Yellowface is a (satirical) account of a white woman named June Hayward who has published a book but is struggling to find success in the industry and inspiration for her next project. Athena Liu, June’s fellow Yale classmate, is a rising star and adored in the publishing world. One evening June and Athena meet for a night out and Athena meets her demise in an accidental choking. June steals, edits and sends Athena’s, now passed off as her own, manuscript to her agent. What transpires is a whirlwind of success for June, entirely based off a stolen manuscript. When allegations come out against June’s legitimacy, we see just how far a person is willing to go to keep her secret.

In this immersive first-person voice, Kuang places us, the readers, in the unhinged mind of June. By sitting in June’s seat, we are privy to her inner thoughts, delusions really, and her ability to twist everything to benefit her and make herself the victim. The constant justification of her criminal, racist, entitled, and abusive actions was insane to witness.

The other part of this book was the unveiling or peeking behind the curtain if you will, into the publishing world. Kuang does not hold back, and we should commend her for it, because she delves into racism, misogyny, plagiarism, privilege and so much more that is still prevalent in the publishing industry. The most meta book I’ve ever read – a twist of the knife into the publishing industry and the ultimate experiment.

Watching this story unfold had my eyes glued to the pages, my stomach in knots and my emotions raging. Thank you @hccfrenzy for sending me an advanced copy, 4✨!

This might just be my favorite book of 2023, and we're not even done with September yet. I could not put this down -- R. F. Kuang has outdone herself!

My first RF Kuang book ever did not disappoint! This literary satire novel is just fabulous and everyone needs to read it!

This book was absolutely stunning. I've only read The Poppy Wars so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the twists and turns of this book just absolutely sucked me in. 10/10 read.

Yellowface is a book that you have to consume all at once, there's almost no way to stop yourself. This book had me feeling so many different emotions. I was feeling bad for people I shouldn't have felt bad for and rooting for lies while also hating everyone involved. It is important and has a lot of worthwhile commentary.

Both aspiring writers June Heyward and Athena Lui meet at Yale. Taking many of the same classes they become friends. After graduating from Yale both women do publish a book. June’s book ends up being published by a small publishing house to mediocre reviews and flagging sales. Athena on the other hand lands a lucrative contract with a major publisher. Her sales and popularity are off the charts.
Though they remain on friendly terms June is jealous and resents Athena’s success
Despite all her success, Athena doesn’t have any friends except for June. Overly self involved and seemingly oblivious to June’s jealousy Athena asks June to celebrate another career milestone. After the celebration, the women return to Athena’s apartment where she shows June her completed first draft of a new manuscript. June is the first and only person that knows about Athena’s new novel. A tragic accident occurs later that evening resulting in Athena’s death. Impulsively June takes Athena’s manuscript ultimately to edit it and make it her own.
YELLOWFACE is a multifaceted story. The book brings topics like cultural appropriation, racism, the publishing industry and social media to the forefront.
I thought the book was well written. The only character I could find any empathy for was Athena’s mother otherwise all the other characters were terrible people and easy to dislike. While I didn’t love the story I didn’t hate it either. A sign of good writing is how long a story stays you and undoubtedly YELLOWFACE will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for allowing me access to an advanced digital edition of YELLOWFACE.

Though a departure from Kuang's traditional fantasy genre, Kuang expertly enters the literary fiction world with a self-reflective book about culture and ownership. Highly recommended, especially for those interested in or familiar with the publishing world.

Yellowface was an entertaining read that explored the many nuances of friendship, the world of publishing, and friendships. The pacing of the story was great and it was definitely a "page-turner" though parts of the story did feel a touch predictable at times. This was one of my most anticipated novels of 2023 and it did not disappoint. I think this would make a great book club pick as well because there are a plethora of themes that can be explored in conversation + community.

"Yellowface" by R.F. Kuang delves into a thought-provoking and critically reflective exploration of issues related to racial representation, identity, and cultural appropriation. This book offers a powerful and insightful perspective on the complexities surrounding portrayals of race and ethnicity in media and art.

Kuang's writing style is sharp and incisive, addressing sensitive subjects with depth and nuance. Through her narrative, she engages readers in a conversation about the implications of "yellowface" and the broader context of cultural appropriation. The author's ability to navigate these themes in a thought-provoking manner makes the book both engaging and enlightening.

At the heart of the book is a deep exploration of the consequences of harmful portrayals and stereotypes perpetuated by "yellowface." Kuang's storytelling highlights the impact on individuals and communities, encouraging readers to reflect on their own perspectives and consider the importance of accurate and respectful representation.

"Yellowface" successfully balances informative insights with personal experiences, resulting in a narrative that is both informative and emotionally resonant. The themes of identity, cultural sensitivity, and the power of storytelling to shape perceptions add layers of complexity to the exploration.

