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FIC KUA
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Publication
William Morrow (2023), 336 pages
Description
After the death of her literary rival in a freak accident, author June Hayward steals her just-finished masterpiece, sending it to her agent as her own work, but as emerging evidence threatens her success, she discovers how far she'll go to keep what she thinks she deserves.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Hccpsk
R.F. Kuang gets a lot right in her new novel, Yellowface, which takes a run at the publishing industry, social media, and AAPI racism. June Hayward struggles to make ends meet as a writer while her frenemy from Yale, Athena Liu, becomes a book-world darling with six-figure advances and Netflix
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deals. When Athena dies, June takes advantage of their friendship to forward her own career. I’m not a writer, but a lot of the industry mechanisms and messiness feel very real, as well as the daily struggles to write and find footing in a very difficult business. But a lot of the plot and character development feels very forced and unnatural — some of this is the nature of an unreliable narrator, but a lot just falls flat. Overall, Yellowface gives readers a strong statement about racism, publishing, and the black hole of social media, but as a thriller, it doesn’t hold up. Show Less
LibraryThing member pgchuis
I'm giving this 5* for the first two-thirds and then 3* for the last part, averaging out at 4*.
This was very 'meta', both internally and (I imagine) as against the author's own experiences. I loved June's narrative voice, with her self-justifications and manipulations. Although I deplored what she
But then it stalled a bit and I was beginning to get bored when the whole ghost thing came up.
SPOILER
We were seriously supposed to accept that June believed Athena had come back as a ghost and was communicating with her on social media...???
The very ending perhaps was meant to show how June couldn't imagine a life where she wasn't writing, and perhaps it was saying something about 'truths', but it also felt a tiny bit as if the author didn't know how to end things.
This was very 'meta', both internally and (I imagine) as against the author's own experiences. I loved June's narrative voice, with her self-justifications and manipulations. Although I deplored what she
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had done, I felt invested in her ploys to keep coming out on top. I thought the depiction of Athena was cleverly ambiguous.But then it stalled a bit and I was beginning to get bored when the whole ghost thing came up.
SPOILER
We were seriously supposed to accept that June believed Athena had come back as a ghost and was communicating with her on social media...???
The very ending perhaps was meant to show how June couldn't imagine a life where she wasn't writing, and perhaps it was saying something about 'truths', but it also felt a tiny bit as if the author didn't know how to end things.
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LibraryThing member DKnight0918
The writing is great but I just didn’t like June.
LibraryThing member rmarcin
4 of 5 stars
June Hayward and Athena Liu were friends, both hoping to become published authors. When Athena gets published very early, June is a bit jealous. Then, when Athena dies with June nearby, June takes Athena's draft manuscript, reworks it a bit, and submits it as her original work. It is
However, June/Juniper is attacked for the book, and is accused of stealing the book. June tries to claim that the work is hers, but someone is haunting her. She wonders if Athena is really dead, and if so, who is claiming that the work was stolen?
This reminded me of the complaint around the author of American Dirt, a book I thought was great. Does it really matter the ethnicity of the person telling the story? This book takes a biting look at that question.
I was surprised as to how the book ended, the person haunting June, and her reaction.
June Hayward and Athena Liu were friends, both hoping to become published authors. When Athena gets published very early, June is a bit jealous. Then, when Athena dies with June nearby, June takes Athena's draft manuscript, reworks it a bit, and submits it as her original work. It is
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about Chinese laborers - but June is white, so her editor changes her name to Juniper Song, so she sounds more ethnic. However, June/Juniper is attacked for the book, and is accused of stealing the book. June tries to claim that the work is hers, but someone is haunting her. She wonders if Athena is really dead, and if so, who is claiming that the work was stolen?
This reminded me of the complaint around the author of American Dirt, a book I thought was great. Does it really matter the ethnicity of the person telling the story? This book takes a biting look at that question.
I was surprised as to how the book ended, the person haunting June, and her reaction.
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LibraryThing member Perednia
Fascinating look at publishing and writing through various lenses, including diversity, appropriation, social media battles and hoaxes/literary theft through the story of a friend who takes successful writer's latest manuscript when she dies after a night of drinking together.
