Yellowface is my first foray into R.F. Kuang's work, and I'm happy to report that it did not disappoint. This is a quick read with an easy writing style and an utterly gripping pace - I finished it in 5 hours. If you’re in a reading slump, I guarantee this will snap you out of it.

Reading June’s actions was like watching a train wreck. She becomes more and more unhinged as the story unfolds and you just can’t look away.

This book goes ALL in on the satire. Kuang manages to infuse the story with wit and humor, all while tackling some heavy themes like race, social media cancel culture, representation, and identity. The social commentary and political discourse, while heavy-handed at times, inspire a raft of thought-provoking questions. The scathing look into the publishing industry was so fascinating and I ate it upp. Kuang’s acerbic critique felt so meta.

As expected, this is a banger and a compulsively readable book. Anyone who is on booktwt or in the publishing industry will surely appreciate this. Please please get this book, you won’t regret it!

"Jealousy is constantly comparing myself to her and coming up short; is panicking that I'm not writing well enough or fast enough, that I am not, and never will be, enough."

June Hayward, or Juniper Song, as she later calls herself to attract sales to her book, is a Yale graduate and a failed author. Her first book was considered to be unsuccessful, whilst her frenemy (who also graduated from Yale the same year as her), Athena Liu, has become a bestselling author and is raking in her success. One night, June witnesses a freak-accident that leads to Athena's death in her own abode. June also finds Athena's unpublished manuscript the same night, which is about the unrecognised contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I. She steals the manuscript, claims it as her own work and publishes it using a Juniper Song as a pseudonym and promptly becomes a bestselling author. But what is the cost of all the lies, and will June get caught out? Furthermore, is it acceptable for her to write a book about a race that is not her own?

I devoured this book in a few days. June is an unreliable, unlikeable and ignorant narrator, and you can see her inherent racism and white supremacist views very early on in the book. Whilst the plot twist was predictable for me (however, I wouldn't let this put you off as I'm usually good at picking up on the plot twist very early on), the book tackles a number of themes, including discrimination and racism in the publishing industry, whilst also being a gripping thriller. The book also touches on (and mentions!) the controversy that has surrounded the publication of American Dirt and The Help and echoes what actually happened in real-life with these authors. The only downside was I felt the second half was a lot more fast-paced than the first, but the last few chapters felt a bit too rushed for my liking.

This is the first R. F. Kuang book I have read, and it definitely won't be the last! Her writing style is enthralling and keeps you hooked from beginning to end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the publishing industry (a few of my friends have told me it's very realistic!), enjoys a thriller and loves R. F. Kuang's previous work.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and R. F. Kuang for the advanced review copy! Yellowface will be available on May 25th, and I can't wait for you all to read it!

You can also find my review on my Goodreads page and Instagram.

A novel that gave an insight into the world of publishing, of jealousy, backstabbing, of representation, and who we are..
June was our main protagonist, the author rejected, unknown, envious of Athena, the one with the massive advances, all the success.
June faces the ultimate dilemma when a freak accident sees Athena literally dead at her feet. A manuscript on a desk the chance of fame, money and the success June craved.
Did I like what June did? Did I even like June herself? Maybe not at the beginning, but as the book progressed, I read her arguments with those in social media and her own internal thoughts, began to like her reasoning, the chances she took.
Yes she had regrets, yes it began to break her, but it opened up so many more questions of cultural identity, misrepresentation, and the cut throat business of the publishing world.
I loved it
T

WOW. I was left completely speechless by this book. It was my first foray into this author's (highly recommended) catalogue of writing and I wasn't at all disappointed. The masterfully crafted story of Athena Liu and Juniper/June made me feel every emotion under the sun. I was shocked, horrified, humbled and laughed aloud at various points in their complicated web of their story unfolded. There was so much packed in here that by the final page my only thoughts were "I'm exhausted... in the best possible way."

