This is the first novel I've read by Rebecca F Waung and I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting. It was incredibly gripping and hard to put down. I didn't really like the main character, but then, I'm not sure you're supposed to. It provided a dark and terrifying insight into the world of publishing and social media that left me feeling rather uncomfortable.

I read this after Babel (as most people will I imagine) but I will try and distance my comparision of the books from this review.

If you wanted to get an insight into the publishing industry, of the cut throat nature of it, how some authors can make it whilst others don't, this is a wonderfully insightful book. At first I held mixed feelings about the book, it comes across as autofiction, too entangled in what could be percieved as Kuang's own success. At the same time though, if you have that interior knowledge of the publishing industry, why not use it as material for a book? That being said, the publishing industry is a large part of the book, but not its whole. It is a critical observation of the treatment of authors based on race, on the legitimacy of authorship, who can tell what stories etc.

It starts slow until around 2/3rds of the way in so you do have to hold out for things to get good.

Wow I devoured this book in one sitting, I simply could not put it down!
An interesting and (at times) uncomfortable read about the publishing world and society in general. This timely, meta and satirical story is a new direction from R F Kuang but she presents us with an immersive, thrilling and original story full of morally grey characters which leaves you questioning your own perceptions and biases.
Thank you to Rebecca F Kuang, Borough Press, HarperCollinsUk and NetGalley for the chance to read this amazing book.

The main character of this novel, June, seizes an opportunity after witnessing the death of her friend (and literary rival) die, stealing a manuscript she thinks no-one knows about. This first draft details a particularly savage period of Chinese history– to which her (now deceased) Chinese friend had a strong connection to. What proceeds to happen is a dramatic emotional rollarcoaster from the highs of her success, to the lows of her exposure, and ultimately to paranoia, fear, jealousy, revenge, desperation...

June (or Juniper, the name she uses to blur her heritage to readers) understandably becomes progressively unhinged; however, the problem I had with this story is that I don't think June lost the plot enough. I enjoyed the book, but personally I found it a little one-note and not as intense as it could've been. It's likely just because I'm easily irritated by a social media-obsessed world and use books as a way to escape it, not read more about it!

This is the kind of book you read in one sitting- it's gloriously tense and pacy, and, for those of us who spend even a fgraction of time on Book twitter, almost exactly like watching a horror movie through your hands. I was already excited for Yellowface because I knew Kuang doesn't shy away from grit and hard choices in her work- and it's beautifully realised here in both the characters of Juniper and Athena. Athena is a masterclass in inference and things left unsaid- you see the form of her true self in the negative space created by Juniper's unreliable narration, the tricks of reading we've all learned from scandals like 'Bad Art friend' showing us a woman who was alienated by her own success, guilty and resentful at the same time, doing her best and at the same time harvesting those around her for stories.

Juniper, too, is a superb creation. I challenge any other white woman writer (aspiring or otherwise) to read her without a searing wince of recognition, Her narrative voice is just so fantastically weaselly, I found myself wanting to shake her into self awareness- stealing your friend's manuscript is monstrous!- while at the same time recognising the grain of self loathing and jealousy that set the whole ball rolling.

Truly, honestly, a great read- and I can't wait to see what happens on Book Twitter (if it's still around by then) when it's released.

*4.5 stars (rounded up)

Content Warnings: death, racism, online harassment (including death threats), rape/sexual assault, suicidal idealation, war (mentioned)

What a wild ride. I'm still reeling a little bit honestly.

Authors Athena and June expected to have parallel career paths, but after almost a decade, it is only Athena who is the darling of the publishing industry, while June languishes in obscurity. So when Athena dies unexpectedly, leaving behind a finished manuscript that only June knows about, she sees an opportunity to live the life she believes she deserves.

Tonally, and writing style wise, this book is a huge departure from Babel, but RF Kuang proves herself capable of writing just as well in this modern, first-person style. Yellowface is such an immersive experience and I really did find myself so emotionally invested in the story, to the point where I could feel my breath physically shortening at points.

