Yolk
“Sneaks up on you with its insight and poignancy.” —Entertainment WeeklyFrom
New York Times bestselling author Mary H.K. Choi comes a funny and emotional story about two estranged sisters and how far they’ll go to save one of their lives—even if it means swapping identities.
Jayne and June Baek are nothing alike. June’s three years older, a classic first-born, know-it-all narc with a problematic finance job and an equally soulless apartment (according to Jayne). Jayne is an emotionally stunted, self-obsessed basket case who lives in squalor, has egregious taste in men, and needs to get to class and stop wasting Mom and Dad’s money (if you ask June). Once thick as thieves, these sisters who moved from Seoul to San Antonio to New York together now don’t want anything to do with each other.
That is, until June gets cancer. And Jayne becomes the only one who can help her.
Flung together by circumstance, housing woes, and family secrets, will the sisters learn more about each other than they’re willing to confront? And what if while helping June, Jayne has to confront the fact that maybe she’s sick, too?
New York Times bestselling author Mary H.K. Choi comes a funny and emotional story about two estranged sisters and how far they’ll go to save one of their lives—even if it means swapping identities.
Jayne and June Baek are nothing alike. June’s three years older, a classic first-born, know-it-all narc with a problematic finance job and an equally soulless apartment (according to Jayne). Jayne is an emotionally stunted, self-obsessed basket case who lives in squalor, has egregious taste in men, and needs to get to class and stop wasting Mom and Dad’s money (if you ask June). Once thick as thieves, these sisters who moved from Seoul to San Antonio to New York together now don’t want anything to do with each other.
That is, until June gets cancer. And Jayne becomes the only one who can help her.
Flung together by circumstance, housing woes, and family secrets, will the sisters learn more about each other than they’re willing to confront? And what if while helping June, Jayne has to confront the fact that maybe she’s sick, too?
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Community Reviews
This was an interesting read for me. It took a long time to get to any redeeming qualities of the characters. While I do feel like the ending nicely set up Jayne for after, it all felt so rushed at the end. I think I would have connected with the book more if the character development was more present throughout the story. The reader is left in the dark about decisions and emotions that the characters are feeling, which is purposeful, it just wasn't the best writing style for me. I also struggled with how chaotic Jayne is. It is hard to be in her brain and bounce so fast from decision to decision without waiting to see the resolution of her first decision.
I feel so "seen" reading this book. It is so much how I feel and act and it makes me want to make changes. GREAT book.
“𝕀𝕥’𝕤 𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕫𝕪 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕚𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕗𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕪.”
Yolk touched close to home for me in many ways. A daughter who experienced trauma & never felt accepted exactly for who she was by those closest to her. She romanticizes everyone/everything & parties as a way to feel like she belongs in some way. Her “perfect” sister is good at hiding her faults & her emotions. Mental illness is running rampant through the women in the family, causing mother-daughter turmoil on both sides. Finding affordable & effective mental healthcare is almost impossible, causing the chaotic family dynamic to continue with its vicious cycle.
Yolk is neither black or white; it too closely mirrors real life. It is everything all at once. Heartbreaking & funny & poignant & beautiful & frustrating & relatable. There is no “magic fix” or reconciliation within the relationships - it is up to the reader to interpret these flawed and multifaceted characters & their actions.
TL;DR - ALL of the stars to Yolk, Mary H.K. Choi has 100% been added to my “auto-buy authors” list & I absolutely can’t wait to discuss this tear-jerker for #ReadItAndWeepBookclub
P.S. I am positive Jayne is a Type 4w3 and June is a Type 1w9. Let’s discuss why I’m right.
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