Whew. R. F. Kuang's YELLOWFACE is brilliant. An evisceration of the publishing industry and a juicy horror novel of existing on the internet. 100% worth the hype.

I wish I could witness Kuang's creative process from beginning to end. The plot, the pacing, the writing voice, everything, literally everything, is perfect. Kuang absolutely nails satire, which I was a bit afraid to see her (or any author really) do.

It was almost impossible to put this book down. A must read, but not something everyone will have the capacity to understand.

YELLOWFACE offers a smart, biting satire of publishing—would recommend to fans of THE PLOT and THE OTHER BLACK GIRL.

I discovered the author through her stellar book, Babel. This is something else entirely, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The behind-the-scenes realities of the publishing industry are interesting enough, but the voice Kuang has captured in June Song Hayward is spot on Karen. June is infuriatingly entitled and hilariously self-destructive. But Kuang captures her so well that you almost want to root for June to succeed! It does take a strange turn toward the end but it’s satisfactorily resolved. I loved the book, but June is exhausting, so I’m glad it’s over. You have to wonder if there’s any backstory here from real life.

Rebecca F. Kuang lights a match, and the literary world explodes! Her new novel, Yellowface, takes on issues of racism, cultural appropriation, cancel culture, and identity politics. My thanks go to Net Galley and William Morrow for the review copy; this book is for sale now.

Our protagonist is Juniper Hayward, a struggling writer. June’s longtime friend, Athena Liu, is spectacularly successful, and though June tries not to be bitter, Athena is a bit oblivious to June’s distress, and so although June likes her, she also kind of hates her. Then one day, as the two of them are discussing Athena’s newly completed masterpiece, which took a decade to create and has been seen by no one yet, Athena chokes to death on a bit of food. June employs the Heimlich maneuver, but it doesn’t work. Now Athena is dead, and June has in her possession the unpublished manuscript.

What comes next makes my jaw drop! June leaves with the manuscript, which still needs cleaning up before it can be published, and using every lame attempt at justification one can imagine, she edits it and publishes it under her own name. She rationalizes:

“The truth is fluid. There is always another way to spin the story, another wrench to throw into the narrative. I have learned this now, if nothing else…My only sin is loving literature too much.”

To make matters worse, her publisher suggests she use her middle name, Song, as a pen name. (Oh, snap! There’s already a mystery series that stars Juniper Song, though this doesn’t make it into the novel.) The book is a brilliant success, but during her book tour, audiences cannot help noticing that June is, well, Caucasian.

Man your battle stations!

Initially, June seems like a decent enough person that has made one self-serving mistake, but as the narrative unfolds, her judgment, behavior, and moral character deteriorate. The suspense is thick and absorbing as I wait to see just what will happen next.

In places, this story is drop dead funny.

I recommend this book to those that love to see good fiction based on current events.

I loved this one! I have loved all of RF Kuang's books. They all have unique premises and every book is a different genre. This one was a fresh take on the publishing industry and I loved it.

I ripped through this offbeat and provocative book. Definitely made me think about the industry and how it handles race, culture and stardom. What a mess this MC gets herself in - it has that Evan Hansen feel that makes my stomach hurt. Very smart and compelling exploration and a plot that made me read this book fast and furiously!

Whew, I see why this one got all the hype, but man, my brain couldn't take anymore. The narrator is so infuriating and annoying, especially when she continuously tries to make her actions "right". The writing was beautiful and the author is a force to be reckoned with in modern publishing. I enjoyed the glimpse into publishing I was unaware of and I feel like I will be a better person after finishing this book. I will be recommending this books to my friends, but also because I wan't someone else to be as angry as I was while reading. I suppose that means this is a winner!

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think that R.F. Kuang has some of the best prose in the game and the breadth of Babel truly astounded me. But something about this book -- that covers something deeply important and serious -- seemed obvious to me. Everything about it felt like a check-list for what she was trying to do with a gotcha narrator. I do think that the themes around the racism and inequity in the publishing industry are real, but that's just it -- we know that. A lot of this book seemed to say things we already know and do so...in kind of a boring way?

That being said, it did read like a thriller (even a surface level one) and I could not put it down, even once I got to the kind of cartoonish ending.

3.75 stars.

I love love love YELLOWFACE! Truly haven't read anything like it. The story is completely outrageous, poignant, and will keep the reader on the edge of their seat (either laughing, cringing, rolling their eyes, or waiting in suspense to see what is going to happen).

