A review by readswithnatalieb
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

4.5

I had no idea what I was getting myself into and boy did I enjoy this one. It is wild and messy and most of all, satire. Truly a “car crash on the highway, you can’t look away from because you need to know all the details” kind of book.

June is an unlikable character from the jump. She shows you, the reader, all her cards and she doesn’t have one redeeming quality. Chaos ensues and the entire book was like reading her diary each day of her life after her friend, Athena, passes away.

Her thoughts are quite jumpy and paranoid, which was conveyed in the writing. If you’re looking for a well thought out string of words, this book is not it! It’s frustrating yet provides so much dialogue for important conversations within the publishing industry (honestly, all industries). It’s blunt and reminder, satire too, but I imagine two middle fingers waving around during the entirety of this story.

I highly recommend the audiobook if you’re able because the narration is perfect and the story flew by with how entertaining it was. 

Content warnings: racism, death, cultural appropriation, sexual assault, suicidal thoughts, bullying, panic attacks/disorders