Underneath the ups and
Underneath the ups and
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downs of the wild plot is a love of writing and storytelling, expressed genuinely by a character who admits to a lot of delusional justifications in everything except this. Show Less
LibraryThing member brianinbuffalo
Although I take issue with some reviews that brand this a “thriller,” Kuang spins an enthralling tale that tackles challenges in the publishing industry, the impact of social media, the dynamics of “frenemies” and issues involving racism and diversity. As with many other books I’ve read
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over the years, I’m convinced the narrative could have told been more effectively in about two-thirds the words (Why is it that so many talented authors seem to be bent on overstaying their welcomes by a hundred or so pages?) Nevertheless, I tenjoyed “Yellowface” and was prodded to think more deeply about some of the themes listed above. Show Less
LibraryThing member akblanchard
When white mid-list author June Haywood’s bestselling Asian friend Athena dies suddenly in a gruesome freak accident, June takes the opportunity to surreptitiously lay claim to the dead author’s latest unpublished manuscript. June reinvents herself as the vaguely Chinese-American Juniper Song
Rarely have I read a book that is as wild a ride as this one, even if I did figure out the big plot twist way in advance. Highly recommended.
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and completes the work. Thus is set in motion a chain of events that exposes the worlds of twenty-first century publishing and social media for what they are—cutthroat, backbiting and merciless. Rarely have I read a book that is as wild a ride as this one, even if I did figure out the big plot twist way in advance. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member LibrarianRyan
WOW! I own many books by this author, but this is the first one I have read. While this is not in my normal genera (and the others are) there is just something so compelling about this book. From the first five minutes of the audio book I could not stop listening. Not a bit. I was glued. It is the
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story of theft. Idea theft. Of passing the work of one person off as another, damn the consequences. And not only passing it off as yours, truly believing that it is yours. It is your work, and the other author just did the basics. It was interesting to be inside the main character’s head, and her thought process through the events of this book. I saw myself as a reader on many of the pages, and in many of the events. I see influencers I recognized as the parodies they are. And I saw behind the eyes of someone reaching for the unattainable, just to have it crash around them for their own folly. I loved everything about this book, and come fall, when they start handing out awards, this will be on the top of the list.!! Show Less
LibraryThing member KallieGrace
This is easy to fly through, as there's not a clear ending point so you need to know how it actually plays out. It's very meta in its use of reviews and book discourse, which was fun to read. I wonder how well that will hold up in a decade though. Excellent examples of microaggressions and how NOT
Also, choking to death on a pancake? STOP, amazing.
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to be an ally. Also, choking to death on a pancake? STOP, amazing.
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LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
Rebecca Kuang’s previous novel, Babel, was probably my favourite book of 2022, and combined a rich blend of history, linguistics, fantasy and outrage at cultural appropriation.
I must have taken my eye off the literary ball because I hadn’t been aware of the imminent publication of Yellowface
The basic premise is easily described. Aspiring, but as yet unsuccessful, novelist Juniper “June” Hayward meets up with her Asian American acquaintance Athena Liu, with whom she had been a fellow student. Athena has enjoyed exceptional success as a writer, and is fêted as one of the leading literary lights of her generation. While they sip cocktails in Athena’s apartment, she starts to choke, and Juniper is unable to save her. However, before the emergency services arrive on the scene, Juniper purloins the hard copy manuscript of Athena’s latest book. Earlier in the evening, when discussing their approach to writing, Athena had explained that she always wrote her first manuscripts by old fashioned typewriter, and that no electronic version existed.
Sure enough, Juniper decides to work on the manuscript and pass it off as her own work. Her agent, who had been preparing to drop her, is amazed by this new work, and secures a great publishing contact and a hefty advance. The book is released, and sells in big numbers.
Rebecca Kuang handles this masterfully. We are given an insight into the bickering that arises within the publishing world as agents, editors, publishers and publicists come into play. All too soon, after phenomenal early success, Juniper (now restyled ‘June’) finds herself assailed from all sides. People question the writing style, the content matter and her own attitudes. The book addresses the little-known plight of Chinese immigrants press-ganged into participating in the First World War, and the cruelty and racism that they suffered. This in turn leads to accusations of cultural appropriation against June.
I found the book very gripping right from the start. The story is narrated in the first person by Juniper, and it is intriguing to see how her own frailties and naivete become evident. I don’t want to say too much more about the content of the story, to avoid inadvertent spoilers. However, I thought it was all highly believable, and I raced through the book in just a couple of days.
I must have taken my eye off the literary ball because I hadn’t been aware of the imminent publication of Yellowface
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until I saw it on sale in the bookshop, so consequently I had no idea what to expect. It is completely different from Babel, being set in current day America, and deals in practical terms with the world of publishing.The basic premise is easily described. Aspiring, but as yet unsuccessful, novelist Juniper “June” Hayward meets up with her Asian American acquaintance Athena Liu, with whom she had been a fellow student. Athena has enjoyed exceptional success as a writer, and is fêted as one of the leading literary lights of her generation. While they sip cocktails in Athena’s apartment, she starts to choke, and Juniper is unable to save her. However, before the emergency services arrive on the scene, Juniper purloins the hard copy manuscript of Athena’s latest book. Earlier in the evening, when discussing their approach to writing, Athena had explained that she always wrote her first manuscripts by old fashioned typewriter, and that no electronic version existed.
