Yellowface is a razor sharp book. It delivers a psychological thriller of friendship on the surface, while also exploring questions of privilege and publishing. It is clever and captivating without mincing words. This literary fiction debut from Kuang screams truth and isn’t afraid of pointing out the racism bleeding from the pages in this satire. It is a perfect pairing with Disorientation and is another of those books I’ll be gifting to my friends and family.
Full review to come on YouTube

This book had a very negative vibe throughout. I imagine it was planned that way to shed some light on the darker side of book publishing. The only somewhat likeable character is the one that ends up dead. It will be a Great book for Book Club discussion as there seems to be no end to the turns it takes in revealing unlikable traits of human nature and self preservation. Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.

I genuinely enjoyed this novel so much! I was on the edge of my seat wondering what could the protagonist possibly try and justify next?! It is very dark humor and seems like it genuinely could happen now a days. My patrons are going to love this book and we may choose it for the upcoming book club!

Yellowface is a speculative fiction novel by R.F. Kuang, published in 2023. The novel follows the story of Juniper (June) Song Hayward, a female caucasian, and Athena Lee, a young Chinese-American woman who was a highly revered author who writes about Asian heritage. June and Athena were together on the last night of Athena’s life when she suddenly chokes and dies in front of June. Right before Athena dies, June stumbled upon Athena’s latest and highly secretive manuscript in which Athena asks June to do a read over and let Athena know what June thinks. This is important: Athena has no computer when she types her manuscripts out. She uses an antiqued typewriter and puts all her notes into a moleskin journal. June, being too drunk with Athena, puts the manuscript into her bag and tells Athena, they both are too drunk and she will review it when she is sober. With the sudden and shocking death of Athena, June has the only copy of Athena’s last work. What could possibly happen if June takes Athena's book and tweaks it and makes it her own? After all, don't all authors influence each other?


Yellowface is a well-written and exciting novel that explores themes of identity, race, and power. Kuang's writing is sharp and witty, and her characters are complex and believable. You may not like any of the characters but as you continue reading and peeling back each layer, you realize how realistic the flaws are. Not just these two people but all the characters in the novel.

Speaking of flaws, Yellowface is not without its flaws. The plot is sometimes convoluted, and the pacing can be uneven. Additionally, the novel's treatment of race and identity is somewhat simplistic.

Overall, Yellowface is an enjoyable and thought-provoking novel that is well worth reading. However, readers should be aware of its flaws before reading it.

I would like to add, not only did I read this book, I also listen to that audio version and the narrator actually enhance the experience for me. It made me think more about the subtle and yet complex layers of what truth is.
"...Truth is fluid. There is always another way to spin the story but it does not erase someone's voice..." R.F. Kuang

Triggers ⚠️: diaspora, canceled culture, woke, racism, suicide, rape, and cyber bullying.

Writing Style: 4/5
Plot: 3.5/5
Pace: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Intrigue: 4.5/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

Thank. you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for my e-audio copy for an honest review.

Five. Stars all the way! This was a riveting story that I could not put down. I love the author, and I love the concept of this book and its themes.

YELLOWFACE pushes all kinds of buttons in terms of authorship and the publishing world and the writer's psyche--I was pulled in and stayed intrigued for the whole book. I loved that so many issues at hand were just dragged out by this character, with her opinions varying from obsessive to banal. At points I got a little tired of the interior monologue, but usually for a short time until the character made another bad choice. I appreciate the author's fearlessness in exploring so much here and can see why there's a lot of buzz. Kudos to Kuang for creating a character that's so hard to like but pulls the reader (me, anyway!) along with her poorly thought-out plans. Definitely an original reading experience for me.

Wow, June is a piece of work. All of the rationalizing she does to keep herself feeling like she was in the right when she stole the work is priceless. Yes, Athena used your pain to write a story in college and that was wrong of her to do that without telling you first but yeesh! Two wrongs do not make a right.

Helen Laser did a good job narrating this novel. I appreciated that Helen used distinct voices which made it easier to determine who was speaking.

