first off, i want to say thank you to harpercollins australia and netgalley for accepting me to be able to read this arc of yellowface by rfk.

although, i don’t think rfk writing style is for me, to put it point blank. i have read her other works and have been disappointed with them- hoping they will “live up to the hype”. but alas, each and everyone of them have not. that’s my personal opinion.

i did like the beginning of the novel, and how the basis of the novel is someone else stealing work who’d died in. although, rfk does extensive research when it comes to her writing, to me it still feels white washed. she’s very smart and analytical through! which is something that can never be faulted within her writing. it’s just unfortunate, that me as avid reader, does not enjoy her writing style.

wow this was absolutely wonderful and i devoured it so quickly. i will be a rebecca kuang stan until the day i die🙌 the first person narration from our main character june was thoroughly enjoyable. sometimes i do find first person a little hard to read usually, because it can be a bit too on the nose or cringe. but reading june’s inner dialogue as she tries to justify herself was so relatable. i think the fact that the narration felt so smooth really speaks to rebecca kuang’s great characterisation of june.

i feel like maybe some of the other characters fell a bit flat for me, we didn’t get a lot of depth from them. and the ending felt a little predictable as well.

but in saying that, this still absolutely deserved 5 stars in my books because i still enjoyed it so much and would absolutely recommend to anyone💛

I devoured this book in 24 hours!

It was so good. Honestly, I was mesmerised by Kuang's ability to create this masterful unreliable narrator in the form of the protagonist, Juniper Haywood, best friend to literary ingenue and superstar, Athena Liu. But when Athena dies in an unexpected accident, June, frustrated over her own lack of publishing success, steals the unpublished first draft of Athena's most recent book and decides to pass it off as her own under a racially ambiguous pseudonym, she finds herself reaching the heights of triumph only Athena had been capable of.

I was at all times baffled by June's delusion, sometimes even felt a little sorry for her, and a lot of the time, was incredibly uncomfortable at how easily June was able to co-opt not only Athena's work but a fraught, marginalised history as a story that she was able to tell. It's the extent of Kuang's skill to be able to craft such a well-rounded character in that regard. Not only that, but the cast of characters around her, either enabling June in subtle but significant ways (which was yikes all around) or calling her out in a much-needed way but being shut down in irrevocable ways. At the same time, I felt the book was a artfully crafted satire over publishing, and how race, class, diaspora and privilege play into those dynamics.

I don't think I can say how much I absolutely adored this book! I'm so grateful to have gotten the chance to read it ahead of its release!

After reading Babel, to say that I had high expectations for Yellowface was an understatement. Yet Kuang managed to utterly exceed each and every one of those expectations, despite writing in an entirely different voice, style and genre. The absolute range she has is so impressive.

Yellowface is a nuanced, multifaceted exploration of race, class and privilege within the publishing industry in the age of social media. I loved learning about the inner workings of the publishing industry, and as a book reviewer, it was hilarious to read bookstagram’s jargon and tone reflected back at us (she was spot on).

The whole book is a satirical take on the biases and exclusivity of the publishing industry, told exclusively through the voice of a privileged, white feminist author who is utterly unreliable (Kuang has nailed this first person narration with frightening accuracy). Did I mention that it’s also absolutely hilarious, with a sprinkle of mystery and absurdity?

It’ll take on a wild ride (just go with it) so prepared to be outraged, flabbergasted, and questioning your own critical thinking and deduction skills. R F Kuang is honestly a genius.

What did I just read? Five stars isn’t enough. An unflinching look at publishing today. Own voices and which stories belong to who. But it’s so much more than that! This was so cleverly crafted and plotted I need more time to process it all. The juxtaposition is so well done!

I had to stop every hour or so and tell friends to put this on their TBR list.

A massive thank you to HarperCollins Australia and The Borough Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own..

I was excited to receive this e-book. I heard so many good things about this author.. As an Editing and Publishing student I really enjoyed this book! Shining a light on the publishing industry and things happening that most will be unaware off.

You get twists, turns, white lies, dark humour and the consequences…..

Absolutely worth the read! I fully understand why Babel was a hit!

This book was interesting and ticked the boxes. An easy read with fascinating POV.
Sn absolute must read! I can’t wait to purchase a copy for my collection 🥰

Rounded rating - 2.5 stars

A massive thank you to HarperCollins Australia and The Borough Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

I was so excited when I heard the announcement for this book. R.F. Kuang is one of my favourite authors, despite only having read one of her works previously. I really wanted to love Yellowface but unfortunately the book didn’t live up to the elevator pitch.