I think this book is a really interesting example of an unreliable narrator, because June is simultaneously so aware of how awful her actions are, yet so convinced that she is deserving of the outcomes of her theft. At every turn, she anticipates how the reader will critique her and talks back, insisting that, no, she is actually in the right. It was just really fascinating to read (despite how pissed off I kept getting at June, oh my GOD).

This is a super fast-paced thriller, which is not typically my kinda book, so admittedly this one didn't quite hit Babel-level for me (definitely due to my own preferences!), but I did find it super engaging and at times very difficult to put down. Like Babel, though, the writing here is excellent. It's easy to read and accessible while still putting across its complex themes in a clear way, which I find super impressive. All in all, a really great read!

(I could, of course, have done without the Harry Potter references, but I will admit that given the context of this novel, invoking Rowling is not not relevant).

Thank you to NetGalley, RF Kuang, and The Borough Press for the eARC!

I knew nothing whatsoever about the author and her success in science fiction/fantasy genre. This was a fun satirical look at the publishing world and social media scandals, with pretty much every character being quite unreliable. The ending did feel a tad overdramatic, and it may be quite a niche subject, but I was the perfect audience for this accurate portrayal of writerly rivalry.

I have never read a book like this before and I absolutely loved and devoured it! It's dark, witty, and most of the characters are false, self-centred morally questionable women- but somehow I related to them. Juniper/Junie, a failed writer, comes up with a plan to wow the publishing world and we are exposed to the shenanigans of that business- the highs, the lows, the spins and the outright lies, however I still felt compassion as well as revulsion for her. Strange. The final few pages were full of renewed energy and it was a surprise to finish the book feeling positive. Although it has made me want to quit twitter! Jk.

I absoultely loved Yellowface. It is unlike anything I've ever read - a unique, witty, dark, clever, funny take on white privilege. It made me question my own thoughts and unconscious biases. It was dark, thrilling, outrageous, and points a finger at those things you notice in society, those things that make you uncomfortable, upset and angry but haven't the right words to articulate.

a big five star read

i devoured this SO FAST, kuang is a fantastic writer even with a premise that is so self-referential

narrated by june hayward, the published author who always lives in the shadow of athena liu, literary darling, yellowface is the punch in the face that enlightens conversations happening now in the publishing industry

june hayward or juniper song is a self entitled racist piece of work, i felt manipulated, only getting june’s side of the story, only getting her view of athena, and only suffering in her anxiety of being “cancelled”. i feel if i worked within the industry, this would’ve have winked at the problems that stem within it, but as a reader who has somewhat of an understanding it is clear to see how the industry facilitates authors who act and think much like june through kuang’s narrative

this is the first kuang i’ve read, despite owning the majority of her works, and it is clear how distinct her voice is. the build up was fantastic, her ability to write the morally grey helps you as a reader make your own decisions about character, and they all felt fully fleshed out.

i think a great foray into general fiction (or literary fiction should i say hehehe), it had me gripped and i always appreciate a novel that comments on society and/or its niche popular cultures. i will be grabbing a physical copy once released!

thank you to borough press/netgalley for the arc

Whilst I was excited to read this because I absolutely loved the poppy War I was left disappointed. Its not bad per say but it just wasn't what I was expecting.

It's very well written, fast paced and you get through it pretty quick. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for an honest review

RTC

Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena’s a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn’t even get a paperback release. Nobody 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 to the British and French war efforts during World War I.

I absolutely loved this clever and thought provoking novel. Gripped from the first page by the voice of our narrator, this tale of toxic friendship, race, and privilege kept me reading late at night.

Whilst this novel will no doubt be uncomfortable reading for some, causing some reflection on behaviours ingrained in publishing, it is a timely reminder to think about what diversity, equity and inclusion is.

Besides all that though, this is just a fabulous novel, with an anti-hero you'll love to hate - I was almost yelling in places NOOOOOO DON'T DO THAT.

