Yellowface

image via Marella Moon Albanese / nytimes.com

I just finished the novel Yellowface by R. F. Kuang. From the start I was hooked by the storyline and engrossed in Kuang's writing, but the book dragged on a bit towards the middle/end. Nonetheless Yellowface is a well-done, original work by a skillful, young talent.

The novel centers on two young authors, literary sensation Athena Liu and struggling writer June Hayward. When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals her just-finished manuscript and publishes it as her own. June rebrands as Juniper Song, uses an ambiguously ethnic author photo and gets famous for "her" masterpiece about the contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I. Her deception and her justifications are totally cringe to read, but Kuang makes June/Juniper relatable in ways, too.

The plot has plenty of intrigue and I personally enjoyed the detailed depiction of the publishing industry. Yellowface may be satirical but I still appreciate the realistic, if a bit exaggerated, insider info. And despite the obstacles portrayed in the novel, the "author life" aspect inspired me to get writing.
 
goodreads, which is basically a character in the book, gives a glowing description: "With its totally immersive first-person voice, Yellowface grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media. R.F. Kuang’s novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable."

Check it out. Prepare to be uncomfortable; that's the point.

AES