songmingi's Reviews (199)

Star player RF Kuang does it again! Yellowface is a fast-paced satire that will have seething with hatred for the main character June Hayward or Juniper Song as she would rather be known. 

There are so many interesting discussions in this book, other than the obvious look into what it means to be a writer of colour in the publishing industry or well what it means to emulate a writer of colour, I also found the insight into how the publishing industry as a whole works fascinating. Similarly, I think the exploration of how the book community operates online from an author's perspective was also really engaging to read. These topics made the book feel relevant and fresh in the current booksphere. It will be interesting to see how it will hold up over time. 

The writing was fast-paced and witty, like with all previous Kuang books I found myself completely engrossed in this novel. While it is so different to her previous works, it still has that same literary magic. I think you are Chinese or like me have a knowledge of Chinese culture and history the book is even more enjoyable to read. 

The character writing however is what makes this book shine, June while deplorable is a complex person, while there were so many moments where I had to put the book down to reflect on her sheer audacity she is as real humans are multi-faceted. In the same vein, Athena is no angel either. This made the book more engaging it kept the reader thinking, is it okay to feel some sympathy for June? Is it okay for us to think negatively of Athena despite what is happening to her life's work? Considering this is satire though other side characters such as Geoff or Candice can feel a bit cartoonish but not to the point where it breaks the overall atmosphere of this book. One interesting aspect which I think could have been better developed in Yellowface was the issue of class, I think is an important concept to examine when talking about privilege as a whole, I think if it was further explored it would have pushed this book to a five-star read. Similarly, there were elements of this book which I wish were further explored, nonetheless, it was still a satisfying read, it's just as an avid RF Kuang reader I have high expectations of her. 

Regardless, Yellowface is fun, fast and fascinating, I think it's the perfect book to pull you out of a reading slump if you find yourself stuck in one. It's truly a book for those engaged in writing and reading especially online. 

Walking Practice is such a unique and refreshing read. It's so full of humour and wit while still making impactful commentary on society on love, sexuality and the construction of beauty. In how the main character Mumu physically  navigates the world we can also see simply how it may be like for someone with disabilities to survive in this world. Honestly for such a short book it packs quite the punch. 

The writing style was so wonderful, engaging from the beginning and compelling throughout. Upon reading the translators note I want learn Korean quickly so I can see how this story is captured in its origin text. 

This is a standout piece of translated fiction and I hope I'm able to read a new piece from dolki min soon.

The Memory Police was a highly anticipated read that unfortunately fell flat for me. Firstly, I wish I had paid more attention to the 'slow-paced' tag it would have saved me a lot of frustration. Despite being set in such a tense world, with the main character facing such high stakes, the story seemed to drag along. Even when serious events occurred it's as if they barely had an impact, giving a monotonous tone to the story as a whole. This made the book a chore to pick back up at times. 

The concept of this story is so unique but not well explored. While the book did heavily investigate how we tie memories to objects and how those objects no matter how mundane can hold so much meaning and function in our lives, other aspects of the story were not well explained at all. Who set up the memory police? why do they not lose the things that 'disappear', how do people join the memory police? What makes the things disappear? Why is it dangerous to remember things that disappear?  None of these questions are answered, and due to this, I feel like the message of this book was not effectively conveyed to me, all the insight I gained from this book feels quite shallow. It felt like the book was continuously building up to a grand event which never came. 

I did enjoy seeing the main character's writing inserted into the book, in fact, I was more invested in the story being told there than in the book itself, but these sections were far too long and could have been cut short to develop the main story more. Also, I can't buy that the main character was able to write a coherent end to her novel considering she no longer had her right arm or her memories of novels. It is just another way the storytelling falls short. 

Speaking of the characters, I don't the character writing was anything spectacular but the bond between the characters is what made the book bearable. I especially liked seeing the bond between the old man and the main character, it was very heartwarming. However, this is where my positives end. 

Overall this book feels like one big missed opportunity. 

I really am enjoying this series so much. Jade war is the perfect follow up to jade city the plot is complex yet engaging. I could not predict many of the twists and turns of this book, it was so much fun to read. In terms of the characters I really loved the development of anden and wen's characters but you got to see all the characters evolve in this fast paced world. Hilo as the pillar is something else, he is crazy but he is real. I also enjoyed the new characters introduced, and learning more about the Espenia and the world the greenbone saga is set in. Honestly the best thing about this series is how immersive the writing is, everything is so well throughout. Honestly this is a masterclass in fantasy writing I love you jade war. I'm still holding into my perfect five star rating but I want to reserve it incase I like jade legacy the next book even more. 

