I adore Kuang's fantasy books and was thrilled to read something different by her. Unfortunately, I didn't love this. I still think Kuang is a genius (honestly I feel very unworthy leaving her writing anything other than an over-the-top in-love review), and there were some very funny/smart/sharp moments. However, as someone who works in the book world, perhaps this was a little too ripped-from-the-headlines for me, so I often didn't feel like I was reading anything novel. Also, perhaps it's because I read this all in one sitting (long plane read), but it felt repetitive. That being said, I am very excited to see the reception to this book when it comes out and listen to all the smart people talk about it. I think it's a great discussion book!

I dug this. Modern commentary on so many relevant topics today. I hated everyone in this, and usually that's a big turn off for me, but it didn't bother me here. The final third felt a little quick compared to the rest of the story and I'm still mulling over how I feel about the ending.

This book is absolutely sharp and pointed like a knife. I'm not sure if I'm quite the person to review it - I found the critique timely and effective, although I did think the pacing sagged a bit in the middle.

I loved Yellowface!
I found this to be a gripping narrative exploring the publishing industry and it's sinister underside. It is funny, and rather absurd and in some places a bit grim but wow, this is a great read. The self absorbed, dishonest, manipulative narrator of the story is deliciously deluded. I wanted to strangle her in one scene and felt myself pulling for her in another.

I could not put this story down, although the end was chaotic the character development was fantastic as even the minor characters have important back stories that make them three dimensional.

A totally fascinating inside look at the publishing business that I highly recommend.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Two words to describe this book: incendiary and maniacal. This literary thriller blew my socks off - I finished it in just a few days. With perfect pacing, and jaw-dropping twists and turns, I couldn't believe how the author stabbed just about everyone in the chest and then twisted the knife. Absolutely no one is spared: readers, publishers, editors, voyeuristic twitter book influencers, hell even Jenna's Book Club got a mention. Kuang has perfectly captured the toxic relationship that exists between authors and readers. Everyone is a villain in Yellowface; a perfect response to claim of moral superiority and clarity that seems omnipresent in the world of books and those who consume them.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

R.F. KUANG. This was absolutely unputdownable, I literally read it one sitting over dinner. There is nothing this woman cannot do, and I would like to redact from my brain the fact that she is younger than me.

This book is so interesting and layered and fascinating, and I definitely need to let it percolate in my brain a little bit. It's incisive and whip-smart and I saw one negative review saying this is a self-insert of R.F. Kuang and I'm like....and? That seems like a good thing to me, considering she is a fascinating and incredibly successful young author of colour CRUSHING it.

A must-read!!!

Whew, R.F. Kuang grabbed the publishing industry, book reviewer culture, Twitter discourse, and the literati by their throats and choked them all in here. I'm probably gonna need 100 years to full unpack this novel.

It feels pretty meta for me (or any of us) to write about a book that's centered on The Discourse. As such, it was interesting perusing some of the Very Online™ reviews of it, because they (often inadvertently) proved one of R.F. Kuang's main points: Just by being on a site like Goodreads or Netgalley and penning our missives, all of us are implicated in at least a few of the critiques posed by Yellowface to varying degrees. It's like a never-ending spiral on the virtues of and problems with reading and writing as well as being A Reader™ and A Writer™.

I honestly don't know where my thoughts are on this book. It was definetly a very fascinating and gripping read and as a bookseller I could definetly relate to those parts in the book and they genuinely made me laugh out loud. However I did feel like this book was the authors response to her own criticisms which is perfectly fine to write about but it did feel a little forced and heavyhanded at times. The ending was pretty dissatisfying and I was left feeling like something was missing but I did enjoy the morally grey characters and the criticisms posed on the publishing industry as a whole.

While I am extremely grateful to have received an ARC, I will be withholding my review until a fair contract agreement is made with the HarperCollins Union.

Full disclosure: I’ve included a rating because I can’t post this feedback without one. I just got approved and have not read this book yet.

Wow. I devoured this book in one day and I absolutely loved every second of it. As someone fascinated by the inner workings of the publishing world, Twitter take downs and Goodreads reviews, this book was so brilliant and relevant. The social commentary and pop culture references were spot on and I loved how they were perfectly weaved into her narrative. I think this will be one of my favorite books of 2023. Definitely one of the most fascinating and unexpected books I’ve read in quite some time. I can’t wait to read whatever R.F Kuang writes next. I loved Babel so much and this was wildly different. Her range is incredible! Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy.

The voice in the novel was hard to discern from the writer’s own voice. Not what I wanted from an R.F. Kuang novel.