June’s writing career has not taken off. Not like her friend Athena’s. (Are they even friends?) Athena’s books are bestsellers, and everybody seems to love her. Then Athena chokes to death before June’s very eyes while they’re hanging out at Athena’s apartment, and June accidentally takes Athena’s latest manuscript. June edits and rewrites the book before getting it published, her first bestseller. So, who should be credited for writing the story? Whose story is it? June is an interesting character but not necessarily likeable or relatable. The story is sometime interesting and sometimes frustrating. Each time I was ready to stop listening, I'd be drawn in again. I feel like I should have liked the book more than I actually liked the book. This will provide good discussion for book groups.

I really loved The Poppy Wars but, somehow, right before reading this I didn't remember that R.F. Kuang was the one who wrote it. I just that I knew I read and liked this author so all the preconceived notions about her writing style were nonexistent which really served the story of this book because it is completely unlike any of her other works. This is a searing take on our current society and all the hot button issues that are talked about - racism, diversity, cultural appropriation, social media trolling, just to name a few - and it is done so incredibly well. The story narrative is tightly woven and fast-paced - I read it in a single sitting. This will make you think, will make you angry and will make you laugh. I absolutely loved it! A highly recommended 5 star read! Thanks to Netgalley and The Borough Press for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

When June Hayward's "friend" Athena Liu dies unexpectedly, everything changes. June and Athena went to Yale together and both had high hopes of becoming literary stars. Only Athena achieves those goals and June's career is nothing more than a flop. June resents Athena's stardom, but still goes out with her when invited. A pancake eating contest gone wrong leaves June alone with Athena's final manuscript. She publishes it under the name Juniper Song, a deliberately ambiguous name that leads many readers to believe that June is Asian like Athena. It's the story of a spectacular rise to fame and the fallout from it. June starts seeing Athena's ghost and when she begins to get ominous messages from Athena's Instagram account, she wonders if she's lost all sense of reality. This book is an intellectual thriller. It kept me on the edge of my seat, though I wasn't rooting for anyone.

Yellowface is a propulsive, insightful look at the world of publishing. June Hayward and Athena Liu were college classmates and friendly with each other. Both become published authors, but Athena is much more successful than June. When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals her manuscript and passes it off as her own. The novel examines racism in the publishing industry, what it means to be a successful writer, and plagiarism and theft of intellectual property, and the whole novel is very meta. I couldn't put it down!

I thought the audiobook was fantastic! The narrator did an excellent job making June come to life.

This was such an engrossing and biting satire. Kuang's writing really shines in this book and I cannot wait to read more from her. I also loved the narrator's delivery.

Thank you to Harper Audio for a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review! This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I screamed when I got the notification from NetGalley that I was able to read an early copy. I have also ordered a special edition of the book.

This is another perspicacious novel by R.F. Kuang and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really want to remark on the excellent narration by Helen Laser. I actually looked up her other audiobooks because she did a fantastic job. This would be a five-star read for me; however, I suffer from acute second-hand embarrassment and some of these scenes nearly killed me.

4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5

Oof this book was a ride! And really, really good on audiobook. It's the kind of book where you're probably not going to like any of the characters. In fact, you might loathe them at least at some points throughout the book, especially the main character June. But Yellowface is proof that you don't have to like the characters to really love the book. Well done, R.F. Kuang!

It's a dark satire that gave me major anxiety from the start. When struggling author June Hayward's super successful author "friend" Athena Liu passes away, June takes her basically finished manuscript and decides to present it as her own. Not only is this a problem in and of itself, but June is a white woman and Athena was an Asian American and her book is about Chinese laborers in WWI.

I'm pretty sure R.F. Kuang is trying to make us uncomfortable with this book and she succeeded in so many ways. Of course, the most obvious is with the title and cover of the book. Even my husband was like "um, what are you reading?" when he saw it. And then there's so much to be uncomfortable about with the content in the book.... including so many ways in which the publishing industry works, especially in regards to race, and how book reviewers and author fans act when they like and don't like a book.

Ultimately, Yellowface should make you examine the question "who owns a particular story?" It should also open your eyes up a bit about the sometimes ugly world of book publishing and should make you examine your biases when it comes to choosing the books you want to read (even your unconscious biases), as well as your actions when it comes to leaving book reviews and having author discussions on Twitter, Bookstagram, BookTok, etc.

