My review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Yellowface is an uncomfortable, fascinating and thrilling read!

This is not a breezy beach read, just so you are warned. It is well written, with characters that I found to be well constructed. I highly recommend you pick it up, preferably with a friend that you can message. Personally, I sent quite a lot of messages as events in this book unfolded!

Rebecca F. Kuang is also known as R F Kuang, the author of Babel and the Poppy War series, which are fantasy novels with dark themes.

I was given this in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to HarperCollins.

This book is hard to describe, I don’t think you get an actual feel for the story through this synopsis but I will try to coney some of it in this review! We follow June Hayward, a not so successful author. She is ‘friends’ with Athena Liu, they studied at Yale together and published their debut in the same year. But Athena is actually very successful and beloved.

At the start of the story June is quite bitter about her life and her friendship with Athena. As she watches Athena die unexpectedly, she takes Athena’s newest manuscript home with her. June decides to edit the manuscript and sends it to her agent as her own original work.

The manuscript is about Chinese laborers ’employed’ by the British and French during World War I. While June edits the novel, you can already tell she is shifting some of the narration. June doesn’t think she is racist at all but there are a lot of micro aggressions in basically everything she does, thinks and says. It was so interesting being in her mind. And it also made me think, there were a lot of moments where she was clearly in the wrong, but I think as a white person, a lot of us have had similar moments unfortunately. We don’t like to think we have, but if we’re being brutally honest with ourselves we definitely have. A lot of that is learned so I’m determined to unlearn all of it. And I think being aware is the first step. So like I said, this story definitely made me think, it held up a mirror that I hope more readers will look into.

Both June and the publisher are committed to make the novel work, they publish the book under the name Juniper Song and keep showing their racism through (micro) actions. At some point there is a threat of people finding out that June didn’t write the story herself and we see how far she is willing to go to keep her success.

June is an unreliable narrator and not a great person. She isn’t a loud racist but shows the deep rooted racism through small things and I think that does speak loudly in the end. You won’t like her, or any of the other characters haha. To me that wasn’t a problem at all. This book was more about the story and the commentary than anything else.

I’ve seen this described at satire a lot, I wouldn’t really say this is satire to be honest. Usually, I find satire books hilarious, and while I really liked this book I wouldn’t say I laughed out loud a lot. I wanted to keep on reading and reading and was really hooked, but I can’t say this was funny. And that is okay! I don’t think that was the aim of the book and like I said, I still enjoyed reading it a lot.

If you take a look at the reviews on Goodreads for this one, you see ratings and reviews all over the spectrum. Some readers loved this while others couldn’t stand the writing style or the message. It’s so interesting seeing the different reactions and I think this is something everyone has to decide for themselves. All I can say is, I liked the book a lot and would highly recommend it! It isn’t my usual genre but I’m very happy I picked this one up!

This one didn't impress me as much as R.F. Kuang's Poppy Wars. The narrative was dry and one-dimensional. I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The writing felt like a compendium of Twitter rants focused on only one aspect, derailing the credibility of the protagonist which is clearly established in the first few chapters. So the rest felt like an unnecessary stretch without much going on to add any interesting twists. Overall, the premise of the book is interesting but not intriguing enough. Still, kudos to the author for such a singular fiction that gives us a glimpse into what might happen in the world of writers and publishers.

If you followed the recent literary-Twitter scandals surrounding American Dirt and Kate Clanchy, this satire about plagiarism and cultural appropriation is for you. It reminded me a lot of The Other Black Girl, though a bit less supernatural and silly, and was similarly addictive to read. I did have qualms about how June was portrayed as a stereotypical Karen ("That's been the key to staying sane throughout all of this: holding the line, maintaining my innocence" and "I feel like a meme of a clueless white person"), but there's a reason for it. Kuang keeps pretty tight control of the whiplash turns of plot and tone, and it goes without saying that it's sophisticated work for a 26-year-old, even one on her fifth novel now. I'd say this lives up to the hype. (3.5 stars)

Going in to reading this, I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. I devoured this book. It was engaging and fast paced whilst also exploring deeper societal issues.

What happens when you take something that doesn't belong to you? What if it's a novel? Then complicate it by adding race to the mix. Not only does Yellowface discuss plagiarism but Kuang layers this with conversations about who can tell a story about people from different ethnic backgrounds. We follow June as she steals her friend Athena's manuscript and passes it off as her own. The descent into anxiety as she questions every shadow on her downward spiral. The public backlash against June, a white woman, telling stories about Chinese workers uncovers more than is comfortable as her popularity and infamy increases. Whilst neither June or Athena are very likeable, you must question your own ethics. June manages to make every situation worse. This feels like watching a car crash in action. Intriguing, uncomfortable and you can't look away!

Anyone thinking of a career as a novelist shouldn't read this book. From the friendship jealousies, the flaky publishing industry with editors, sensitivity readers and resentment, to the horrors of social media cancellation - it really is a scary ride. That's before we even get to the infamous writer's block.