I think Rebecca F Kuang has come for everyone's throats with this - book reviewers, Twitter, Goodreads, the whole lot - so succinctly and pointedly that it almost feels odd for writing this review in the first place. We're all implicated in Yellowface's critique. I couldn't even begin to unpack the content I found most enraging - June's entitlement, her haunting, the white entitlement or the delusion of her career. Two wrongs don't make a right, Junie, but god love ya for trying.

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book on exchange for an honest review.

I’ve really had to think hard about how to review this. A totally different subject matter than the previous book I’ve read by the author, but still very well written.
The first third of the book had me hooked but the middle section did feel like it went on far too long.
I found it hard to connect with the main character because she was so unlikeable, which I realise is partially the point, but I find it hard to become invested in someone who doesn’t seem to have any redeeming features!
I liked how the book was written to blur the lines between fiction and reality - it was hard to differentiate at times. The topics of racism and insight into the publishing industry was interesting, though, understandably, uncomfortable at times.
Overall a good read but I do feel it could have been shorter and had the same effect. I would still recommend and I’ll definitely be picking up her other books to read.

Set in the world of publishing and social media circles, “Yellowface” is a topical, funny and satirical contemporary tale of creativity, ownership and a discussion on whose voice is more important.

Main character, June Hayward, is a white author, jealous of her friend’s fame. Athena Liu is a darling of the publishing world – glamorous, charismatic, and hugely successful. So when Athena dies in a freak accident in June’s presence, she steals the manuscript of Athena’s new novel about Chinese laborers in WWI, and after some changes publishes it under a new pen name Juniper Song. The book is successful, but it not only brings justified criticism from Asian American communities, but it also wakes up Athena’s ghost…

This story itself would be a great narrative, but Rebecca Kuang goes a step further in making June a narrator of the book. It’s a perfect portrait of the white privilege in publishing – as she struggles with lack of success, writers block , being in a shadow of a woman who might (or might not) be her friend, June embraces her chance to be the next published sensation. The first person narration shows her justifying her actions, rationalising her racism, and assuaging white guilt when she re-writes the manuscript into a melodramatic story palatable for the white market.

This book reminded me of the discourse following the publication of "American Dirt" by Jeanine Cummings, and the role of social media in it. In her book Kuang explores similar themes – positioning white narratives above those written by people of colour, the lack of awareness of the writers of their own privilege and the lack of diversity in publishing in general. But she also talks about the writing process, inspiration and who gets to write diverse voices. It is a completely different book from her previous writing, but for me it is as much compelling as "Babel".

Junie and Athena (late twenties) were just hanging out when Athena choked on pancake and died; and Junie stole the first draft manuscript of her latest book. They had been friends at Yale, started writing then and submitted their first books at more or less the same time. But, while Athena’s was hailed as a masterpiece and bought by a top publisher, Junie’s went to a small publisher, for very little, and then more or less sank without trace. There are many reasons why their careers diverged, but Junie feels that one might be their different backgrounds; Athena Liu is Korean-American while Juniper Hayward is white. The publishing industry, she feels, is biased against her because it is pro diversity, so Asian wins! The stolen manuscript concerns the forgotten history of Chinese labourers who were brought to Europe during WWI, to assist the British, misused, abused, and discarded after the conflict. Junie edits and significantly rewrites the manuscript and sends it to her agent who seeks to place it with a top publisher. It is unlike her previous writing but that isn’t the problem, the problem is that one of the many battles in the “Culture Wars” concerns people writing about characters of a different ethnicity, with histories which are not their histories. To get round this, the book is published using Junie’s middle name, which happens to be Song (a joke by her mother). Juniper Song sounds East Asian. This is the point at which June becomes, in the eyes of many, a Yellowface, a white American passing as Asian. The plot thereafter revolves around the reactions of these different groups, Twitter and Tik Tok feature a lot, as the book becomes a best seller and June makes a lot of money. Does she sink or swim? Does she ever acknowledge that the book started as Athena’s? More importantly, what will her next book be about – will she be forced to keep on the Yellowface?
I think I have to categorise this as a mystery thriller, with overtones of satirical comedy (some bits certainly edge on the lampoon). The writing is strong and pacy and, most of all, in a vernacular which is both young and (I’m assuming) accurate for the demographic. The plot is well constructed but a bit undisciplined, or perhaps that’s an effect of business in the publishing world – the book is quite scathing about the way that world operates; a brave thing for an author to do. The dénouement is logical and part of it took me by surprise, although it did feel a bit scrabbled. The context of the title makes it clear that racism is an underlying feature of the story, but it’s mostly about racist opinions expressed by ethnic East Asians about the “West”. The author is Chinese-American and is already a best seller, with four acclaimed books. This gives her considerable authority to examine these tropes, more so than might be applauded if the position was reversed. So, decent plot, interesting (though unlikeable) characters, quality writing, entertaining, and educational about two different worlds.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I have never read any of the authors other work as I am not a fantasy reader but when I read the synopsis for this and saw the hype I knew I had to give it a go and I am so glad I did.
This book is so meta and the main character is so unlikeable and yet I was hooked. Its gonna be incredibly divisive and one of the years most talked about books and I can't wait for it to be out on shelves.

