Reviews with content warning for Death - Yellowface

Watching the protagonist dig herself into a deeper hole at every turn was hard to follow, but I did so with morbid and rapt attention. Perhaps it's because I see a version of myself in her that I slapped down at eighteen and have kept firmly in check for over a decade. Is there a shitty Juniper Song in me? Is she in all white women? What a dark thought.

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marissasa's review against another edition

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tense fast-paced

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

3.5

This book is the definition of unlikable main character, to the point of being a horrible, racist, narcissist, entitled, crazy, dumpster fire of a character. The premise is interesting and hooked me because it genuinely could be something that happens in real life given the state of the traditional publishing industry and all the book twitter and booktok drama that happens nowadays. While it was fun to read along and cringe and gasp at how the narrator continuously gets herself into deeper and deeper shit, I do wish there was deeper social commentary and more objective points on how Athena wasn't a perfect person nor a good person at times. Since we only get to hear about her flaws through the biased eyes of the main character, some of the nuance about Athena being a very privileged, pretentious, rich kid with connections at the same time as being a well-loved talented author giving much needed representation in the industry is lost. I also don't think the book needed to be as long as it was, it did drag in some parts where the main character was trying to figure out to write next or was being paranoid. Overall, this felt like watching ugly drama that you can't look away from unfold so you end up staying for the whole thing with popcorn in hand.

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shesreadingagain_'s review against another edition

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challenging reflective fast-paced

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

4.75

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sareidle's review

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dark tense fast-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

4.5

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nad_books623's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.0

All the characters were insufferable tbh but I think that was the point?? The book is an interesting comment on social media, how fame can change people, race, and privilege. The story was well written but there is something missing and I don’t think I would read it again.

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alex_lk's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

In the (paraphrased) words of booktuber Jack Edwards, it takes a lot of talent to write a book as enjoyable as this while simultaneously despising the main character.

Brb while I now proceed to read everything by R.F. Kuang.

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pantslint's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I'm a sucker for books with unreliable narrators and unlikable protagonists, and Yellowface is a fun combination of both. I think June's characterization was done well—this bitch is capital-R Racist—though sometimes I felt that Kuang made her likability (or lack thereof) so obvious to readers.

Like, June felt so cartoonishly racist at times and I couldn't do anything but just laugh at how much of a hater she is. I mean, c'mon.

Justifying her plagiarism as "reparations" (Ch. 3)? Her rant about how the Chinese characters all have the same last names (Ch. 4)? The "heartwarming illustration of Chinese virtue and honesty" narrative she inserts, about the Chinese laborers gifting money to a poor French family (Ch. 4)? Being surprised at every Asian person's "good English?" Describing Chinese food as "pungent" over and over again?

There's so much more; I feel like I'm writing out Luther's 95 Theses at this point.

I'm sure Kuang writes June so obviously gross because white readers have feel like they're separate from her June, right? This text is so meta. I wonder what kind of things Kuang had to concede and exaggerate to get something like this published.

I have thoughts on Athena too... though I think I'll explore it another time.

Content Warnings

jenniferbowman's review against another edition

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dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

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