Reviews with content warning for Cursing - Yellowface

This book is utterly insane. I completely understand all the hype around it. I haven’t read a character that is so enticing and so unlikeable at the same time. This book is amazing.

I’m glad that Candice didn’t end up dying and that June’s ‘revenge’ is somehow even more heinous. She is continuing to use Athena to the very last second.

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madisonfrank's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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qrschulte's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny informative mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

A scathing indictment of the publishing industry, full of the least likable characters I’ve ever read. My favorite part was the examination of jealousy in the first chapter. Very validating due to my pregnancy loss journey.

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alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

hmm this is not exactly what i was expecting. the situation and characters really felt like caricatures, which i assume (because Kuang is such a phenomenal writer) was done on purpose but i think it was a little too much so. i think that just isn’t my style but the underlying themes were important

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

2.75

Title: Yellowface
Author: R.F. Kuang
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: May 25, 2023

T H R E E • W O R D S

Icky • Juicy • Insightful

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Athena Liu is a literary darling. June Hayward is literally nobody. Who wants stories by basic white girls anyway?

But now Athena is dead. And June has her unfinished manuscript...

💭 T H O U G H T S

I'd added Yellowface to my list of possible 2023 releases to explore after attending an online event with the author. The premise had me apprehensive, yet the author did a fantastic job selling me, so when it became available as a 'quick read' through my library I scooped it up.

The fact satirical stories are not my thing is something I knew going in, and yet I picked it up anyways. Another thing I don't care for are stories centered around social media and cancel culture, both of which are central here. So it's clear this novel was not meant for me.

With that said, Kuang's writing is incredible. She delivers a no holds barred account of the ins and outs of the publishing industry - a bold move that paid off. While not for me, I understand all of the love it is receiving. What this book does really well is give readers lots to think about, making it a fantastic book club selection, sure to spark interesting and engaging discussion.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers looking for something fast-paced
• fans of the unlikeable narrator
• bookclubs

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Writing is the closest thing we have to real magic."

"Reading lets us live in someone else’s shoes. Literature builds bridges; it makes our world larger, not smaller."

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ellaticonstellation's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This novel is compelling, I couldn’t stop reading. Juniper is a flawed character and I loved that. She had clear dreams and motivations that pushed her to steal a manuscript from her friend and become a compulsive liar because of it. I was like, oh my god, you did not just do that to a dead woman. What kind of friend are you?

The psychological warfare by Candice against Junie was well-deserved because it was the punishment for stealing Athena’s The Last Front and the idea of Mother Witch. Juniper lied a lot that she was believing her own lies as realities. But Candice had her own brand of crazy. She even made money because of this story. That was insane!

Junie was delusional and had a loud mind; it was truly interesting. At some point, I was cackling because of her ridiculousness. The stress of the mystery behind the Instagram posts and messaging was intriguing, I was at the edge of my seat. Oh, Junie was assaulted and it made me so sad.

Athena wasn’t a saint at all. She wrote other people’s story without their permission. She exploited their pain and I thought that was cruel.

Damn, the internet people are really scary and there’s really a big price for being famous.

This is my first book by R. F. and I enjoyed this a lot. I’ll read more from you. Thank you!💕

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vr_alyssa's review

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challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

4.5

I struggled to pick up this book, because I knew it would be a good read, but very uncomfortable. I am pretty sure I've never been this uncomfortable when reading a book, when the book is actually good (so leaving aside the 'cringe' of reading a book that isn't great). R.F. Kuang's story is filled with excuses, lack of conscience, lack of shame, in the discussion of ownership. While it focuses a lot of race and cultural appropriation (in a way), it also highlights the intricacies and toxicity of the publishing industry (the money-machine). It was hard to put this book down. It is like observing someone do something that is about to go very, very wrong: I could not look away, all I could do was stare directly at it.

As the story progresses, the main character's confidence in herself grows too. Not just as a writer, but mostly in being right about publishing the narrative after Athena's death: "And without us, these stories wouldn't get told" (91). Athena's name is mentioned less and less in Juniper's internal dialogue. Gradually, in June's mind and behaviour, it becomes her own book, rather than Athena's .

Rather than worrying about how she's representing herself and the community she wrote about, she hates on everyone from said community who provides feedback or criticism, because it challenges June's authorship/authority, and she can't have that. Never mind that they are right. She clearly feels that she's in the right. She goes from fearful, insecure writer to an arrogant, rude 'star', who refers to herself as acclaimed guest, when she has only ever published one successful book, that wasn't even hers.

When June does finally feel shame, after meeting the grandson of a man who fought in the Chinese Corp, she immediately runs away from the situation and tells her publisher to decline future event invitations. Rather than deal with the shame or reflect on it, she decides to doubles down and stick her head further in the sand. She cannot accept her own wrongdoing.

All in all, this novel was amazingly written. The downwards spiral of character development and mental loops that occur is frustrating to watch, but all too familiar (I mean, just turn on the news, it's everywhere). The only thing about the writing I struggled with is that it felt a bit repetitive at times. But definitely recommend reading it.

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