Yellowface is a book I had seen floating around social media for a long time but never really thought to read it. I didn't know anything about it - I guess I just became familiar with it's front cover. Once I heard a few reviews on Tik Tok, I decided I would step out of my comfort genres and give it a go. I had never read a book like this before, so I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. This was my introduction to Rebecca's writing, and it has definitely left a sweet taste in my mouth for more.
Synopsis
Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena’s a literary darling. June Hayward is literally nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks.
So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I.
So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.
But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.
My Review
As mentioned in my introduction, I had never read a book like this before, so I had no idea what to expect. I was impressed with how well crafted the characters were and how much I immersed into the plot. June is one of the most flawed characters I think I have ever read about, and it's safe to say her actions made me seethe with rage at some points. Her ability to constantly victimise herself and allow her insecurities to override morals shook me to my core. It takes a very talented writer and storyteller to make you feel so strongly towards a character and their behaviour. Rebecca is a mastermind!
Despite heavily disliking the protagonist, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel itself. I found myself getting so excited to pick it up. I think it took me about 4 days to finish, which was a surprise. I didn't expect to finish this one so quickly. Kuang's writing style was so digestible, yet eloquent. She has a way of articulating ideas and information which is palatable, yet delivered with the appropriate strength needed. This book heavily touches on topics such as racism and discrimination. Rebecca did not shy away from discussing white supremacy and microaggressions. I believe she handled this subject with sensitivity, without diluting its damage within our society. She was able to call out the racial injustices that Asians face, without trying to soften it to make people comfortable. I applaud her massively for her approach. I believe this novel would be an incredible conversation starter and way to educate those who are ignorant to racism within the writing industry (and beyond).
The only thing I didn't enjoy about my reading experience was how angry I got whilst reading some of the dreadful things June did. She was HEINOUS. But I think that is what made this character so well developed. Although she was highly unlikeable, she felt very real. She felt like someone you could genuinely come across in life. We see examples of Junes frequently - especially in the social media space. Alongside racism, the book touched on "cancel culture". This topic is relevant more than ever; especially in regards to racism.
Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend this book to people and I look forward to reading more of Kuang's work.
I gave this book 4.75 stars ★★★★
Have you read Yellowface? If so, what did you think of it? Let me know in the comments.
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