This isn't the first book I've known that starts with someone stealing someone else's manuscript and passing the work off as their own, plagiarism is nothing new after all. That is just the start of being fake and dishonest as the interviews and speculation dig very deep, a whole life story has to be fabricated too. Somewhere along the way, fact and fiction merge - and not just in the novel.

The other major theme is racism, hence the book title. The author never claims to be Chinese but the inference is there in terms of the subject matter of the novel and her social circles. Book clubs invite the author based on her perceived ethnicity, for example and cultural appropriation is a persistent topic. But as a white author, she expects to garner more sympathy and understanding more than her peers from other ethnic identities.

The story is told in an informal, brisk manner, with references to current popular culture, significantly social media. Told in the present tense in the first person keeping the tale fresh and immediate, although it did drag a bit towards the end. Despite that, Yellowface is a fast read, similar to a young adult book in style and pace, with many thought provoking features, mainly concerning authenticity, identity, guilt and reality. A witty, satirical and interesting read.

I was hooked from the very first line. This author has a way of telling stories that makes you doubt yourself and your beliefs. Juniper is not a likeable character and Athena is not that great either and that's one of the reasons that makes this book so gripping. Plus, the whole inside view of the publishing world makes everything even more interesting. I loved the author writing style and definitely will read more from them!

Athena Liu has everything June Hayward wanted out of an author's career, so when Athena dies in a freak accident in front of June, leaving her just-finished manuscript behind, June decides to edit it and send it to her editor as her own work, to publish under a new, more ambiguous name-Juniper Song. June convinces herself that she's doing the right thing, Athena's work deserves to be published regardless of what name it's under, but it seems not everyone agrees. Things take a turn for the worse when someone begins threatening June, claiming they know her secret. What lengths is she willing to go to to protect it?

This was a really entertaining read, Kuang's writing is so enjoyable. I was captivated throughout despite the fact that June as a "protagonist" was absolutely insufferable, Kuang manages to make her a compelling narrative voice. She was fascinating in her ability to make genuine astute observations of the industry and its faults, and take the to far every time, push them until she was the victim of every situation - almost impressive.
She also manages to write very realistic online interactions and depictions of discourse as it evolves and devolves- it didn't feel arbitrary, it was always used to serve the plot and the characters.
The pacing was pretty good overall, although the ending felt anti climactic. And as someone who reads a lot of thrillers and a fair amount of litfic, the writing didn't do anything new or exciting for me genre-wise, but in Kuang's handling of its subject matter it's a standout.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for my e-arc of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

This book is WILD.
I really wasn't sure about this book, I love Rebecca F Kuang's past books, but there was something about this that didn't interest me.
I was wrong, I picked up the audiobook for this and what a wild ride that was,

June is a car crash that you just can't look away from, this was hilarious whilst also touching on some very important topics in the publishing industry.

If in doubt, do pick it up.

Thank you NetGalley for the earc

"Yellowface" is the first novel I've read by R. F. Kuang. And I think I made the right choice in starting her bibliography with this one. "Yellowface" speaks to me on different levels: as an Asian woman, as an Asian author (even if I'm not published yet) and as an Asian woman who has worked in publishing. It's hardly an exaggeration to say that this is a novel that has echoed many of my experiences.

With this novel, R. F. Kuang offers her readers a quick read - a page turner, as far as I'm concerned. If I wasn't as obsessed with "The Sims" as I am now, I'd have finished this book in a day. The author has mastered her subject and the way she tells it. In a short interview for her Canadian publisher's TikTok account, she explains that this book contains her frustrations, the scandals and interesting encounters that have crossed her path since she became a published author. I can imagine some people thinking, on reading this book, that many passages are exaggerated, especially when it comes to June's racism. "Yellowface" is certainly a satire on the publishing world/book industry, but it's nonetheless a true representation of what Asians go through all the time because this industry is saturated by whiteness.

While reading this novel, I remember sending messages to my friends, telling them that R. F. Kuang had a definite talent for writing the audacity of white women. And, after closing the book, my opinion hasn't changed. June Hayward (because I'd rather eat my foot than use the pen name she calls herself) is the epitome of white audacity. From the first page to the last, her case only got worse. Her audacity was so great that I ended up laughing at it - a bitter laugh, because I've come across such audacity many times before. While the book opens with June suffering from immense jealousy, we soon realize that this is more than just a human feeling. I even found that her jealousy had racist roots.

June Hayward's audacity knows no bounds. From the moment she steals Athena's manuscript and publishes it under her own name, we can follow her in a downward spiral. The very fact that she was able to publish this manuscript (a novel about the forced labor of 140,000 Chinese sent to the front by the British army during the First World War) is worth mentioning because it shows the racism embedded in this publishing industry we love so much. Indeed, at no point do June's literary agent, her publisher or the communications/marketing people ask the right questions. On the contrary, they enable this racist imposture at various levels. They are the ones who suggest June take a pen name, a name that is confusing because it can be mistaken for a Chinese (or even Korean) surname. But, good thing for June, no one said anything about it - on the contrary, the explanation given was that her first novel hadn't worked and she needed to rebrand herself. So much the worse if readers are taken for a ride.

