By Cara K., The Key School
Yolk narrates the story of two distant sisters and how far one goes for their family. Jayne is barely getting by; she is trapped with her boyfriend, stuck with a horrific relationship with food and her body, and cemented in life-long comparisons with her sister. Jayne is holding it together. Until she isn't. Jayne is diagnosed with uterine cancer, and her entire life falls apart. Unable to cope with the reality of her diagnosis, she turns to her estranged sister.
Choi crafts a raw, powerful novel of yearning, love, and grief. This book wasn't an easy read by any count; it took me almost two months to fully get through. But I am happy that I stuck with it. From the discussions of western beauty standards to the effects of terminal cancer, this novel managed to hit so many crucial topics. I can't even begin to describe how much I love this book. Jayne and June are both so unlikeable yet realistic and loveable; it was so hard to hate them because I see so much of myself in each of the sisters. They are so frustrating yet relatable. I truly think every reader would be able to relate to some aspect of one of the sisters. This is such a crucial read for all. Every reader will be able to glean something from this novel.
Click here to check out Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi.