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A review by amy_trent
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I needed an audiobook for my spa day and this checked all the boxes. It was fun and engaging, and the narrator's voice was a great foil to all the relaxing, calming elements of the spa. The satirical humor was probably the part of this book I enjoyed the best. I know R.F. Kuang is getting some attention for the similarities between herself and the character of Athena, but I saw a lot of self-deprecating satire there, which I thought was witty, smart, and quite funny.
The subject matter, particularly the character June's obsessive/anxious relationship with social media, reaffirmed some of my life choices (but for the grace etc. etc.). The racism that is inherent to the narrator (and to characters in the trad publishing sphere) is at times very hard to read. I'm not just talking about the overt passages (there are some very painful ones regarding decisions with her editor about the plagiarized manuscript). R.F. Kuang comes at it from some subtler angles too. Like those times when the narrator is trying to insist that she's a true friend to Athena and marginalized communities. Yikes. What hellscapes has Ms. Kuang had to endure to write a character like June?
Despite its subject matter, the book is a delightful, addictive read. The writing is delicious. The satirical tone keeps this story from becoming maudlin. I had a lot of fun with this one, and am curious to explore R.F.'s backlist.
The subject matter, particularly the character June's obsessive/anxious relationship with social media, reaffirmed some of my life choices (but for the grace etc. etc.). The racism that is inherent to the narrator (and to characters in the trad publishing sphere) is at times very hard to read. I'm not just talking about the overt passages (there are some very painful ones regarding decisions with her editor about the plagiarized manuscript). R.F. Kuang comes at it from some subtler angles too. Like those times when the narrator is trying to insist that she's a true friend to Athena and marginalized communities. Yikes. What hellscapes has Ms. Kuang had to endure to write a character like June?
Despite its subject matter, the book is a delightful, addictive read. The writing is delicious. The satirical tone keeps this story from becoming maudlin. I had a lot of fun with this one, and am curious to explore R.F.'s backlist.