(my thanks to the publisher for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review)

This was a perfect read, navigating the murky waters of what is right and wrong in this all-or-nothing day and age. Aften reading the blurb for this novel I expected it to be pretty preachy and straight forward but I am glad to say I was very wrong. Kuang lets you arrive at your own conclusion; namely that one's actions can stem from hundreds of little reasons and also be explained away in hundreds of little ways. This is a novel about lying to yourself to the point of losing yourself, all in the America/west of this day and age. It is so up to date it might age quickly, but at the same time, it captures the mechanics of today's publishing world and the hellscape that is twitter so poignantly -- and lies its strength. I absolutely enjoyed this one,.

This is an unusual book and I certainly learned a lot about the world of publishing, which was quite fascinating. The book raises many ethical issues, particularly to do with social media, and so would be a good choice for book clubs. The characters, especially June, are not likeable. I found June to be completely self absorbed. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my friends because ultimately, although it was an interesting story, it left me feeling unsettled and dissatisfied.

One thing about RF Kuang is, she knows how to keep the reader hooked!

Considering the masterpiece that is Babel, I am glad that Yellowface doesn't try to capitalise on its success but gives us a totally new voice and takes us on a completely different journey. The book is a scathing satire of not just the present day publishing industry but authors and readers as well. It's a package of dark, often disturbing humour and the discourse on cultural appropriation and plagiarism. I love how it raises important ethical questions that all of us, as either writers or readers, should be considering before forming opinions.

Finally, without revealing any of the plot points, I have to say that the narrative felt a little repetitive at times but the pacing on the whole is easy and comfortable. I would have liked a bigger punch to the ending, and maybe a little more spunk overall from the author of Babel.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC!

The old saying goes, “You should never judge a book by its cover”.
I ignored this advice with Yellowface. The cover was so unusual, I was immediately drawn to it, intrigued.

This is the story of two young female authors, the publishing industry, and the booby trapped quagmire that social media has become. Athena, a very well known, successful author dies unexpectedly. Her friend Juniper, a less successful author, is with her during her traumatic death. This is when the plot starts to darken. June steal’s Athena’s newly finished, much guarded, new manuscript.
I was drawn into the story from the outset. Would Junie get away with this audacious move?

I found reading about the editing process intriguing, and completely agree with comments regarding reading not being a chore. Books where authors feel that they are trying to impress us with their intellect, tend to leave me cold.

Unusually for me when reviewing, I’m not sure where to start, or how to proceed. It was an intense read, dripping with satire, no-one can doubt that.
The characters are all shallow, self absorbed, fickle, vacuous. All that mattered was being famous and adored, and of course, money. It seemed that anything goes. No moral compass required, as long as PR can put a spin on it, and sales aren’t impacted. Social media features heavily, a self proclaimed kangaroo court.

