That feeling of relief when your most anticipated read of the year turns out to be a five star masterpiece. Yellowface was absolutely brilliant and it’s just confirmed to me that R.F. Kuang is one of my absolute favourite authors (I would have said this after reading Babel last year but its nice to read another book and have it confirmed). Rebecca’s has a way of writing that is so beautiful and even though she has written in different genres, her talent for her craft shines through, I just love her and her books.
So, Yellowface follows the story of June (Juniper), a white woman who steals the manuscript of an epic war novel from of her dead friend(?) Athena, a Chinese-American woman and passes it off as her own. The success that June has always craved is now hers, but someone knows she didn’t write the book that made her famous, so how far will she go to protect herself?
This book is funny, cynical and extremely clever. I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t super drawn in at first, it took a couple of chapters for me to get in, but when I was in, there was no getting me out. There are discussions about what drives publishers to produce what they do and the treatment of authors who are within minority groups as a means to sell more books, tokenism at its finest. Yellowface presents nuanced and deep conversations about cultural appropriation and the value of minority voices.
As a reader, I felt a sense of unease throughout the entire book, much like that of a thriller but this book keeps you on your toes in such a subtle way. One of the most compelling elements of this novel though is Rebecca’s ability to write a truly infuriating protagonist. June was whiny, bitter, and lives her life like she is owed something for not being as successful as her friend was. I didn’t feel sorry for her at any point throughout this book, but my god was she entertaining to read.
Overall, this book is compelling, complex and brilliant, I would genuinely read Rebecca’s shopping list at this point. I loved it.

Easily the best book of 2023 so far. It gripped me from the first chapter and maintained the intensity and the suspense until the very end. Every time I thought it couldn’t get any wilder, it found a way to surprise me.

The portrayal of racism, both from individual characters and from entire industries and sections of society, was the opposite of subtle, but it was never heavy handed. Even more brilliantly written was the response to racism – fragile and injured white people, outraged online crowds who can’t explain exactly why they are outraged and are easily appeased, and media professionals crafting meaningless apologies and taking no real accountability. The novel held up a mirror to the worst parts of the internet and rolled its eyes at the collective performance.

It was the parody of the publishing industry that I was most excited to read, and Kuang brought it to life in a way that exposed all of the dark sides while still making space for humour. It was like reading juicy gossip, but then it made you feel guilty for enjoying a story that was founded on so much trauma. It made you feel complicit.

The protagonist was awful but her awfulness was so compelling to read. She was oblivious to her own racism and bias, and too self-obsessed to consider the impact of her actions beyond the pain she brought herself. Her obsessive resentment and ability to position herself as the victim in every scenario were so spot on.

I could write for pages about how excellent this novel was. I felt a rush of adrenaline as I was nearing the end, and I know I am going to be thinking about it for the rest of the year. Exceptional.

Rebecca is such a brilliant writer; moving from fantasy to dark academia to fiction, she does not miss a beat in creating a brilliant and sharp plotline. Yellowface is an attack on publishing as we know it. There was nobody better to write it.

A few weeks ago, I was approved to read Yellowface by R.F Kuang on NetGalley. I was excited to get started due to the amount of hype surrounding Kuang's work and this books release, however, I actually started to feel a bit intimated and kept putting it off.

"Athena Liu is a literary darling and June Hayward is literally nobody.

When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals her unpublished manuscript and publishes it as her own under the ambiguous name Juniper Song."

I finally started Yellowface just a few days ago and I was hooked from the very first chapter. It's unlike anything I'd read before. It's a satirical thriller that explores the darker side of the publishing world.

The narrator, June, comes across as delusional, increasingly unhinged and fundamentally racist. The way her mind works is fascinating. The way she can spin the narrative to always place herself as the victim and justify her actions is almost an artform. June makes for one of the most dislikable and fascinating characters I've ever encountered....

...however, at times, she almost seems relatable. Did I just feel sorry for her? Am I problematic? Does reverse racism exist? Is cancel culture necessary to show support and defend marginalised people or is it performative, toxic and actually quite damaging to the original narrative?

Yellowface deals with some undoubtedly heavy, thought-provoking and dark themes, but it's surprisingly accessible. It's obviously littered with micro-aggressions and displays of white privilege that can make for an uncomfortable read. The dialogue is unbelievably sharp and witty. Yellowface is an immersive and entertaining read that will leave your head spinning.

A witty, irreverent and beautifully dark look at the publishing industry, often hilarious and always always ironically truthful.