With this racist imposture enabled by the publishing world, R. F. Kuang also shows the very fragile position in which the few employees of color of publishing houses find themselves. She shows the fragility of their position and their future, and that it is possible to take this away from them the second they make the choice to stand up against racism and the perpetuation of such behavior. Sadly, however, these "warnings" are rarely heeded, as the publishing world prefers to pat racist authors on the back. And, in the end, the real losers are always the same (people of color). Funny how it's so easy for this white-favored system to take advantage of people of color, their work and their stories, but just as quick for them to abandon them and prevent them from continuing to work in the field the second they show how racist this industry is.

Yellowface is also a breathless thriller: I turned the last few pages at breakneck speed because I wanted to discover the conclusion of June's story. If I had just one "negative" thing to write here, it would be my hint of disappointment with the novel's ending itself. I think I would have liked something more "explosive". But when I think about it, I think it fits June's character perfectly.

Several tiktoks made to promote the book :
- https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGJVCc2ey/
- https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGJVX2bxp/ (in french)

Utterly captivating, I absolutely adored this - literally could not put it down!

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

All of my publishing colleagues were talking about Yellowface and it lived up to the hype for me. The narrator is completely deluded, which is equally fascinating and hilarious and infuriating. She gets worse and worse as she becomes addicted to the attention and doesn't know when to stop. Unfortunately it's not a complete fictionalisation of the publishing industry and certain authors, and it's brilliant to see it spelled out like this. There were parts that felt a little slower and repetitive for me which is why it's not quite 5 stars but overall I really enjoyed it and am really excited to debrief with colleagues.

The hype is real - provocative, thought-provoking, and a riotously funny skewering of modern publishing.

I started this book and thought I was going to finish it within a few days because it was so intriguing but then it seemed to drag on a bit in the middle. It was enjoyable as different from other books I read but it did not keep my attention and I struggled to finish it.
I found it hard to actually like Juniper as ethically would you steal someone else work and pass it off as your own? Athena who tragically dies also is hard to like and I feel was written this way to make you like and accept what Juniper did. This is just my take obviously and would encourage others to read to get their own thought on it.
I had mixed feelings with this book when I finished it. I’m encouraging others to read though as it does make for a good discussion. Overall I would recommend giving it a go.

One of those books that I seen everywhere over the last couple of months, and which, now having read it, I realise was for good reason. It is a plotty, twisty story of the corrupting power of success, but also the thorniness of authorship and authenticity.

Juniper Song, as she is at one point known, is our narrator, whose reliability fluctuates throughout the book, being both sharply aware of the complexities of the ethical dilemmas around her (passing off the work of her dead 'friend' as her own, assuming an identity she knew would be racially ambiguous and then acting surprised when she is read as such), but also oblivious to her roles in making them happen.

The focused lens this book has on the publishing industry also felt deliciously meta at times, playing with complex topics to toggle on and off the comfort of the reader in clever ways.

I was pleasantly surprised at how a story that could easily have been tropey carried within it real weight and intrigue, offering instead a critique of itself and the world around it.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hilariously infuriating. Yellowface was impossible to put down. It is brilliant and looks at the creative process, a writer's struggles/neuroses and the publishing industry. The characters are all awful - wearing their best face while secretly despising each other. You can taste the envy. Absolutely brilliant.

What a fascinating satire of the publishing industry. Let's be honest, our protagonist, June, is pretty reprehensible, but it was so interesting to see how she could justify her actions to herself. We read from her first person point of view, which makes it really difficult not to feel sympathy for her at times, before remembering what a piece of work she is. Rebecca Kuang writes in a very straightforward manner, which always makes her prose a joy to read and I found it worked really well in a contemporary setting. Things get more and more ridiculous as the story progresses, but overall it was a fun an enjoyable ride and I would definitely recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a marvel of a book. The main characters voice made me uncomfortable in a way that was very purposeful, and trying to look through the biased narrator to see the true story was very interesting. With no good or bad characters, they were all very complex, and the main character June was suitably unlikeable. Would highly recommend this book!

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

This book is brilliant in execution and in calling out the toxicity of social media and the problems that surround the publishing industry but with partial blame going to all the hype it didn’t really blow me away.

Kuang perfectly captures June’s voice, feeding in the right amount of manipulation and gaslighting into the narration to really drill down the points that are being put across through the story. I absolutely hated the MC which is the way its supposed to be, she’s unlikeable and the horrible things that she does throughout this book should make you feel disgusted. My problem was that I found her brain numbingly boring and by extension the book too. By around 40% through I felt nothing but indifference to the train wreck that was June’s life and how it continued to snowball.

What kept me reading to the end was the fact that the writing just flows so well making it an easy read and that it was on the shorter side.

I wouldn’t really class it as a thriller as the suspenseful moments to me just came across as June’s paranoia and self-victimisation and didn’t really amount to much by the end. Honestly the “big reveal” felt lacklustre to me.

The popularity and hype isn’t there for nothing though. This book just proves the versatility in Kuang’s writing and storytelling and I applaud her for spitting facts on the bookish community and the treatment of people of colour.

So despite not loving it myself I’d still tell people to give it a read!
Final Rating – 3.25/5 Stars