The book is unhinged in the best way possible and I already want to re-read it because I feel like I probably missed a lot that would make the novel even more powerful.

Think of all the publishing hot topics of the last few years…plagiarism, cultural appropriation, etc. and Yellowface rolls them all into one book with an unlikeable white protagonist who lifts her dead frenemy’s unfinished manuscript.
Addictive reading.

I started listening to Yellowface this week and I was hooked from the first chapter. I think listening to this book enhanced the experience because so much rides on the self delusion of the narrator, Juniper Song. Helen Laser vividly brings her voice to life!

I’m a big fan of Babel and The Poppy War. While this contemporary thriller is quite different in genre, don’t expect Kuang to start pulling any punches. If anything, they just get harder.

There is a lot to like in this book. It’s a quick read that mixes her scathing critique of the publishing world and internet book culture with the fast paced action of a physiological thriller.

Previous reviews I have seen don’t give the book’s complexity enough credit. While Juniper is quite despicable, Kuang is deliberate that she isn’t without sympathy. Neither is Athen Liu ( the woman who Juniper plagiarizes) an innocent. No one is the good person here which makes the novel a dark but spot in satire.

It’s messy and suspenseful and oh so beautifully infuriating.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harperaudio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for a fair review.

a satirical mess of absolute chaos, a completely unlikable main character, the controversy of the publishing industry and the insane conversations around ‘diversity’ quotas and the ‘other side’ of the story - I loved it - 4.25

Well, shit. That was phenomenal.

It's almost harder for me to review a book I loved this much because I don't know what to say and I'm afraid of over-hyping it. But the fact is that I was blown away!

Yellowface is as good as I expected it to be, if not better, and I was expecting a lot. I haven't read The Poppy War, but I did read (and love) Babel. This is shorter, more fast-paced, more entertaining, and not as dense. It's easy to pick up and impossible to put down. I started this book in the morning and ditched almost all responsibilities for the rest of the day so I could finish it, and I do not regret that decision for a second. It's funny and compelling; it's a romp and it's also thoughtful; it's absurd and it's almost too realistic. The writing is fantastic, the story is fantastic, the pacing is fantastic. Am I hyping it up too much? Will I look back on this at the end of the year and find that I've forgotten all about it? Maybe? But for now, I'm riding the high of this reading experience!

Thank you, Harper Collins Audio, for an advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

Yellowface follows June Hayward, a struggling author, who, after the sudden death of her peer and (kind of) friend, Athena Liu, steals her unfinished manuscript and publishes it as her own. The manuscript in question? A novel about the Chinese labourers during the first world war. In this literary satire that boldly pokes at the hypocrisy of the publishing industry, R.F. Kuang raises questions about the ethics of the publishing industry, trauma mining, cultural appropriation, white entitlement and who can write certain stories.

This book exceeded all of my expectations. I missed deadlines so I could finish this book within a day because I was so enthralled with the story. R.F. Kuang has long established herself as an incredibly poignant and smart writer, but this novel takes it to another level.

I cannot recommend this one enough to people who enjoy smart satires and literary fiction. I would even say that if you were not a fan of Kuang’s Fantasy work, this one is worth the read because it diverges significantly from her previous writing style.

Told from the perspective of our unreliable narrator, Kuang gets in June Hayward’s head in a way that is addicting and impressive, and you will find yourself at this inner push and pull throughout the story as you’re led through some of the most unhinged inner monologues I have ever read. Go read it.

This book captured my attention and it was hard to put it down. I was so shocked by Juniper’s action and behavior throughout the entire book. The way she justified everything just made me sick. The writing just pulled me in immediately and the narrator, Helen Laser did a fantastic job keeping me engaged. Her voice is so convincing! When Juniper is frantic, you can hear through the speakers clearly. It all felt very real to me. I highly recommend the audiobook. It brought the story to life for me. Juniper is a character that we all will love to hate and the writing is just spectacular. Giving insight to the publishing world and how it works was also fascinating.

A very special thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio for the ALC.