The question is: Did I enjoy it? I didn’t hate it, but I can’t say I enjoyed it either. I’m sure many others will love it, but it’s not for me. Just 3⭐️⭐️⭐️

When June’s more successful writing friend Athena dies in front of her in an accident she steals Athena’s masterpiece, rebrands herself with an ambiguously ethnic pen-name; Juniper Song and edits the text for it to be more palatable for a white audience. Kuang makes a satirical and sharp exploration of cultural appropriation and racism in publishing. It’s genius and incredibly readable.

Yellowface
by R.F. Kuang

Having read Babel last year, I was so impressed with Kuang's writing and especially her use of language that I leapt at the chance to get an early version of her next book. It didn't even have a cover image a the time, I didn't look for the premise, I just wanted it. It took enormous self control for me to not peep for the 8 months it has taken for publication day to be on the horizon and I am so happy to report that it was worth the wait.

This book grabbed me from the first page. Centering on two writers, June Hayward and Athena Liu, both rising stars, both have debut novels in the same year, but one is an instant hit and the other is backsliding into irrelevance. Are they friends? Do they even know themselves? When tragedy strikes, one seizes upon the opportunity to snatch the other's barely finished manuscript and with some tweaks, pass it off as her own.

In any other time in world history, that might have been that, but in today's world of technology, social media, traceability and accountability there's no hiding place, especially with Twitter warriors who can and will distort truth and inflame sensitivies, professional jealousies, calling for cultural authenticity, denouncing white spectacle, rejecting stereotyping, cultural appropriation and inciting cancel-culture. The winner can only ever be the one who controls the narrative, but that can change on a minute-by-minute basis.

I found this unputdownable. I read 80% of it in one sitting. My days of pulling all-nighters are over now, otherwise I'd have given it my best shot. Written in present progressive first person throughout, it sweeps you up and fully immerses you in the perspective of the manuscript appropriator, living her awe at achieveing all her goals, her altering internal dialogue as she justifies her position, her downward spiral of distain for the publishing industry and social media, until finally she has to face her reckoning. It's not a comfortable to be, in her head. I love reading about the nitty gritty of the publishing process, life as a writer really icky living the stream of conscious obnoxiousness of a person who is so egocentric.

I for one have learned so much about cultural appropriation that I never considered before. This book has made me feel uncomfortable about things I didn't know were not okay. Yellowface is an excellent title. At times it's hard to discern the character's voice from the author's. Is Kuang roasting the industry? Are these her experiences? Clever choice, therefore to speak through June.

This story gave me very similar vibes to "If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English" which I just read. "The Plot" meets "The Other Black Girl"

Publication date: 25th May 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and #harpercollins for the ARC

I read this book in three, greedy sittings. I've just sat for the best part of an hour on finishing it, trying to process my thoughts.

This was the first book I've read by RF Kuang, and I know nothing about her, other than she'd published The Poppy War series, and Babel and that I wanted to read those, and that this book was set within publishing, the industry within which I work. I'd heard a lot of praise for her earlier works and when I was given an ARC for this, I felt like I had to dive in.

On a surface level, aspects of the story feel absurd - an author stealing another author’s manuscript from over her dead body - but the world of publishing RF Kuang presents is incredibly true to life. The conversations, even those Junie has with herself, the reactions to situations, decisions and justifications made feel lifted from reality. The motivations of certain characters mirror some publishing types.

All of the characters are unlikable, and yet, that makes their story more compelling. Junie's behaviour in particular made me so angry, but it also made my underlying rage at the publishing industry and social media boil over repeatedly. That said, I found sections of the book very funny - when June is discussing the changes she makes to the manuscript I was cackling - because they’re believable comments or feedback. The satire is great.

