A review by dogoodwithbooks
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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

When I say you need to read this book, you need to READ this book. I literally just finished this book and I am still so speechless. 

If you’re familiar in the bookish community, you most likely heard about this book in some capacity since its release this past Spring. Yellowface has been on my radar for months and I was so excited when I heard that this was one of my book club picks. With all the accolades this book has received, as well as being selected as a Reese’s Book Club Pick, I can say without a doubt that this book is worth all the hype. 

This book is addicting in every way and I had such a hard time with putting this book down. I really liked how this book serves as a mirror to the biases currently found in the publishing industry and I would recommend this book if you want a novel that dives into those issues. Additionally, with its narrator (June) being one of the most unreliable narrators in all of literature, Yellowface is a wild ride of one woman’s length to maintain her status after stealing her late friend’s unfinished manuscript and publishing it as her own. In no way is June a likeable character in any sense (as with for almost all of these characters). At the same time, June is such a master manipulator and you will just know that you can never be certain if she feels any remorse for her actions in the book or if anything she said in her accounts are true. 

That being said, if you haven’t read this book already, you need to do so as soon as possible. 

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