In a nutshell, Kuang’s prose lacked nuance. Instead of feeling compelled in my reactions and opinions, I felt like I was constantly being told how to feel and how certain characters and plot developments should make me feel. As if, I as the reader, cannot be trusted to reach my own conclusions. I would pick up on a characters hypocritical thoughts and a paragraph later, the character would acknowledge it just to make sure that I caught it. It’s extremely on the nose.

Don’t get me wrong, the subject matter is hugely important to discuss so I am glad this book exists. It is extremely important to explore the racial pitfalls in publishing that have existed for far too long and are still rampant today. I just don’t think Kuang gave it her all to the extent of her previous works. I am happy that other readers felt differently and connected with this text more than me, I just wish I was in the same boat.

I recently received the ARC of "Yellowface" by R. F. Kuang, my first venture into her works, as I haven't yet read "Babel." I approached this book without any knowledge of Kuang's background or social media presence, allowing myself for a clear head and fresh perspective (hopefully).

To be honest, I found the book too long and winding. If it's meant to be satire, the point seemed to be made within the first half of the book. Of course, I understand that a book can be an author's lifeline, funding their research, lifestyle, and rent.

Unfortunately, "Yellowface" didn't leave a lasting impression. I would have preferred to read more about the inner workings of the publishing company rather than June Hayward's life. When I read a book, I want to be immersed in its world, but this one just didn't captivate me in that way.

3.25⭐️

This was my first book by R.F. Kuang and can I just say: I. Get. It. Now!

R. F. Kuang really did THIS.

I am truly lost for words! This book does such a good job at discussing race and authenticity in the writing industry. Seriously, the way Kuang explores race by writing as a white, unreliable narrator who quite simply undertakes some ruthless, selfish, and blatantly racist actions in order to get ahead in her career is to be admired! Wow, just WOW.

When it comes to rating this book, I seem to be in the minority because I couldn’t rate this higher than a 3.25⭐️. Despite how good the story was, there was simply some points were I found the pacing to be quite slow and as a result, I would put the story down and forget to pick it back up for a few days. But in saying that, I also had so many moments where I was telling myself ‘just one more page’ and would end up being sucked into reading another 20 pages. I cannot explain it. This was truly a unique reading experience that I recommend to anyone willing to give it a go.

If you have read from Kuang before or like a book that pushes the envelope, please pick this up. You will not be disappointed. I’ll simply say, if the synopsis of this books intrigues you, even slightly, give it a go. I promise you it will not disappoint.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

Already a fan of Kuang's writing and masterful storytelling after loving Babel, I was highly anticipating this given the buzz around the book. Content wise, the story is the mirror being held to the publishing industry that Zakiya Dalila Harris was reaching for (but ultimately missed delivering on) in The Other Black Girl. This was full of industry tea-spilling both within publishing houses, as well as the broader social media circus that now surrounds authors and book releases - the hot takes, the cancel culture, the twitter keyboard warriors. I won't say too much about the narrative itself as it is best enjoyed unspoiled, but will say I loved the way it so actively grappled with ethics in storytelling (who "gets" to tell a story, the intricacies of IP, the fine line - or not so fine - between inspiration and plagiarism)

As well as being this acerbic expose of the racism in publishing, it also is just a cracker of a read - Kuang keep the plot tight and suspenseful, with plot turns continuing up until the final pages. Our narrator is this spiralling mess that is never really endearing (though so much of the text feels like she is justifying her decisions to the reader) but still manages to surprise with her unrelenting series of "plan Bs" to pivot the direction the plot takes. As the narrative advances, Kuang is more deliberate with this and opens chapters with a line of foreboding leaving no room for doubt that what will follow will likely be a shit show for the narrator.

I thought this was brilliant, and can't wait to hear Kuang speak more about this in interviews when the book releases in May!

'Yellowface', is the use of make-up to imitate an East Asian appearance. Indeed, floundering author June Hayward attempts this metamorphosis when she steals her talented friend's (Athena Liu) unpublished book draft after she unexpectedly dies. Athena's book is about Chinese labourers recruited in WW1, but this doesn't dissuade the white, yet rebranded, Juniper Song from polishing the draft and signing with a publisher.