Typically I don't enjoy books that feature an unlikeable main character, but somehow this one worked for me -- I blame it on the satirical elements as well as the glimpse into the publishing world -- which has always been fascinating.

I was so happy to see that Reese picked this up as her July book club because MORE PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS BOOK! I might need to reread it -- which tells you enough, go read it!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. As a fan of BABEL and YELLOWFACE, I can't wait to see what Ms. Kuang will come up with next!

(Reviewed at 50% but I can already tell I'll love this one.) An accessible first RF Kuang novel for readers who are intimidated by the length and breadth of her other books. This one is a fast, immersive read; Kuang wastes no time establishing the personalities of the characters and kicking off the action. She has struck the delicate balance of writing an unreliable narrator whom we love to hate, yet have enough sick curiosity for to see how far she can get away with her crime. For me, the main character is the greatest example of 'white woman ally' that I've ever seen, and as a Chinese speaker, the scenes where she's complaining about Athena's writing and changing the character names was extra funny. And of course, like in Babel, Kuang's writing is tongue-in-cheek, 4th wall breaking, and satirical.

Talk about a character unhinged. Athena, the main character in this book, is the epitome of unbelievable. If you enjoyed Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou, this one will also tickle your fancy.

You'll find yourself shaking your head in awe at Athena's actions and thinking throughout this story as she navigates taking her friend's/colleague's work as her own.

Thank you NetGalley and R.F. Kuang for this books!

This was my first R.F. Kuang book I have read and all I can say is she is becoming one of my favorite authors just by this book. It’s a great read. I recommend

Part of me hesitates to label 'Yellowface' a satire, because the core message of the novel, and even its delivery ring far too true.

Lately, there have been a string of complaints where white writers (some quite well-known), long afforded the benefit of cornering the literary market, expressed their frustration about the unfairness of BIPOC authors suddenly 'flooding' the market. The myth goes something like this: publishers aren't interested in white writers anymore. They're exercising a kind of artistic affirmative action plan, giving less-talented writers of color deals that would under 'normal' circumstances have gone to the glut of near-genius white writers.

I've always held a kind of horrified fascination whenever I hear this complaint, that people actually believe that after hundreds of years of writers having to be white (and male) to get taken seriously let alone published, a grave injustice is being done because there have been about five years during which publishers have sought out writers who are neither white, nor male and allowed them to tell their own stories.

In 'Yellowface' June Hayward is a frustrated young white writer, watching from the sidelines as her former classmate, the beautiful Athena Liu earns accolades, exposure and mega book deals for her work. Sure, Athena is a good writer, June concedes, but she also has the unfair 'advantage' of being Chinese when publishers are seeking diverse authors. June herself had a book deal, but not one as large as Athena's and her work was largely unnoticed. So, when Athena dies in her apartment with June present, June does what she tells herself almost anyone in her position would do—she takes Athena's work-in-progress and passes it off as her own.

June theft of Athena's work is direct and specific, but also a metaphor for what happened in publishing before we had more BIPOC published authors—white writers, apparently much more adept at writing, co-opted the experiences of people of color and represented those experiences in books and were lauded for their authenticity. That happened for so long without objection that today, many white writers feel a sense of entitlement to those experiences, and resist strenuously when its suggested that while they should write what they wish, true authenticity comes only from those with lived experience. Likewise, June over time convinces herself that Athena's story is actually hers, because she 'polished' it and made it shine. Just as, today, some white writers claim they are doing something of a public service by making BIPOC experiences 'visible' and 'relatable' in a way BIPOC writers cannot.

Still, 'Yellowface' doesn't spare the crusaders for 'authenticity' either. Kuang nails the frenzy of condemnation that sometimes occurs even at a mere hint of an accusation of appropriation, or theft. She exposes the unseemly willingness of some BIPOC creatives to call for the excommunication of white writers if they fail to publicly and vociferously acknowledge that the experiences and cultures they may portray are perhaps best portrayed by someone else. And most of all, she shows us the ridiculousness of it all, asking the unanswerable question: what does it mean, anyway, to own a story?

I will say though that the topical nature of the book was more attractive to me than the delivery. I loved the ridicule thrown at the politics of bestsellers, the pandering that writers do online, to the public and to their more successful counterparts, the cliques, the positioning, the constant search for positive affirmation. It was very competently written, but no blow-your-socks off turns of phrase IMO. It also meandered at times, repeating the slow-motion car crash of June's lies being exposed in various forums and ways. And then it ended without what some readers will want—an unambiguous, clear resolution. Still, a good, entertaining read about the tangled web our lies can weave. With some social commentary thrown in if you like that sort of thing. Recommended.