This is my very first Kafka book. I really enjoyed the writing style but I am still unsure on how I feel about it overall. The book takes a rather nihilistic outlook but perhaps that's also a realistic one. I mean what could you do if you became a bug overnight but feel terrible. Society is definitely not ready for bug people.  Would our families continue to love us if we were giant bugs? I suppose I have a lot to think about. In writing this I realise Franz Kafka was the first person to ask if we would still love him if he was a worm.  Due to its short length I think "the metamorphosis" is worth trying, while it may not be for everyone i think it holds up as a classic for a reason.

4.25 

Pet was a fascinating read unlike anything I'd ever read before, the plot was so interesting. I think it asks a crucial question of whether evil can truly be eliminated, or do we turn away after a while cos it's easier to believe it's gone rather than acknowledge that it's something we continuously need to work against. I  find myself fascinated with the world building and I'm curious to know more about it.  I appreciate the trans and neurodivergent representation in this book, it was nice to see the entire point of Jam's character wasn't the fact she was trans, she just was. I enjoyed the writing style, it was unsettling and created a sense of unease. My only gripe is, that I feel like the author could have done more with this concept, the envelope could have been pushed further. While the book had a good pace, I felt like the middle and ending could have benefited from being a little longer so they could be further developed. While the storytelling made sense it felt a bit simplistic for such a unique story. 

Nonetheless, this is a unique and fascinating read and I look forward to reading the author's other works. 

What a wonderful short story, beautifully written but so brief. I think in a way it's the perfect length for the story itself. 

My first Dazai reading experience and it certainly won't be my last. 

Schoolgirl is a unique piece of work, you spend an entire day in the mind of a young girl, experiencing every thought that passes through her head. Despite being a bit abstract I enjoyed reading it, the writing felt really authentic to what a young girl thinks like and about at that age. The random bursts of melancholy, the slight self-importance, the endless hopes for the future, all very real for a young girl. Lots of interesting themes were explored despite its brief nature, I really enjoyed seeing the narrator examine her relationship with grief and self-image. Another standout was watching the narrator speak about her mother and watching her think about how she should treat her. 

Overall a really interesting piece of writing

 3.75 ✩

“Every time someone hurts you, you find a way to hurt yourself ten times worse.”

Yolk is an honest look into trauma, healing, sisterhood and most prominently the relationship we have with ourselves. It was an introspective read for me even though Jayne the main character of this book couldn't be more different than me. It in fact helped me process the trauma of losing a loved one so I think I'll always remember it for that. I enjoyed the journey this book took me on, it felt like for awhile I was some sort of spirit watching over Jayne as she dealt with the events of this book and started her journey towards healing.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the relationship between Jayne and her sister June, while they were both quite messy I think considering what they went through their behaviour made sense. I have until now never really read a book which portrayed having a sister this well. Yes, they are constantly bickering, lobbing acidic insults at each other but at the end of the day, there is an unbreakable bond there. Truthfully your sister is the most honest person you will know. It was really sweet watching Jayne and June repair their relationship and I think it was written in a way that felt natural and not forced.

Speaking specifically on Jayne's character yes she makes so many bad decisions, she doesn't value what she has but that is the point. Trauma often turns us into the worst versions of ourselves and I believe that Jayne is a portrayal of that. As I read the book my empathy for Jayne only grew. Her deep-rooted issues with belonging, body image, and self-worth are heart-wrenching. I rooted for her throughout the book and her character development felt like a triumph. I think by looking at Jayne we can learn to treat ourselves better too, to try to heal the wounds we may have had for years.

My only gripe is I felt the plot is a bit unbalanced, when you see the premise of this book you would think that it follows Jayne AND June heavily but instead, we step away from the exchanged identity storyline and delve into Jayne's romantic pursuits for an extended amount of time. It was so much so that for the final portion of the book, I was a bit unsatisfied. I kind of wished the book was a bit longer so that both Jayne's healing journey and the switched identity storyline could have had equal
development and an equally satisfying ending.

Regardless, I still believe Yolk is a worthwhile read. 

This was a wonderful short story collection, with so many myths and folklore that we don't often hear about. My heart swelled at all the South Asian stories, which I wished I could have accessed as a child especially. I really appreciated the author's notes on each story at the end of end of chapter, it allowed readers to understand not only why the author chose to rewrite that myth but also the themes within it. The only reason I can't give this 5 stars, is because as is a problem with many short story collections the quality of writing varied a bit from chapter to chapter. However, the overall quality of writing in this book was excellent, with really innovative spins on classical myths. I hope modern asian literature can continue to flourish in this way.