This book is an insightful commentary on publishing and its deep-rooted, structural racism, particularly in the ways it can be insidious amongst often well-meaning white people. It feels very interesting to see the issues of an industry presented in this very audience-facing way and it will be incredibly interesting to see how this book is received, both by the general public, and by publishing professionals, and by those on the fringes of the industry.

Huge thanks to HC for this ARC, given in exchange for an honest review.

"Athena Liu is a literary darling. June Hayward is literally nobody.
Who wants stories by basic white girls anyway?
But now Athena is dead. And June has her unfinished manuscript…"

This is my first read by Rebecca Kuang and it definetly didn't dissapoint! It was honestly a wild ride, June Hayward, repranded as Juniper Song, is a main charcater that you just have to hate. I thought it was a really intersting look into the partss of publishing you don't see and how toxic they can be. I was honestly feeling so anxious though this book and as it's written inn first person you really see how June starts to unravle with her desire for fame and recognition without taking any acountability for her actions.


This book was really dark but also so clever and really thought provoking, it is an uncomfortable but also very important read.


Thanks @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

What a book! Juniper Song (one of my favourite literary names ever) is a bit of a monster. And yet... and yet.... I was rooting for her all the way. I wanted her to be successful. I wanted her to achieve the things she aspired to.
She's an unreliable narrator and I still have doubts in my mind about what really happened in Athena Liu's flat that night.
On the whole, a pretty unpleasant array of characters!
Well done to Rebecca F Kuang for making me cheerleader for someone who really doesn't deserve it.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins.

Thank you HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction, The Borough Press and Netgalley for the arc of Yellowface by RF Kuang in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

What can I say about Yellowface and RF Kuang that hasn’t been said? Kuang takes a huge step away from her previous work to challenge, unpick and call out the publishing world, social media and the reading community on race, bias, representation, social injustice and more!

This is not a comfortable read. This isn’t a story to sit back, relax and escape read. This is a book that totally challenges and will most definitely polarise!

Yellowface is filled to the brim with murky grey characters, not one of them is likeable, yet I found myself gripped by June/Juniper’s story, skilfully manipulated by Kuang into feeling sympathy for her situation.

Kuang does go into serious detail about the mechanics of publishing, which may irritate you if you have an awareness but, this adds context and clarity to the situations June finds herself in and the pronouncements and judgements that are made on a wholesale basis. Kuang brings to the fore cancelling, rating and the furore is f social media, it’s impact on people and perception. She decries the inequality of the publishing industry and unashamedly props a mirror up to reader, reviewer, publisher and social media user, challenging all to face reality and ask who should cast the first stone?

If you’re looking for a book that will challenge, make you question what you know, and leave you reflecting for a long time after, this is that book.

This was very different from R.F. Kuang's other books, which I expected based on the synopsis. The writing was fast-paced and addictive, and I enjoyed the satirical look at the publishing industry.

If you don't enjoy reading about unlikeable characters then I wouldn't recommend this. However, I found it so interesting being inside the mind of the main character and seeing her thought processes and how she justifies her actions. I'm excited to see what R.F Kuang writes next because I thought her writing style really suited this storytelling style!

I really couldn’t put this book down. I know there’s been a lot of hype about it and I can see why.
To start with I wasn’t sure about it, but quite quickly I was absolutely gripped and had to know what happened. The constant tension of the lie that threads the story together is compelling.
This book packs a punch, from looking beneath the shiny surface of the publishing world, to racism, misogyny and the cut throat desire to succeed, so many subjects are deftly scrutinised. It was a little depressing to see how much publishing is a business with the same insecurities as any other. It certainly shatters some of the romance and illusion of a writers life. But actually although a thriller at heart (and a good one at that), the love for writing and creating shines through the characters in spite of the challenges.
I liked the ending, I liked the dark humour and I loved to hate June. I’m still not sure how much I like her now! This is the story the phrase ‘don’t hate the player, hate the game’ is made for. Well worth a read, it is fantastically written with a strong message. Thank you for the chance to read it in advance.