A review by amiably
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was absolutely phenomenal and R.F. Kuang did exactly what she set out to do. This is a personal satire of the publishing industry and how race affects it. I suspect that the author projected some of her own experiences into the book. The execution of the unreliable narrator was masterful; June is a completely racist and hateful thief. Despite this, I loved the decision to write the book through her eyes. The ending was a bit disappointing:
whose book is this, June’s or Candice’s? Does June eventually publish her pseudo-autobiography or is this the book criticizing Athena and Candice? I personally found the ending a bit too ambiguous.
I will definitely be reading more of R.F. Kuang’s novels in the future.
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