Everything that happens in this clever, intelligent plot is realistic and quite scary, told through the eyes of our main protagonist June who is at turns unlikeable and sympathetic.

Themes of diversity and the realities of the human condition within a real world and social media setting, Yellowface is an absolute must read for anyone who has published, wants to publish, or indeed has ever read a book.

Absolutely brilliant.

Yellowface explores racism and the publishing industry from the point of view of a “Karen.”
It was uncomfortable to read sometimes and felt a bit chaotic in the plotting at times, although I think it was intentional. It was also compulsively readable and angering in the best ways. The narrator was very unlikeable and unreliable, which made me want to read it more.
I really enjoyed this book although I’m not sure enjoyed is the best word to use. I was full of anger while I read it but I think that was the intention. I’d recommend it.

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. The Borough Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Yellowface’ by Rebecca F. Kuang.

There has been a great deal of prepublication buzz about this novel, which is a radical change of direction for the author, who as R.F Kuang had published the epic Chinese military fantasy trilogy, The Poppy Wars, and then last year the historical fantasy, ‘Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence’, which has won a number of prestigious awards.

By contrast ‘Yellowface’ is a contemporary literary thriller that takes a satirical swipe at the publishing industry, social media, racism, cultural appropriation, and cancel culture. I won’t say much about the plot though will provide some details for context.

June Hayward and Athena Liu became friends at Yale and expected that they would be rising literary stars together. Yet Athena’s debut saw her hailed as a cross-genre literary darling, while June’s debut was something of a damp squib. June tries to be happy for her friend’s many successes, though underneath is resentful, thinking that no one is interested in stories by basic white girls.

When Athena dies in an accident in front of June, she finds herself faced with the ultimate temptation in the form of the typed first draft of Athena’s new manuscript. Could she steal it, continue working on it, and present for publication as her own?

It’s not really a spoiler to reveal that this is indeed what June does and ‘The Last Front’, a novel about the experiences of the Chinese Labour Corps during the Great War, is published under the more ethnically ambiguous pen-name of Juniper Song. She then proceeds to live on tenterhooks in case she is exposed as well as weathers various controversies about the novel.

I feel that with ‘Yellowface’ Kuang has written a novel that is bound to polarise readers as she asks searching questions about who is permitted to write stories.

At one point June responds to a question at an event as whether it’s right for a white author - an author who is not Chinese to write this kind of story. June responds: “I think it’s very dangerous to start censoring what authors should and shouldn’t write.” June goes on to speak quite eloquently about writing being an exercise in empathy, reading allowing us to live in someone else’s shoes, and literature building bridges; “it makes our world larger, not smaller”.

Of course, the reader has been given access through the novel’s first person narrative to June’s much more snarky inner dialogue that contrasts with her measured outer responses. There’s no doubt that both June and Athena are unlikeable characters, indeed ‘Yellowface’ is full of them with the exception of Patricia Liu, Athena’s grieving mother.

June is determined to survive no matter who she has to throw under the bus to do so. Kuang’s genius is to create a character that I wanted to see get her comeuppance and yet also to get away with it. There’s no doubt that June has a Scarlett O’Hara, “after all, tomorrow is another day”, determination.

Given its themes, ‘Yellowface’ is bound to ruffle some feathers. However, I expect that Rebecca F. Kuang is well prepared for any controversy that comes her way.

Overall, I found ‘Yellowface’ an absolute stunner of a literary thriller that is intelligent, thought provoking, ironic and darkly humorous. After reading the advance copy in a single day, I purchased its hardback and audiobook editions and look forward to news of her next project.

Highly recommended.

This story had me holding my breath the entire damn time. It's tense and thrilling and above all so well thought out. The levels to it are insane, you find yourself slightly caring for the narrator in blind moments where you lose yourself in her version of events, then you chide yourself for momentarily siding with her, and then the cycle continues.

I thought this was a good, satirical peek into the darker side of publishing. I could see what was coming as we headed to the end, but was still enjoyable. Will be picking up Kuang's previous books.

Thanks to Harper Collins for the advanced copy via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I love RF Kuang, Yellowface is such a different vibe but I loved it. If you have been in the book community for a long time this will resonate on a deeper level. The characters were unlikable yet you can't help but want the best for them. The story was a little but repetitive at times but that is the nature of the publishing world. I was compelled from the start, and needed to know how it ended. 4.5 stars!