So excited to see this book do well next year and it's definitely on my best reads of this year :)

Thank you for the eARC

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this unique book. It brought out a range of feelings as I worked through it and considered the various points of view and opinions. It is definitely an interesting and thought provoking read. It is told from the pov of June Hayward who is a relatively unsuccessful author who witnesses her friends untimely death and goes on to steal her latest manuscript for her next novel. We watch as this unfolds and inevitably unravels. I found myself anxiously reading on with that not being able to look away from a car crash feeling. This book examines several areas of race and identity and own voices and is a thought provoking read that can leave you a bit uncomfortable at times. I really enjoyed the unreliable narrator aspect of this book too and the almost satirical dark humour that is present throughout As someone who is not involved in the publishing industry I also appreciated the behind the scenes look at the industry and some of the more problematic issues involved.
Overall this was an enjoyable fast paced read that I think will definitely get people talking!

Thank you for the chance to read this one. I just wasn't a fan of page after page of the negativity. The entire plot is driven by jealousy and descriptions of why the main character doesn't think the supporting character deserves all the good things going on in her life. I try not to have that negative of a voice in my head while going about life on a daily basis, so it was very difficult and upsetting to spend hours and days filling my mind with it from a book, a medium that is supposed to entertain and distract me from regular life. It made me uncomfortable and sad. For someone with imposter syndrome myself, it was too triggering.

June Hayward is desperate for success as an aspiring author and she has to stand on the sidelines as her classmate Athena Lui is the new star of the literary world. So when June witnesses Athena’s death it gives her the opportunity to finish Athena’s latest novel and to pass it off as the work of Juniper Song her pen name that alludes to a different ethnicity rather than being just a white girl. The book charts the fickleness of public opinion and June’s fear of being caught out with a clever witty knowingness. I enjoyed the descriptions of the impact of social media and the power that a vocal minority can have. A refreshing enjoyable read!

I went in to this book not having expectations that it will be similar to R.F. Kuang's past books, and I made the right choice doing so. I think if you go in with that expectation, you're not going to see how clever this book actually is. This is R.F. Kuang's first thriller novel and it's unlike any other thriller books I have read before, she's a genius. I'm gonna *try* and review this with as little spoilers possible!

To summarise, Yellowface is about 2 writers, Juniper/June Hayward and Athena Liu. With Athena being largely successful, June has this pent up jealousy and anger towards her. When Athena dies, June steals her manuscript about the struggles of Chinese labourers in World War 1 and decides to publish it as her own book. In the process of editing the manuscript, June cuts out large and important details from the story - which to me, seemed like June was erasing their history and treating their struggles as "long, unrelated chapters". This irked me, and that set the tone for pretty much the rest of the book.

I initially rated this a 3.5 star read since I found it so difficult to keep reading because it's told from June's perspective, it was painful and tiring to be in her head the entire time. I couldn't look past her countless stereotypes and microagressions towards Chinese people and Korean people too in some parts. However, upon sitting on it and really thinking about the book, maybe that was the point? Could it be, in a way, that the purpose of June being the narrator is to really showcase how easily she stole the voice of Athena? The more I thought about the ending, the more this makes sense to me. It felt as if this book was written by June herself, flipping the narrative. That, instead of feeling a sense of true remorse from stealing an author's voice (a POC at that), story and culture, and literally re-writing their history; she wastes the reader's last ounce of hope for change, and decides to continue (potentially) benefitting off of POCs oppression. If I'm correct, this makes my rating bump up to 5 stars, that would truly be phenomenal writing. - But for now, keeping in mind that it still has to go through editing, Yellowface is a 4 star read and I would definitely recommend it.

I’d describe this book as realistic fiction. The author has done an amazing job of creating imaginary characters and situations that depict the world and society. The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book.

This book is going to be divisive. I just did not like the main character but at the same time I just cannot stop thinking about it. Must be the mark of a great book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Yellowface is a novel where there really isnt anyone to root for, but its ok!

June is at her best a despicable racist who does not acknowledge her mistakes. But wow does she have an interesting story to tell!