In conclusion, "Yellowface" by R.F. Kuang is a thought-provoking and critical exploration of the implications of racial representation and cultural appropriation. If you're looking for a book that engages with the complexities of these topics in a compelling way, this narrative offers a thought-provoking and impactful perspective that will leave you reflecting on the importance of inclusive storytelling and representation.

This book was riveting. Much like watching a natural disaster unfold, I couldn't look away. Typically, when I dislike a protagonist this intensely, it makes the book harder to focus on, but goodness I had to know what would become of June! Unflinching, cringeworthy satire that made me laugh and gasp out loud at turns. I have been recommending this book to everyone. Sincerely unbelievable.

Every writer should read this! An unimaginable tale! A real page turner! I highly recommend this read!!

Yellowface is a scintillating take on the racism within the publishing industry, the power of social media to make or break a reputation, and the microagressions that we are unaware of yet are still guilty of perpetuating. There were times I felt that the story moved too slowly, and others when I felt that it needed more time to delve into what was happening. It was, honestly, a roller coaster of emotions. A social commentary with a thriller-esque twist thrown in at the end. It felt jumbled and hectic but it, weirdly, worked.

Highly successful Athena, a Chinese American author, accidentally chokes, and June, her white, not so successful author friend, can't save her. That would have been the end of the story, except June absconds with the the authors just finished manuscript, “just to read it”, but ends up selling it as her own, and going through the whole editing, publishing, and marketing process. So begins June's journey down one rabbit hole after another. When things go bad, which is often, June may feel remorse for a quick second, but then she always ends up justifying her actions and continuing the charade. Does she have a personality disorder? Maybe. YELLOWFACE describes the publishing process from query letter to the post publications days, and then the personalities of the “players” are layered atop the plot. This is a fast read with all the drama created by bad decisions. Definitely one for your TBR.
#Yellowface #NetGalley.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital arc.

Tbh I'm reaaally sad this one didn't work for me, it was one of my most anticipated of the year. However, expectation did not translate to reality.

From the marketing and the blurb, it sounded like this was going to be a really interesting story centered around race and writing. And yes, it was centered around those things, but it also just felt like it was regurgitating ALL the stuff the publishing world has been discussing on Twitter for the past 3-5 years, and not in a good way. I've seen the racism and messiness of the publishing world, it's something I have been immersed in for over a decade at this point -- and this did not break fresh ground. It felt weak, which was particularly disappointing since I loved her last novel [book:Babel: An Arcane History|57945316] so so much. No new ground is covered, it's just rehashing the same old same old we see every day.

If you haven't been involved in publishing for years, maybe give this one a go. But if you're in the publishing world, just skip this one. I hope her next book works out better for me.

Sometimes you come across a book that deserves the positive hype it gets, Yellowface is that.

I adored each word of this novel. The brutal honesty that the author manages to convery through her protagonist maneuvering through the publishing world is impeccable. I love a dislikeable character and June offers just that.

The writing felt shockingly personal and yet captures the art of Sally Rooney or Murakami. Beautiful.

RF Kuang is simply a genius. The way that her brain works, the incisive and cutting way that she writes. I'm just in love with her canon. This book is a takedown of publishing, the backlash to "woke" culture, the model minority myth, the fraught conversation around appreciation/appropriation, the expectation of a perfect victim, the racism and ESPECIALLY white feminism that says, "I'm all for increasing diversity in x field, BUT..." There is nobody likable in this book and I am obsessed with that. Just gonna be over here in my corner hungry for more of her beautiful and provocative and insightful creations.

This was amazing. I feel like it got right what so many parodies and send ups of the publishing industry get wrong. It felt so familiar that entire conversations could have been lifted from my meetings with authors and publishers. And the razor sharp commentary on virtue signaling and racism in the industry was masterful. There are ppl I know in the industry who would read this and miss the irony entirely.

So, this had a very strong beginning. I was hooked immediately. I even felt sympathy for June. About halfway in, that changed and I found myself wondering when the book would end and what would happen to June. In a twist, though, by the end I had come to the conclusion that everyone was flawed, everyone was liable, and that publishing was a whole lot more complicated than I thought. Still not entirely sure what I think of June.

This book sounds just like a story that you would hear about on the National news. Two friends, one who has everything going for them and the other friend just trying o survive.Both ladies are at club drinking and when they get home life gets hard. Athens dies from something and June decides to steal her latest novel and say that she wrote it. This book will have you wanting to read every page. Eventually June gets caught and must admit the truth. The tru5 always win.

This darkly funny critique of the publishing industry about jealousy and getting what you deserve will pull you in from the beginning. A struggling writer steals the success of her college frenemy after the friend unexpectedly dies with a stellar unpublished manuscript. Is success based on the quality of your writing or on whether you fit the current popular trend? Kuang shows that her skill extends beyond fantasy epics in this realistic depiction of self-justification and female anger.