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A review by gia0203
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
challenging
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What a book! I devoured it in a day. I was often so enraged that I had to look away from the page - my partner can testify to the irritated noises I kept making.
There was a lot of nuance in this book and I think it gave me a new perspective on intersectionality and white privilege. The protagonists complete unawareness of her own subconscious bias is so frustrating and yet every single white person, like myself, is guilty on some level of the same thing.
Also, the sheer amount of microaggressions, packed into this book is astounding! Some are obvious and some are not so much, and there will be some that, coming from a white lens, I won’t even have noticed.
It took a while for the ending to click with me, but once it did I thought it was genius. Those last two pages were just incredible, and in general the unravelling of the protagonist’s life was so satisfying. I like how you have to come to your own conclusions about what happened to her.
I have a lot of thoughts on this book, some highlights of the book for me were:
June’s love-hate toxic homoerotic relationship with Athena
The scene where June goes to that association club and feels deeply ashamed and embarrassed (as she should). I feel like that scene sums up the book as a whole.
The scene where June finishes The Last Front - it’s like you’re seeing into her mind as she writes! It’s an incredible few pages, it feels so real
Athena’s writing method and the controversy surrounding it - particularly when June was raped. This really elevated the novel as it added a complexity and nuance to the narrative, which before that was very direct and on the nose (I liked that too though!)
The way June’s inner monologue became increasingly more xenophobic as she gets away with more and more.
And finally, the scene where June refuses to get a sensitivity reader. I feel like this scene also sums up the book as a whole, and it’s one of the moments which directly defies the narrative June is trying to convince you of.
I read this for a social group in June so I’m excited to talk about it then.
There was a lot of nuance in this book and I think it gave me a new perspective on intersectionality and white privilege. The protagonists complete unawareness of her own subconscious bias is so frustrating and yet every single white person, like myself, is guilty on some level of the same thing.
Also, the sheer amount of microaggressions, packed into this book is astounding! Some are obvious and some are not so much, and there will be some that, coming from a white lens, I won’t even have noticed.
It took a while for the ending to click with me, but once it did I thought it was genius. Those last two pages were just incredible, and in general the unravelling of the protagonist’s life was so satisfying. I like how you have to come to your own conclusions about what happened to her.
June’s love-hate toxic homoerotic relationship with Athena
The scene where June goes to that association club and feels deeply ashamed and embarrassed (as she should). I feel like that scene sums up the book as a whole.
The scene where June finishes The Last Front - it’s like you’re seeing into her mind as she writes! It’s an incredible few pages, it feels so real
Athena’s writing method and the controversy surrounding it - particularly when June was raped. This really elevated the novel as it added a complexity and nuance to the narrative, which before that was very direct and on the nose (I liked that too though!)
The way June’s inner monologue became increasingly more xenophobic as she gets away with more and more.
And finally, the scene where June refuses to get a sensitivity reader. I feel like this scene also sums up the book as a whole, and it’s one of the moments which directly defies the narrative June is trying to convince you of.
I read this for a social group in June so I’m excited to talk about it then.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia
Moderate: Death, Grief, Rape, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts