Yellowface - R. F. Kuang

Yellowface

By R. F. Kuang

  • Release Date: 2023-05-16
  • Genre: Fiction & Literature
4 Score: 4 (From 1,119 Ratings)

Description

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK

“Hard to put down, harder to forget.” — Stephen King, #1 New York Times bestselling author

White lies. Dark humor. Deadly consequences… Bestselling sensation Juniper Song is not who she says she is, she didn’t write the book she claims she wrote, and she is most certainly not Asian American—in this chilling and hilariously cutting novel from R.F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel. 

Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena’s a literary darling. June Hayward is literally nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks.

So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I.

So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.

But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

With its totally immersive first-person voice, Yellowface grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media. R.F. Kuang’s novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable. 

Reviews

  • Great until it wasn’t…

    2
    By kbug17!
    Absolutely fell in love with this book and it’s interesting plot. I was sucked into it immediately until it felt completely dragged on. The ending was extremely predictable. Wouldn’t recommend.
  • No thank you

    1
    By Hawktale
    After reading the contrived and desperate Babel by the same author I don’t think I need to read this.
  • Fun!

    5
    By Demi İrem
    (English is not my first language, overlook my mistakes, please) I couldn’t stop reading! This book is fun, refreshing and… it’s so eloquently and vulnerable narrated that, it makes you be on the villain side (?). I really enjoyed this book :).
  • Dissapointed

    3
    By dogamonk
    Looked forward to reading this book because of all the hype. I could not get past my extreme dislike for the main character. I kept hoping for some surprise twist in the end but it didn’t come.
  • Captivating

    5
    By Courtney Heb
    This book took a twist that was at times creepy and completely unpredictable. Beautiful writing and unique storyline. The ending was too abrupt for me, but allows you to craft your own ending.
  • Love the writing style, yawn on the plot

    2
    By iluvsourstuff33
    Love her writing style but the best part of the book was the beginning… hoped the fun would continue through the book, but i was left feeling like “that’s it?!”
  • Authorship and Cancel Appropriation

    4
    By Richard Bakare
    R. F. Kuang’s “Yellowface” is a refreshing new and current take on culture appropriation. We watch a main character go through a psychological devolution from the firecracker of an open line to the last. Our main character sits square in the grey area and makes us question every side of the argument. Juniper is a “Karen” by accident and a deserving target because of her need for approval over her moral convictions.    Juniper’s personal failings and her relationships are the perfect dramatic canvass. R.F. Kuang uses that backdrop to expand upon her social commentary. Kuang uses the plot developments and character arcs to dive deep into analysis on the literary world. Making you wonder how much of her musings were personal. In a way, her critique extends to the readers, the authors, the publishers, and everything between. You cannot help but reflect on how much you are a part of the problems in what makes a book “successful.” The most refreshing part of this book is how Kuang provides a clever take on the cultural zeitgeist. She addresses “Cancel Culture,” social media, and what reputation means in the digital age. No one comes out looking like a hero and the judgement and accusations are at times, worse than the crime. The stripping away of context is what devolves truth and facts. Creating room for performative activists to fill the gaps. I appreciate that Kuang fills in the context over time but leaves us to make our own judgements on all the characters and situations. Her style is easy to read and engaging. Without spoiling it the book's twists and turns also blur the lines of which genre you would place it in. The book reminds me a lot of “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” and how it explores on the creative process. Kuang writing the perspective of a White woman, who stole work from an Asian woman, echoes the Robert Downey Jr. take on Black Face in "Tropic Thunder." It challenges every thing you think about authenticity and who gets to tell a story about a culture. I recommend "Yellowface" for anyone interested in the behind the scenes of the literary world. You will also get a great critique on the perils of social media. Most important, you will leave with at least new questions on cultural appropriation.
  • 3.5/5

    4
    By phenylgroup
    Borderline thought provoking; easy to read and finish; perfect rhythm and plot unravel. More of a beach-read than its promotional focus on racial conflict.
  • Mind-blown

    5
    By Gearbe
    Rebecca does it again !! This book was out of this world. A must read I’m still reeling from it.
  • Blah, blah, blahhhhhh

    1
    By Murphy105
    😝unrealistic ramblings of a narcissist

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