Thank you Harper Collins Canada for sharing a copy of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang on Netgalley. This was my most anticipated read of the year!

I’m glad I read some early reviews for Yellowface because it prepared me to not like the main character, which I did not. June Hayward never seems to learn any lessons and is very self absorbed. She is the only POV we get for the whole story too so prepare yourself for that. June watches her friend Athena die and then steals her unwritten novel as her own. Which considering Athena is successful and Asian American and her novel is a in depth look into Asian immigrants who fought in the war, it seemed like a horrible idea from the start. June digs herself deeper and deeper and it’s a train wreck.

While it’s an uncomfortable and thought provoking read, I’m not sure it lived up to the hype I’d built for it. I found that with the plot so heavy in the first half, the second half just drags and goes off the rails a few times for me. But I did love all the insider looks into publishing and the discussion of reviewers and Twitter drama from an author’s point of view.

Overall, I’d say it was a good read and one that would be much better read with a group or book club for discussions rather than on your own.

This book is a great insight into the publishing world and the skewed mindset of some of the individuals working in the industry, but it also translates well into how the general public thinks of racism as well. June is such a classic example of a white woman who refuses to believe anything she's doing is racially motivated, but even her reaction to the Chinese food she's offered throughout the book let's the reader see what she doesn't. I am a white woman so I can't say exactly how accurate the experience is for others, but as a white woman I can also say that I've echoed some of June's thoughts throughout my life, and I've learned to recognize how problematic that is. I loved The Poppy War series and while this is completely different, Kuang does a fantastic job.

I think more than anything this book gives us a glimpse into the current concerns within the publishing world. It also allows us to examine the repercussions of too much time spent online. That increasing feeling of paranoia and cynicism that comes from a lack of quality community. I enjoyed this book and the questions it made me consider.

We follow our unreliable narrator as she makes choices that seem to get in her own way but don't we always? There's not a single character in this novel that I would call likeable. This book has gotten a lot of social media buzz even as the novel criticizes how reviews and online promotion can be such a damaging space. Lots of things to consider with this one!

Such a stressful read-- the protaganist will make you want to pull your hair out, but you will not want to stop reading. This is my first by Kuang and I was surpised to learn this is not her usual genre. Overall just a really good book that I will definitely reccomend to my patrons.

I greatly enjoyed this novel. Along with being a fantastic story, it has a lot to say about diversity, appropriation, and publishing. It gave me a lot to think about. I definitely will be recommending it to everyone--and already have.

What, after all, is a storyteller? In this seething exposé, itself the work of a fictional storyteller crafted by a real-life storyteller, “ripping through bone and gristle to the tender bleeding heart”, June Hayward, aka Juniper Song, takes us deep into the “grotesque” world of commercial publishing, from a wannabe author’s point of view, revealing to us the Machiavellian spawn churning within.

June, our first person POV narrator, is in awe of Athena Liu, her authorly nemesis, a fantastically successful (indeed, unbearably so) Yale colleague, who was taken her writing career to heights June can only dream of. And dream she does, as she finds herself inescapably locked into the self-immolating position of both worshipping Athena, and envying her with every pore of her being.

Without giving the plot away, (no spoilers here), as we follow June on her path to subsume and emulate Athena, every hint of morality or shame is rationalized and swept aside in her desperately distasteful bid to enter the world she now feels unfairly denied her.

What follows is a searing, satirical look at diversity; racism; reverse racism; ambition; the terrifying all-consuming ‘truth’ of social media; and of course, the ultimately-vicious big business of publishing - and last but not least, the fate of those angst-filled storytellers caught in the midst, forevermore “racing along the hamster wheel of relevance”.

Darkly convincing, (written by a hugely successful author bearing deep similarities to our literary heroine), I loved this only-slightly over-the-top illumination from within, and the depths of desire and despair it takes us to, - an unputdownable tale of angst and redemption, hovering, tantalizingly, just out of reach, as our storyteller tells the story of her storyteller (and her story and on, it goes…).

A great big thank you to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
All thoughts presented are my own.

#yellowface #netgalley #williammorrow #rfkuang #booksofHCC #harpercollinsCA