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rxbynelena 's review for:
Yellowface
by R.F. Kuang
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was so stressful to read, my god. I had to stop at several points.
R.F. Kuang is a genius. What a complex and insightful look into racism and cancel culture in the publishing industry.
She successfully argues that no white author will ever be truly “cancelled” because they’re allowed to rewrite their own reality 🤯
June is a really good antagonist in that she’s a truly terrible person. Her racism is insidious - she really doesn’t believe that she’s prejudiced, I mean, as she keeps telling us, she voted for Biden!
But throughout the novel she profits from and looks down upon the Chinese community.
Also, it’s a very meta moment to remember this book’s marketing campaign- it was EVERYWHERE.
This book deserves all the hype it got, but as Kuang herself writes, bestsellers can be chosen. The success of the book almost feels like a part of the story itself.
So so excited to read lots of author interviews and dig into this. Will be thinking about this for a long time!!
0.5 stars docked because of the Candace reveal at the end, which felt out of nowhere- however I think the actual mechanics of the plot mattered less than what this book had to say
R.F. Kuang is a genius. What a complex and insightful look into racism and cancel culture in the publishing industry.
She successfully argues that no white author will ever be truly “cancelled” because they’re allowed to rewrite their own reality 🤯
June is a really good antagonist in that she’s a truly terrible person. Her racism is insidious - she really doesn’t believe that she’s prejudiced, I mean, as she keeps telling us, she voted for Biden!
But throughout the novel she profits from and looks down upon the Chinese community.
Also, it’s a very meta moment to remember this book’s marketing campaign- it was EVERYWHERE.
This book deserves all the hype it got, but as Kuang herself writes, bestsellers can be chosen. The success of the book almost feels like a part of the story itself.
So so excited to read lots of author interviews and dig into this. Will be thinking about this for a long time!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation