, however I’m curious about your POV on two other books written by White women about Black protagonist and lambasted by the Black community; The Book of Lost Friends, by Lisa Wingate, and Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult.First, let me preface by saying that there was a lot wrong with The Book of Lost Friends, especially the entire white savior Bennie half (which was a snooze fest regardless), but the Hannie half kept me rapt, mostly because I hadn’t known about these lost letters beforehand.
I enjoy reading other amazing authors of color from our Black community to authors around the world about their cultural or national plight. I won’t use BIPOC, because I’m including authors from South America, the Middle East, and Southeast and Southwest Asia. In addition to the Muslim and Palestinian POV, Far East Asian and the Indian Subcontinent.
While I understand why the African American, or even white community, automatically rejected the white savior half of this book, isn’t there some merit to the Hannie story, the story told by an enslaved female, even if written by a white author who diligently researched her subject?
RecognizIng the fact that there my have been POC authors who tried to write about this subject and were ignored, isn’t there some merit to Wingate bringing such an important part of history to her very large global fan base?
My family didn’t live in the United States until the early 1900s. They also came here poor and worked tirelessly to escape their plight. Though still segregated my Italian immigrant family lived in tenements just a few blocks away from a African American tenement area. They both lived in the “slums”, went to school together, and as children played together. My father’s family eventually moved out of the area, but when my dad could he opened a business back in his old urban neighborhood employing both Black and White. His manager was Black, which wasn’t an issue in this mixed raced community. I’m saying all this because I was sheltered growing up and didn’t know much about Jim Crow and slavery until Roots! And I continue to learned more as I aged and read. Had I not read Wingate’s tale of Hannie and the Letters of Lost Friends I would have never continued my reading into the non-fiction. This is why I adore historical fiction! I always continue the topic in what I read online or in a book about the subject my eyes were just opened to.
I had debated this aspect of The Book of Lost Friend and Small Great Things with Black friends and coworkers trying to understand their viewpoint while trying to get them to understand mine…that if it took a White author to open my eyes about a topic, so then I searched for more writing about it, often by an author of color then isn’t that a win-win? I never got my POV understood. I can’t change the inequities of publishing any more that I can change the inequities of life outside my own bubble and the people I touch, but the start of a dawning, even when told by a differing ethnicity than the protagonist, isn’t it a step in the right direction?
This review is 100% my thoughts after reading this book! Thank you for stating it so well!
