Yellowface
Author: Rebecca F. Kuang
Published by: The Borough Press
Pages: 323
Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★★★★1/2
Published by: The Borough Press
Pages: 323
Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★★★★1/2
This is one hell of a story.
It’s just not hers to tell.
When failed writer June Hayward witnesses her rival Athen Liu die in a freak accident, she sees her opportunity... and takes it.
So what if it means stealing Athena’s final manuscript?
So what if it mrans ‘borrowing’ her identity?
And so what if the first lie is only the beginning…
Finally, June has the fame she always deserved.
But someone is about to expose her.
What happens next is entirely everyone else’s fault.
This is one hell of a story.
It’s just not hers to tell.
When failed writer June Hayward witnesses her rival Athen Liu die in a freak accident, she sees her opportunity... and takes it.
So what if it means stealing Athena’s final manuscript?
So what if it mrans ‘borrowing’ her identity?
And so what if the first lie is only the beginning…
Finally, June has the fame she always deserved.
But someone is about to expose her.
What happens next is entirely everyone else’s fault.
My thoughts:
Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang was selected as the July novel for one of my book clubs this month, and I had such a fun time reading this!
I think Rebecca F. Kuang is fast becoming an auto-buy author for me, and previously I’ve also enjoyed her books Babel and The Poppy War.
Juniper Song is a mediocre author who is friends with Athen Liu, the darling of the literary world. When Athena suddenly dies, June steals Athena’s latest manuscript and puts it out there as her own.
Through the events that follow, Kuang puts the publishing industry on trial for its racism and double standards through the success and downward spiral of Juniper’s life.
Each character in Yellowface is flawed in some way and because of that and Kuang’s characterisation they all felt very real. The world of publishing is thrust into the spotlight in this book, and ultimately found lacking. This is a world in which Bestsellers are seemingly chosen on a whim, to fit a particular social media narrative. It is very, very clever. Nobody comes out of this well but you are driven to read on.
The author manages to create a plot that is mostly very realistic, and at times it ends up feeling surreal that this is a literary thriller and not an autobiography of Juniper Hayward. Before long I found myself falling into Kuang’s intricate puzzle of morality and ethics. I genuinely found myself pondering what I would do in June’s shoes.
`Yellowface is a dark, satirical and brilliantly written novel. It absolutely did not disappoint. This is a quick read and an entertaining novel that is sure to leave a lasting impression. Yellowface is a must-read for fans of satire, literary thrillers and books that delve into the complexities of race and identity.
Overall reaction:
Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang was selected as the July novel for one of my book clubs this month, and I had such a fun time reading this!
I think Rebecca F. Kuang is fast becoming an auto-buy author for me, and previously I’ve also enjoyed her books Babel and The Poppy War.
Juniper Song is a mediocre author who is friends with Athen Liu, the darling of the literary world. When Athena suddenly dies, June steals Athena’s latest manuscript and puts it out there as her own.
Through the events that follow, Kuang puts the publishing industry on trial for its racism and double standards through the success and downward spiral of Juniper’s life.
Each character in Yellowface is flawed in some way and because of that and Kuang’s characterisation they all felt very real. The world of publishing is thrust into the spotlight in this book, and ultimately found lacking. This is a world in which Bestsellers are seemingly chosen on a whim, to fit a particular social media narrative. It is very, very clever. Nobody comes out of this well but you are driven to read on.
The author manages to create a plot that is mostly very realistic, and at times it ends up feeling surreal that this is a literary thriller and not an autobiography of Juniper Hayward. Before long I found myself falling into Kuang’s intricate puzzle of morality and ethics. I genuinely found myself pondering what I would do in June’s shoes.
`Yellowface is a dark, satirical and brilliantly written novel. It absolutely did not disappoint. This is a quick read and an entertaining novel that is sure to leave a lasting impression. Yellowface is a must-read for fans of satire, literary thrillers and books that delve into the complexities of race and identity.
Overall reaction:
