Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 336
Published: May 16th, 2023
Buy at: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Add to Goodreads
Summary:
June Hayward is a struggling writer whose debut book did not sell enough to even get a paperback release. Celebrating her frenemy Athena Liu’s yet another success, things take a violent turn as she witnesses the latter choking to death before help arrives. Visibly shaken, she returns to her apartment but not without Athena’s recently finished manuscript she swiped without anyone detecting. An epic novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese labourers in World War I.
She proceeds to polish the manuscript and publishes it under her name. Rebranding herself as Juniper Song with an equally tweaked author photo to go. It takes the publishing industry by storm, racing into the bestsellers list. June soon becomes a media darling.
But success comes at a price. The racist questions. The doubts. The anxiety of dealing with her actions and being haunted by the ghost of Athena. The pressure to write another bestseller. Emboldened with her success, June dips into Athena’s notes again. This time being a bit too obvious. And that is when all hell breaks loose.
Review:
How far will an author go for success? Yellowface by R. F. Kuang was one of my highly anticipated reads this year. When the audiobook dropped at Storytel, I picked it up immediately.
The witty yet simplistic cover sets the tone for the book. The fast-paced read will have you turning the pages. Or as in my case, glued to the audio narration. Written in first-person from June’s point-of-view, none of the characters are likable. Be it June herself, her agent, the publishing team, or even Athena for that matter.
At its heart, Yellowface is a story about plagiarism. But it is a lot more than that. It is a dark satire about the publishing industry, racism, white privilege, social media takedowns, and the cancel culture. It also questions reverse racism. And if there is a place for a straight, non-diverse woman writer.
“Do you know what it’s like to pitch a book and be told they already have an Asian writer? That they can’t put out two minority stories in the same season? That Athena Liu already exists, so you’re redundant?”
The book spares no one. It is critical of the publishing industry with cultural appropriation being a central theme. How diverse voices and diverse writers are exploited and tokenized. How rules are easily bent when it comes to authenticity. How best sellers are decided long before the book has even been published?
It is a conversation about the publishing industry in the social media era. The online bullying writers face no thanks to the anonymity of Twitter. I have been a part of Book Twitter long enough and have seen quite a few dramas unfold, only to die down without a whimper the next week, if not in a couple of days. It questions the readers and the social media that is quick to jump into the controversy with their hot takes. Why a non-diverse writer writing about a diverse character is unacceptable. Who has the right to tell the story and who doesn’t. How Goodreads has been commodified. How success can be bought and everything now has a price tag.
Reputations in publishing are built and destroyed, constantly, online.
It makes you question your own self as a writer too. Writing about what sells instead of what you want to write. Playing it to the gallery. We all struggle to find a balance there.
The writing is lucid. The masterstroke is an Asian writer Kuang sharing the story through the eyes of a white writer protagonist. You can’t help but compare her to Athena’s character whose journey as a writer is similar.
June is an unreliable narrator who justifies her actions and takes pleasure in the critique the next minute since it is Athena’s story. You know you have got a good book in your hands when you almost root for the plagiarizer to get away with it.
“It all boils down to self-interest. Manipulating the story… If publishing is rigged, you might as well make sure it’s rigged in your favor.”
That said, the book is not perfect. No book is. Some roadblocks are resolved a bit too easily and some characters do an absolute u-turn to fit the narrative. But the ending is perfect going with the tone of the book.
This is a book that makes you introspect. Although it is easy to judge the publishing industry, as a business owner, I can understand where they are coming from. I work across industries including some equally cutthroat such as the New York fashion industry. At times saleability has been prioritized. It is not about creativity but what sells.
Do I recommend the book? Most definitely. Irrespective of the issues, it is a 5-star pick for me. An important read if you are an author or a reader, particularly in the current times. It is Kuang’s first foray outside fantasy fiction and is equally engaging. I leave you with this final quote.
“Publishing picks a winner, someone attractive enough, someone cool and young and oh, we’re all thinking it, let’s just say it, diverse enough- and lavishes all its money and resources on them. It’s so fucking arbitrary. Or-perhaps not arbitrary, but it hinges on factors that have nothing to do with the strength of one’s prose.“
Trigger warnings: racism, cyber-bullying, anxiety, misogyny
About R.F. Kuang
Rebecca F. Kuang is a Marshall Scholar, translator, and award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Poppy War trilogy and Babel: An Arcane History, among others. She has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford; she is now pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang Book Review @kuangrf #Yellowface #BookReview #BlogaberryDazzle #BohoPonderings Share on X
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Zariya Healings.
June 8, 2023 @ 9:42 pm
On Storytel??? How come I haven’t yet discovered it there. The paperback is expensive.
June 8, 2023 @ 11:16 pm
It dropped on 26th instead of the 16th there. The narration is also pretty good. Had added it to the bookshelf way earlier 🙂
June 11, 2023 @ 11:51 am
hmmmm… interesting and really interesting cover too… loved the yellow. I haven’t read a book on racism in a while but one that I can never get over is ‘To Sir with love’… but i guess this one has a lot more than just this aspect.
June 11, 2023 @ 8:29 pm
Exactly, Kaveri. And it is about reverse racism too. Do give it a read.
June 12, 2023 @ 12:19 am
Very interesting storyline….. though the bit about stealing the manuscript reminds me of some movie that I have watched….can’t remember which.
June 9, 2023 @ 12:12 pm
The Yellowface by RF Kuang seems just the kind of engaging and evolved, nuanced writing that I would love to pick up. I am adding this to my #TBR list.
June 11, 2023 @ 8:29 pm
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
June 9, 2023 @ 10:06 pm
Sounds like a complex story with impressive narration, going by your review. A must read then, adding it to me TBR list and planning to see the author’s other books too, as I have not read her books.
June 11, 2023 @ 8:30 pm
Do give it a read, Ambica. I have yet to pick up the author’s Babel but have been hearing great things about it.
June 10, 2023 @ 9:16 am
Now that’s one great story you’d want to fully read to know what happens. The way you’ve written your summary for this book review is great giving the details for excitement yet leaving the end hanging for more! Would be looking for this book!
June 11, 2023 @ 8:31 pm
There are quite a few twists and turns for sure.
June 10, 2023 @ 11:24 am
Sounds so good. I love books set in the publishing industry.
I’d hoped to find this one on audible but no luck. And the other editions are expensive. I haven’t sampled storytel yet. Maybe it’s time to look it up.
June 11, 2023 @ 8:32 pm
Give it a shot, Tulika. I prefer Storytel because it does not limit to only one book a month. The narrations are equally good. Thanks for stopping by. 😊
June 10, 2023 @ 7:05 pm
Would love to read Yellowface. Yes, the publishing industry has a dark side. Your review stands out for its remarkable clarity and precision. Love the way you bring out the best in the books you read.
June 11, 2023 @ 8:33 pm
Thank you so much, Harjeet 😊. Do pick it up.
June 11, 2023 @ 12:14 am
I always say that there is a difference between a reader and a reader cum reviewer. Your reviews always made me feel that you have an exceptional quality of analysing a book with perfect pros and cons. You are a perfect example of reader cum reviewer. I am curious to read this book now after reading your review because I trust your indepth analysis about the books you read to take my decision. The best part you dont give any spoiler alert but still beautifully shape the reviews. Thank you for the recommendation
June 11, 2023 @ 8:34 pm
Thank you so much, Samata. 😊 You are too kind. I try to review books based on how I would like to read one.
June 11, 2023 @ 9:05 am
Yellow face, I actually read it as yellow pages blindly and wondered what the review would be about, I know dumb right. Finally I re read again haha, the review is good and the fact that all the characters including June are unlikeable
June 11, 2023 @ 8:36 pm
I totally get that. The cover us quite witty. The characters are unlikable but still have you invested.
June 11, 2023 @ 11:12 am
Haha, that’s a funny mix-up! Instead of “Yellow Faces,” I accidentally read “Yellow pages.” 😅 Now that I’ve read your review and seen your in-depth analysis, I’m actually really curious to read this book. The best part is that you manage to capture the essence of the book without giving away any spoilers. It’s truly a skill to shape reviews so beautifully. Thank you for recommending it!
June 11, 2023 @ 8:37 pm
Thank you so much for your kind words, Anjali. 😊 You are not alone. It does have a ‘branding’ of yellow pages too.
June 11, 2023 @ 12:46 pm
I remember the discussion we had after you read the book. At the end of the day, it is business for the publishing industry. Everyone is at fault. I am going to listen to this book soon.
June 11, 2023 @ 8:38 pm
And I am going to bug you until you do 😈. You are going to love it.
June 11, 2023 @ 2:39 pm
First and foremost, I want to compliment you on the post. Your book review is truly impressive. Your eloquent writing style, insightful analysis, and ability to capture the essence of the story are commendable. Your review not only showcases your deep understanding of the book but also inspires others to dive into its pages and experience its magic. Well done!
June 11, 2023 @ 4:05 pm
From your review I surely feel like listening to this book, this isn’t my genre but its something different and interesting for sure.
June 11, 2023 @ 7:10 pm
Your choice of books is always a class apart. And having been in the publishing industry, I can relate to this. what a beautiful cover!
June 11, 2023 @ 8:20 pm
There are few books exclusively on women writers and fewer that pit one against the other in strange ways. This one addresses the issues writers face on a daily basis. Would love to give this a read.
June 11, 2023 @ 10:28 pm
a
A book about the publishing industry. I should check this one out. Adding this to my TBR.
June 11, 2023 @ 10:45 pm
I have been seeing this book doing rounds on bookstagram a lot but I don’t feel like reading it. The hyped up books just don’t work for me .
June 11, 2023 @ 11:07 pm
I am a big fan of contemporary fiction. Love the title Yellowface. Your review has me hooked…I want to get this book…but it’s expensive.
June 12, 2023 @ 9:32 am
Ah, I just got the book seeing it all over bookstagram. Reading your well-balanced review, I am sure I will not be disappointed 🙂
August 12, 2023 @ 11:49 pm
Wow it seems very interesting. I’m adding it to my TBR!