This book is absolutely stunning. Tense, compelling, and utterly readable. I couldn't put it down. The subject matter is incredibly important to explore, and I felt the anxiety throughout. It had perfect pacing. There was not a single slow moment. Every word was used efficiently and effectively.

This book was a good read. The topic is timely and makes you think. I must say, I didn't love the characters and couldn't relate to them, but it kept my interest.

I am a big fan of RF Kuang and I was excited to read this ARC. The story was interesting, the writing was smart and the portrayal of the publishing world and our modern world in general was accurate. The main character was deeply unlikable and Kuang’s character work with her was masterful. My one issue with this book was the length. The plot got muddied and a bit boring in the middle which really detracted from the overall message in the end. Overall, I liked the book and I think it will do well in libraries and will spark important conversations about race in our current society.

Epic, immersive storytelling ♥️

When I requested this ARC, I didn’t have a super strong opinion on it. Sure, it sounded interesting but it was way outside the genre of books I usually read.
BUT, 2023 is the year I step out of my comfort zone. This book was stunning.
Even though this author has written some amazing books, and the hype around them is legendary, this was my first experience with their writing and I want more.
I want to know what happens with her last manuscript, and Candice’s tell all. I want to know what she did to the tapes. I want to know what happens to June after all.
I went from wanting June to fail, then succeed, and then back to failing so many times, which sounds weird but was absolutely wonderful as a reader. The story was such an experience, like NOTHING else I’ve ever read.
I’ve already preordered the physical copy and will be recommending it to everyone.
Well done, wow…. Just wow.

3.5 stars. An interesting look at the publishing industry. Seems to be loosely based on Kuang's own experiences as a writer. The main character is insufferable, but I suppose that's the point? Loved the nod to the toxic nature of Goodreads reviews. Probably would have worked better as a short story or novella. Not particularly profound or memorable, but you have to give props to Kuang for trying something different.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

I'm saving my full review for the 2023 Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Guide, because we'll definitely provide coverage there! From the author of Babel, a juicy literary thriller (in both senses) set in the world of publishing that is easy to devour. Very much in the vain of other novels set in the literary world about authors behaving badly, like Jean Hanff Korelitz's The Plot and John Colapinto's About the Author, with the ominous build of Zakiya Dalila Harris’s The Other Black Girl. Kuang's writing is terrific, her analysis skillful, her themes sophisticated and layered. I can't wait to gush about this to everyone I know.

Rebecca Kuang is, full stop, a GENIUS. I have no idea how she manages to make each book better than the last, but she truly does. YELLOWFACE is brilliant, incisive, hilarious, and deeply unsettling. I don't know how Kuang manages to make such a cutting satire feel somehow kind? I want every bookish person to read this book and then talk to me about it, because I think I'll never be able to stop talking. GENIUS!

rf kuang is one of my all time favorite authors. i enjoyed this book, but i felt it did not match the voice of her other books (which i think is the point), but i was a little disappointed. a lot happened off page and it felt like we were just being told things rather than experiencing them (which again, maybe makes sense because it takes place over 2 years). despite these things, i enjoyed it a lot: i loved the insight into the publishing process and the satirical tone that it took. it made me uncomfortable, which is always the sign of a good book. overall, i would recommend, just dont go into it thinking this book is the next babel.

Wow. My first read of 2023 and I am already blown away by literary fiction from publishing's new star, R. F. Kuang.

I love reading books about writing books and publishing. There is something so delicious and mesmerizing as if you are not only looking at a beautiful painting but watching it unfold straight from the painters brushes. There is so much to say about this novel and a lot will bring controversy to the publishing world. The main takeaway I got from this book was: who has the right to tell what story?

Kuang's prose is much more assured and spiteful in a way that really contextualizes the narrator and protagonist of this story, June. June is a white woman living in DC and working on her next novel after her debut completely flopped. Her best "friend" (more on this later) is the amazing Athena Liu. Athena Liu published her debut after Yale, like June, but her first novel was received with such critical acclaim she became the literary darling of the year while June and her career faded into the background. However, Athena and June hang out together quite frequently. They often have celebratory drinks or dinner when one, mostly Athena, meets a publishing goal. This is the setup for an often-messy but exhilarating ride in Kuang's new "Yellowface." Judging by the title readers will probably have a guess on how this story will unfold. However, there are so many twists and turns that I was not prepared for. The essence of this story really boils down to racism and lack of diversity in the publishing world. It also raises the question of 'if the story is a diverse representation of a forgotten history does the author's race matter?' The crux of the story is that yes, it does very much so. However, even more so, the story is about an obsession with fame and the risks people will take to become a success.