I enjoyed this book but I wasn't gripped by it. At times the storyline was slow and drawn out. Not one for me

**Thank you to Netgalley for the e-copy in exchange for an honest review**

I had never read any R.F. Kuang book despite being very interested in them, so when I saw Yellowface on Netgalley, I immediately jumped on the opportunity to read it.
As the author says in the Aknowledgments, this is indeed a horror story, the tale of a woman driven by desire and jealousy who will go to great lengths to achieve what she sets out to get.

I loved this book, I read through it in a day as I was engrossed by the pov of June Hayward. I knew from the synopsis what this book was about, but I didn't expect it to seem so real, I felt like I was in June's skin the way she tries to get into Athena's.

June was so unlikeable that I loved it. Truly, I'm a sucker for unlikeable characters, and this one really did hit the spot for me. I couldn't believe how confident she felt in her own ideas of the world, of the injustice she felt she was being subject to in the publishing industry and the advantages POC supposedly had according to her. She thought the universe owed her success and kindness because she has been through hardships and works hard, but she seems to forget that is not how the world works in reality. She was truly despicable, even in her ways of making herself seem innocent yo her own self, of saying nothing was planned or such things, when we then catch her saying things such as "I imagine the optics of an Instagram post of me eating catered Chinese food, surrounded by admiring Chinese fans.". She was also very critical of other people's way of life, such as her family's, stating that they had a boring life. She lived for the dream she had, and nothing else seemed good enough for her.
And I can not talk about characters without bringing up Athena. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that she was not sanctified in this book. Of course in the public eye right after her death she isn't criticised, but for all her wrongdoings, June helps us to form ourselves a more nuanced image of Athena (some other characters too but you'll have to see it for yourselves).

Finally, I liked the important place social media had in all this as it can not be forgotten in this day and age. Bookish communities, whether they be destined to authors or readers, are nowadays heavily reliant on social media. Someone's reputation can be made or unmade on there, but let's not forget that "cancel culture" doesn't affect everyone the same way, as is shown in this book.

I would very much recommend this book if, like me, you're a chronically online person who loves anything related to books and good writing, with unlikeable characters that will make you seeth.

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

I had seen so many positive reviews of this book that I was delighted to be approved for an ARC.

The narrator, June, is very convincing in her story about editing and publication of her dead friend's Athena novel. She is utterly convinced that she has done nothing wrong and the descriptions of her logic throughout are entertaining. She embraces her new world of being a successful author, enjoying the money and the literary acclaim but is plagued by trolls on social media.

The book raises some interesting questions about the publishing industry like who has the right to write about certain historical events and the publishers selection process and also has an interesting take on cancel culture.

A very thought provoking and engrossing read. A lot of people will be reading this over the Summer. Have you read it yet?

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Yellowface is out today.

#netgalleyuk #scottishreader #irishbookstagram

Athena Liu Has everything: literary success, admiration of the reading public, intellect and incredible looks. June Hayward is another story. Struggling to gain critical acclaim, she feels outshined by her more successful friend. So when Athena dies suddenly, leaving June alone in her apartment with a brilliant manuscript that no one else has seen, June decides to finish Athena’s work and publish the book under her own name...

Yellowface is an unusual book. First of all, you would not expect it from a writer known for her excellent fantasy fiction. But mainly because it brings to light the darker side of publishing and book-related social media. It presents the stress and anxiety of an aspiring author fighting for their book deal, more recognition or a place among literary celebrities. It shows how racist the publishing industry can be while seemingly still promoting diversity and inclusion. It also explores the ideas around authorship, like when someone else’s ideas and stories should be acknowledged or do only a member of a minority has a right to talk about their history and experiences?

To sum up, it is a fascinating and thought-provoking read. Most of all, it is well-written, fast-paced and full of rather dark humour.

Stunning, amazing and completely twisted! I just could not get enough of Rebecca’s satire thriller. A book about struggling writers Vs successful writers; about the black, white and grey areas of the literary world; the greed and hypocrisy of the publishing industry; about the toxicity of social media warriors and about the power and racism that sadly still exists in the world today.

A lot of heavy, dark issues are cleverly handled: questions of cultural appropriation; human exploitation and dispossession are dealt with intellectual brilliance. This novel is so compelling and so engaging that it is actually a whole lot of fun! The premise, the quality of writing, the unapologetic witticism - everything is perfection!

This book is highly addictive and deeply thought provoking with a controversial, racist, unlikable m/c, that you can’t help but feel compelled to like. I mean, I can’t believe I’m saying this as a PoC but I actually felt a tad sorry for Juniper (and Athena) as we watch their lives and careers explode in a very Macbeth style tragedy.

