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A review by olivyre
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
4.75
Spoilers!
And once again, she takes the cake.
It was disgusting reading from June’s perspective. I never want a peek into her mind again. But what a great way to induce reflection in the reader - by putting us into the shoes of a pitiful woman who has failed at life and begins revealing hidden biases that morph into out-right racism. It’s genius I tell you. But never again do I want to go back in that brain.
June has such a victim complex that she proposed some ok-ish reasons for her actions in the beginning. I could understand why she might publish Athena’s work under her name and continue the lie but it delved deeper and deeper into a pit that she did not step back from and she really lost her marbles.
There was a cyclic pattern of regret to self-righteousness that kept revolving and how it ended was very fitting even though it wasn’t satisfying. I did want her to get a little more comeuppance.
And of course Kuang’s writing is excellent as always.
‘’Do you know what its like to pitch a book and be told they already have an Asian writer? That they can’t put out two minority stories in the same season? That Athena Liu already exists, so you’re redundant? This industry is built on silencing us, stomping us into the ground, and hurling money at white people to produce racist stereotypes of us.’’
And once again, she takes the cake.
It was disgusting reading from June’s perspective. I never want a peek into her mind again. But what a great way to induce reflection in the reader - by putting us into the shoes of a pitiful woman who has failed at life and begins revealing hidden biases that morph into out-right racism. It’s genius I tell you. But never again do I want to go back in that brain.
June has such a victim complex that she proposed some ok-ish reasons for her actions in the beginning. I could understand why she might publish Athena’s work under her name and continue the lie but it delved deeper and deeper into a pit that she did not step back from and she really lost her marbles.
There was a cyclic pattern of regret to self-righteousness that kept revolving and how it ended was very fitting even though it wasn’t satisfying. I did want her to get a little more comeuppance.
And of course Kuang’s writing is excellent as always.
‘’Do you know what its like to pitch a book and be told they already have an Asian writer? That they can’t put out two minority stories in the same season? That Athena Liu already exists, so you’re redundant? This industry is built on silencing us, stomping us into the ground, and hurling money at white people to produce racist stereotypes of us.’’