Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Yellowface
by R.F. Kuang
Contemporary | Literary Fiction
322 Pages
Released May 2023
Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads
Content Warnings
I’ve really enjoyed R.F Kuang’s earlier work so when I heard she was coming out with a new book, I was immediately intrigued (especially since her books are often social-commentary leaning). Funnily enough, when I finally read what the novel was going to be about it immediately reminded me of another book, The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz.
This book kicks off with a death. Athena Liu, a young, up and coming literary star, is suddenly dead after a freak accident. There during her death is June Hayward, an author as well but with a mediocre reception at best. June makes her envy of Athena very clear from the get go, attributing race as a big factor to their difference in success. Athena’s unexpected death presents June with a horrifying opportunity - stealing Athena’s latest (and little-known) manuscript and publishing it under a racially ambiguous name.
It’s interesting to me that both The Plot and Yellowface start in similar ways - mediocre authors stealing the works from someone they know has recently passed and passing it off as their own. But whereas The Plot follows more of a thriller route, Yellowface dives deep into the world of publishing. (Between the two of us, I found Yellowface much more interesting).
Both Athena and June are arguably unlikeable characters. June often goes through some insane mental gymnastics (and actions) to justify her stealing Athena’s work. Athena is a little more ambiguous - as we only learn what kind of person she was like through the eyes of June. As an avid reader, I also really enjoyed getting to learn more about the publishing world.
While I wouldn’t call this a fast-paced book, it was really fascinating to follow June as she tried to justify her actions over and over. So if you’re a fan of The Plot or R.F. Kuang’s writing, this book is not one to miss.