The farcical unraveling of events and, at times June's sanity, in order to save 'face', is an indictment not only on the publishing industry but society as a whole: the marketing of perception; a synthesising of reality into a palatable, relatable, commercialised entity. 'But Twitter is real life; is realer than real because that is the realm that the social economy exists..' After June is unraveled, ironically Athena, the original author comes under attack, with doubters questioning her cultural authenticity, 'And in destroying her, we create an audience; we create moral authority for ourselves.' Indeed, aren't we all authorities within our carefully crafted curated social media worlds? The 'anonymity' of social media allows users to cast judgment and enables us to feel heard.

'Yellowface' exemplifies the homogenisation of not only East Asian culture, in striving for commercial appeal but also highlights the deconstruction of a creative process for the mass market, including plagiarism. In fact, aren't we all plagiarists to some extent? 'I don't create so much as collect. All I do is distill the messiness of human experience into a concentrated reading experience.'

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this: a roiling satire. Beyond the quagmire of negativity renouncing the publicity machine of publishing, and their commercialisation of content, is a raft of deep, thought-provoking questions. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy being challenged and want to read social commentary manifested in a novel format.

I smashed out this book in two sittings, and in less than 12 hours. The critique of the publishing system and deep rooted racism, and the main character's slow downward spiral was really interesting and absolutely captivated my attention.

The main character is such a train wreck from start to finish. June watches her successful author 'friend' choke to death, and her immediate thought after she died was: I'm going to take her manuscript. June is a train wreck from the start of the book to the end of the book. In no way does she ever take accountability for her own actions. June even starts going by 'Juniper Song' when she publishes Athena's The Last Front, a story about Chinese labourers in WWI. June even takes author photos where she talks about picking one that has her usually pale skin tanned, and squints her eyes. June says herself that she does not have any Asian heritage. See the issues here?

RF Kuang really shone by writing this in such a close first person perspective, because you really are taken on this train wreck with June - only the train has no brakes, and you know that soon enough the track is going to end and you're going to plummet off the cliff side.

Athena, June's deceased author friend, is also absolutely awful (or, so June perceives her to be and therefore so do we). You learn about Athena through June's perspective and only get a limited glimpse of her actually alive. June does not feel bad stealing from Athena because she perceives Athena as everything that is wrong with the world: pretty privilege, and immediate publishing success, and June is jealous. When critics start to pull apart The Last Front (Athena's work that June published), June is secretly very pleased that they are pulling apart all of the pieces that Athena wrote.

The only downside is the incredible amount of modern pop culture references (eg there are several to BTS) which may cause this book to not age well, and later readers (or readers not up to date with pop culture) may have a hard time with it. That being sad, I enjoyed reading the pop culture references in 2023 but I may not still get them in say, 5 years time.

Overall, this is a really incredibly written book about morally grey people rationalising their own bad actions, the lies that they will tell to keep themselves safe, and a woman's plummet into madness.

Thank you so much to HarperCollins Australia and The Borough Press for an advanced copy!

4.5 stars - ARC was given to me by NetGalley.

Yellowface has been another fantastically written book by R.F. Kuang. This book was fast-paced, twisty, unpredictable, and impossible to put down. The book is a dramatic dark satire with side notes hilarious grimness, racism, insight into the publishing world, and extensive booktwt discourse. 

Yellowface delves into the complexities of whiteness, racism, cultural appropriation, and the erasure of ethnic (in particular Asian) voices in Western society and in the publishing industry. RFK artfully highlights these issues using the narrative voice of June, a white female main character who witnesses the death of her 'friend' and immediately steals her finished manuscript to publish as her own. 

June is awful, frustrating, manipulative, self-absorbed, and unfailingly realistic. RFK writes June so incredibly that at times you could even forget how repulsive June is and that she got everything she has because she stole Athena's story and passed it off as her own because of how well she is written. 
I love that RFK didn't pull any punches with any of her characters and that you walk away from the book not having really liked any of them as people. 

Yellowface gave us a lot of messy questions to come to terms with but no real answers on what can be done better. Whilst I would have enjoyed more insight into RFK thinking on these issues, as a work of fiction Yellowface did what it was meant to. It is enough for Yellowface to highlight these issues, complexities, and questions and for it to put them out into the world in a form that is easy to consume and understand. The book leaves it up to us to form our own conclusions on how we feel about these issues and make our own decisions on how we value marginalised stories and authors. 

The book was very meta and heavy with popular culture references that weren't always enjoyable to wade through if you didn't understand or know the acronyms or what was being discussed. I struggled with the middle of the book because of how heavy-handed it was with Twitter discourse but otherwise, it was a thought-provoking book that was wonderfully written and extremely engaging. 

I loved the writing, I don't think the book was necessarily a story that I really enjoyed reading but I think the issues and complexities that it dealt with were incredibly well done and easy to follow and understand. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC to read and review.

This book will not be what you expect. It is a significant departure from the previous books, and I loved it. Book writing, racism, manipulating the truth, friendships…. Lots of themes and a very thought provoking story. Recommended. Thank you to #netgalley and publisher for advance copy.

Yellowface follows the journey of June Hayward, a white American woman who steals a manuscript from her Chinese American best friend and best-selling author Athena Liu after she dies. After June publishes the book under her own name, she must deal with the implications of her actions online and in the publishing sphere.

While not on the same level as The Poppy War or Babel, Yellowface is an excellent read that showcases Kuang’s versatility as a writer. It provides scathing, unique insights into the publishing industry and its inherent “whiteness”, addressing timely issues and raising important questions surrounding racism and cultural appropriation.

I devoured this book in two days. The writing style is more succinct than her previous works and suited to the genre, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved how Kuang flipped the narrative and told this story from the villain's perspective. I absolutely hated June Hayward, and yet I couldn’t put down her absurd commentary of the terrible things she does. That’s a credit to how Kuang structures her plot and sucks you into every chapter of the story.

My only critique surrounds the second act of Yellowface, which centres around Twitter conversations and social media drama. I found it repetitive and tedious in some places. I would have preferred a deeper exploration of the relationship between June and Athena, which I thought was a highlight of the book. They were interesting and complex in their own ways, and I found myself wishing I could read more about their dynamic.

My book review will be posted on TikTok @bookswithellak on 14 May 2023.

If I have learnt anything this year, it’s that I will devour and enjoy anything that R.F. Kuang writes.

I’m going to be as vague as possible whilst still giving my thoughts because I don’t like writing spoilers or anything in particular detailed for reviews, especially when it comes to books that aren’t released to the public yet.

Yellowface covered important topics that are not often highlighted in books, especially when it comes to the publishing world. Racism, plagiarism, microaggressions and cultural appropriation are just some of the things that were portrayed in this book. This book was the definition of meta and satire and I loved every minute of it.

June was a protagonist that you didn’t want to root for and that’s something that you don’t see often in books but I think it speaks volumes about how there are many people in the real world, in all types of workplaces and life in general like June who take advantage of the disadvantages of marginalised groups for their own benefit. I found myself so angry reading this at June’s blatant disrespect, racism and self-righteous actions throughout the book. Just to name one out of many was when June was annoyed by others rightfully saying that many issues arise when it comes to white people writing stories from the point of view of marginalised groups, a point of view that white people will never experience or understand.

This was so unlike anything that Kuang has written and I’m excited to see what she writes next. I know that I will eat up anything that she publishes.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is really interesting from a number of perspectives, it asks some really pointed questions about modern morality while also telling an interesting story about a stolen manuscript. I thought it was thought provoking and well written but am sure some people will find it uncomfortable.

Brilliant!

What I love about R.F. Kuang's writing is that it makes you think about the society and how fucked up it is while reading a novel about fictional stuff.

She brilliantly asks the questions of:
- Is writing BIPOC stories appropriate when the author is not a BIPOC author?
- Is BI a POC author always allowed to tell the stories from the community if that author grew up outside those communities, and where does that line lies...
- How is the publishing world REALLY works and to all my author friends... I wish for you to never read this book, but I hope you do.
- Also, the fact that R.F. Kuang is writing from a perspective of a white woman is just so absolutely amazing and by doing so she just question everything that she writes in her own book.

My got my brain is been fed for a couple of months by this book. I think it was absolutely brilliant look into the publishing world, but also the use (overuse) of social media, cancel culture, racial discrimination in its totality.

With a touch of Pretty Little Liars the ending of this book was the only ending that was right, this book is an exploration, and exploration of our own cultures and I loved it!!

Intelligent and future thinking, perhaps too much so.

Very morally grey with lots of social commentary, will generate a lot of chatter with audiences.

Will be interesting for those wanting insights into the publishing industry.

4.5/5 stars

a dark & witty satire on white tears, and a big f*** you to the publishing industry. this was very different from her other novels but r f kuang doesn’t miss. sarcastic and utterly brilliant. read easily in one sitting, did not want to put it down.