RF Kuang is a literary genius - a queen - who has proven once again that her words can carry powerful meaning and provide enjoyment at the same time (and that with ANY genre she chooses to embrace).

5 star plus 💛

A bracingly dark satire on the publishing trade and the viciousness of social media as well as a valuable contribution to the cultural appropriation debate. But that lofty sentence doesn't cover the delicious readability of this book about a white author who steals her dead Asian friend Athena Liu's unpublished manuscript and passes it off as her own. As she digs herself deeper in her deception June becomes enmired in the kind of mudslinging and nastiness only the internet can dish up. I found the ending a little implausible but was thoroughly entertained by this funny and fierce novel.

I would read R.F Kuang’s shopping list, that is how much I love her books. After hearing about this synopsis I needed it immediately in my hands. I always have high expectation when reading their books and this book exceeding them. Everyone better go read this book.

I’d somehow absorbed all the directness and verve of Athena’s writing. I felt, as Kanye put it, harder, better, faster, stronger. I felt like the kind of person who now listened to Kanye.”

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang is out today and is already probably the buzziest book of the year. I haven’t read anything like it in a very long time so for me, the hype is deserved!

Athena Liu has it all; she’s young and beautiful and is the toast of the literary scene. Everyone loves her and her work, except for her friend June, who badly wants to be as recognised for her abilities as a writer as Athena is.

When Athena dies unexpectedly in front of her, June sees her opportunity and takes Athena’s new manuscript. What follows is June trying to convince herself, everyone in the world, and us the readers, that she is a good person and a great writer, and not just a mediocre white woman profiting from the work of a talented Asian woman.

This has been billed as a thriller and my heart was certainly beating faster when I read it, but that was more due to the absolute cringe and horror every time June did something else atrocious.

It’s an incredibly engaging read but I fought an internal battle every time I picked it up between being desperate to find out what would happen next, and not wanting to face into the next crisis June would bring upon herself.

It’s also a real skewering of the publishing industry, and how that intersects with “hot topic themes” of the moment like diversity, online cancellation culture, and representation in the books we read.
That old question of “who gets to tell which story and why” pops up a lot, and reminded me of the discourse surrounding books like “The Help”, and “American Dirt”; both name checked in Yellowface.

This is a thought provoking but gripping read; there are few protagonists written like June; a villain that completely believes she’s the victim. She’s also not entirely unsympathetic. When she’s dealing with the mental health fallout of being cancelled, I did feel for her, and I think that’s the genius of Kuang’s work.

This is a hell of a read. Funny, smart, timely, and a real page turner. Recommend!

This is a intriguing and a thought-provoking read.
The premise is fascinating and very well written, but personally I found the conflict hard to read and the central character's journey in the story may be hard for some to read and relate to. I think my own rating reflects my own thoughts, rather than casting any doubt on the skill of the author as the story is great, just not that enjoyable for me to read.
The characters jump into life and are perfectly captured and I think that the story does a great job challenging perception, social media and I think the juxtaposition of modern life. I am incredibly grateful for the publisher allowing me to read this prior to the release date, as it is a book to appreciate and to think about.
As time goes on, I think the importance and significance of this book will grow in stature and in voice.

To say I enjoyed this book feel a little off, it's like saying you enjoy watching car crashes or spending time with unhinged people...but it can't be denied that I found it truly engrossing.

It's bordering on horror, you have a front row seat (from the first person narrative) to the absolute depths that June will go to in order to be an acclaimed write. She is a superbly crafted character, as deplorable as Nurse Ratched or Annie Wilkes - absolutely zero redeeming traits and I'm fine with reading characters like this provided they don't veer into cartoonish villians (which I don't think June does), I don't have find protagonists likeable and I enjoy an unreliable narrator.

I can totally understand how the themes in the book, and Kuang's treatment of them, would jar with people and make this a divisive book, my engagement with it will be completely different to that of someone who has experience of the racism and prejudice that is the underpinning. I'm not going to address whether it 'should' have been published as I have taken it as satire, and this discourse is separate from a reader review in my opinion.

Yellowface gives you a glimpse behind the curtain of publishing, and spotlights the lack of morals and ethics that can be displayed when money and fame are in the frame. I have no idea if it is an authentic view of this world, but it made for a gripping story. Also, the decision to make Athena quite unlikeable too works well, it gives you pause on deciding who are the good and bad people...it seems to me that they're all capable of bad things (although not all on the same place on a scale) and that makes for a more realistic set of characters.

The writing flows very quickly and that adds to the tension that mounts as you read on, unable to look away.