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xx_ruby_xx 's review for:
Yellowface
by R.F. Kuang
dark
emotional
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
It's safe to say I really enjoyed this book given how I devoured it in two days. So unbelievably witty, and I'm an absolute sucker for unreliable (and crazy) narrators. Often when authors write about the internet it comes off as someone who has never had Twitter account. This book does the opposite, as it fully encapsulates the horrors of the internet. I've seen countless influencers get cancelled, hell, I've even participated in internet cancel culture before, and this book absolutely nails it. Another aspect I loved about this book was how nuanced it presented the issues at hand. Yes, there are glaring issues with a white author supposedly writing about Chinese Labor Camps, but is dictating what authors can and cannot write about a form of censorship? Yes, stealing another authors work is objectively bad, but what constitutes as stealing and what constitutes as inspiration? Yes, authors are often inspired by the world around them, but can you plagiarize a conversation with a friend?
The one glaring issue I had with the novel is how it wraps up. Simply put, I found the plot-twist with Candice too ambitious and utterly unrealistic. I feel I would have liked the book more if it ended with Juniper writing her new project, still trying to justify all her wrongdoings.
The one glaring issue I had with the novel is how it wraps up. Simply put, I found the plot-twist with Candice too ambitious and utterly unrealistic. I feel I would have liked the book more if it ended with Juniper writing her new project, still trying to justify all her wrongdoings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism