Book Review #26: Yellowface by R. F Kuang

 Review of Yellowface, by R. F. Kuang

I really enjoyed Yellowface. The story follows June Hayward, a struggling writer whose friend and successful author, Athena Liu, suddenly dies. June takes Athena’s unfinished manuscript, rewrites it, and eventually publishes it under her own name. As the book becomes successful, June has to deal with growing criticism and accusations surrounding the manuscript, while constantly trying to justify her actions to herself and others. What makes the story particularly interesting is that June is also the narrator, so we experience the events through her perspective and see how she gradually rationalises her decisions.

One of the things I liked most was how uncomfortable the book made me. June is clearly making unethical choices, but she does not see herself as a villain. Throughout the story, she repeatedly finds explanations for her behaviour and convinces herself that she deserves the success she is receiving. Because the reader is inside her perspective, it becomes surprisingly easy to understand how she reaches these conclusions, even when her actions are clearly wrong. I thought this made her a much more interesting character than if she had simply been written as an obvious antagonist.

I also enjoyed the book’s exploration of the publishing industry and the discussions surrounding race, cultural appropriation, authorship, and social media. Kuang shows how quickly a literary controversy can become something much larger, especially when thousands of people online begin forming opinions without knowing the complete situation. I liked that the book did not present these issues as completely simple or straightforward. Instead, it shows how complicated questions of identity, ownership, and representation can become when they are mixed with ambition and commercial success.

One aspect that did become repetitive for me was the constant focus on Athena. I understood why Athena remained central to the story, since June’s actions and much of the conflict are connected to her. However, there were moments when I felt that the book returned to the same ideas about Athena more often than necessary. Despite this, I still found the characterisation and psychological aspect of the story very effective.

Overall, Yellowface was a book I found both engaging and thought-provoking. What stayed with me most was the way it explores how people justify their own actions when admitting they are wrong would force them to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves. June is not an easy character to like, but being placed inside her perspective makes the story much more interesting. I enjoyed the combination of publishing, social commentary, and psychological tension, and I found myself thinking about the questions raised by the book even after finishing it.

es it under her own name. As the book becomes successful, June has to deal with growing criticism and accusations surrounding the manuscript, while constantly trying to justify her actions to herself and others. What makes the story particularly interesting is that June is also the narrator, so we experience the events through her perspective and see how she gradually rationalises her decisions.

One of the things I liked most was how uncomfortable the book made me. June is clearly making unethical choices, but she does not see herself as a villain. Throughout the story, she repeatedly finds explanations for her behaviour and convinces herself that she deserves the success she is receiving. Because the reader is inside her perspective, it becomes surprisingly easy to understand how she reaches these conclusions, even when her actions are clearly wrong. I thought this made her a much more interesting character than if she had simply been written as an obvious antagonist.

I also enjoyed the book’s exploration of the publishing industry and the discussions surrounding race, cultural appropriation, authorship, and social media. Kuang shows how quickly a literary controversy can become something much larger, especially when thousands of people online begin forming opinions without knowing the complete situation. I liked that the book did not present these issues as completely simple or straightforward. Instead, it shows how complicated questions of identity, ownership, and representation can become when they are mixed with ambition and commercial success.

One aspect that did become repetitive for me was the constant focus on Athena. I understood why Athena remained central to the story, since June’s actions and much of the conflict are connected to her. However, there were moments when I felt that the book returned to the same ideas about Athena more often than necessary. Despite this, I still found the characterisation and psychological aspect of the story very effective.

Overall, Yellowface was a book I found both engaging and thought-provoking. What stayed with me most was the way it explores how people justify their own actions when admitting they are wrong would force them to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves. June is not an easy character to like, but being placed inside her perspective makes the story much more interesting. I enjoyed the combination of publishing, social commentary, and psychological tension, and I found myself thinking about the questions raised by the book even after finishing it.