The first book I read this year was a dud. I am still struggling to decide what to write about it. But Yellowface, my second read – was a knockout. I read this at a time when I was emotionally spent and this book got me engrossed and diverted for a few hours, and for this, I am so grateful. Long story, and I will/maybe share once I can write about my nightmarish last couple of weeks without breaking down.
About the Book
Athena Liu is a literary darling, and June Hayward is nobody.
White lies
When Athena dies in a freak accident, June steals her unpublished manuscript and publishes it under the ambiguous name Juniper Song.
Dark humour
But as evidence threatens June’s stolen success, she will discover exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.
Deadly consequences
What happens next is entirely everyone else’s fault.
~ Synopsis from GoodReads
Yellowface Review
Yellowface is brilliant, just brilliant! I was worried it would be overrated. So many hyped books are. But Yellowface is a fresh, easy-to-read page-turner that’s funny and makes you think but doesn’t belabor its points.
Yes, the main character, June Hayward is unlikeable, and her actions are objectively bad, but despite that, it never feels like the author is lecturing you about the correct viewpoints on representation and cancel culture. I also found it rather entertaining that Kuang criticizes not only whites but people of color, too.
Another aspect of the book that was super interesting to me was its spotlight on the book publishing industry. It has made me think more critically about the phenomenon of a popular author who becomes a darling of the bookverse. I also enjoyed reading about the process writers take to be able to publish a book. Loved all the in-depth details!
However, the book isn’t perfect. The story seems to lose steam in the second half; the ending feels too drawn and rushed simultaneously. But these are minor flaws that I could overlook.
Overall a total win! And completely deserves all the hype it’s got in the book blogging world! Have you read this book? What do you think?