Sure enough, Juniper decides to work on the manuscript and pass it off as her own work. Her agent, who had been preparing to drop her, is amazed by this new work, and secures a great publishing contact and a hefty advance. The book is released, and sells in big numbers.
Rebecca Kuang handles this masterfully. We are given an insight into the bickering that arises within the publishing world as agents, editors, publishers and publicists come into play. All too soon, after phenomenal early success, Juniper (now restyled ‘June’) finds herself assailed from all sides. People question the writing style, the content matter and her own attitudes. The book addresses the little-known plight of Chinese immigrants press-ganged into participating in the First World War, and the cruelty and racism that they suffered. This in turn leads to accusations of cultural appropriation against June.
I found the book very gripping right from the start. The story is narrated in the first person by Juniper, and it is intriguing to see how her own frailties and naivete become evident. I don’t want to say too much more about the content of the story, to avoid inadvertent spoilers. However, I thought it was all highly believable, and I raced through the book in just a couple of days.
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LibraryThing member dwcofer
This was one of the best books I’ve read this year. The author’s narrative voice was so smooth, it flowed effortlessly. The book was engaging and enjoyable to read. It was difficult to put down.
The story is told in the first person POV of June Hayward, aka Juniper Song, a struggling writer. The
After the hype of the novel wears down, June is pressured to write a follow-up book, but lacks any ideas. Then she discovers a paragraph written by Athena and copies it word for word to inspire her next work. This is discovered and June is haunted by the guilt and thinks she sees Athena’s ghost haunting her. Of course, it is not Athena’s ghost that is haunting her, but someone from her past with a vendetta.
The ending was satisfying, but somewhat open-ended, leaving the possibility for a sequel. The characters were well developed and engaging. The book did slow down a little just before the midpoint, but soon picked back up. My only other complaint was how often June threw her phone across the room every time she read something negative about her on the internet. I have no idea how her phone survived to page 200 with her constantly tossing her phone. And does she have to go to the bathroom and throw up with each negative comment on the internet. June spent much of her time throwing her phone and throwing up. There was too much of this.
Other than these minor issues, I still give the book five stars. I highly recommend it.
The story is told in the first person POV of June Hayward, aka Juniper Song, a struggling writer. The
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story opens with the death of June’s best writer friend Athena Liu. June spots the first draft of Athena’s latest novel, takes it, revises it several times and then publishes it under her own name with no credit to Athena. Rumors circulate that June plagiarized Athena’s book, but with little proof. Yet the book is a best-seller and a game changer to June’s lifestyle.After the hype of the novel wears down, June is pressured to write a follow-up book, but lacks any ideas. Then she discovers a paragraph written by Athena and copies it word for word to inspire her next work. This is discovered and June is haunted by the guilt and thinks she sees Athena’s ghost haunting her. Of course, it is not Athena’s ghost that is haunting her, but someone from her past with a vendetta.
The ending was satisfying, but somewhat open-ended, leaving the possibility for a sequel. The characters were well developed and engaging. The book did slow down a little just before the midpoint, but soon picked back up. My only other complaint was how often June threw her phone across the room every time she read something negative about her on the internet. I have no idea how her phone survived to page 200 with her constantly tossing her phone. And does she have to go to the bathroom and throw up with each negative comment on the internet. June spent much of her time throwing her phone and throwing up. There was too much of this.
Other than these minor issues, I still give the book five stars. I highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member dmenon90
**SOME SPOILERS**
This here has been a bit of a buzzy book all summer. In fact the NYT suggested it as such, under the heading, "If you want to read a buzzy book this summer." Well, then. After a long wait the library finally lent it to me, and I picked it up with what I thought were measured
Suffice to say I tore through the first third. Our narrator, one-novel wonder June Hayward, is with her literary-star somewhat-friend Athena Liu when the latter chokes on a pancake, dies. Diabolically, June then swipes the entire physical manuscript of the new novel Athena has just shown her: June knows Athena shares this stage of work with no-one else, so June just swoops in on the dead girl's desk and makes off with said manuscript.
Then, nauseatingly, she begins the process of self-justification. See, she tells us, without the work she, June, put in, this new novel would not even exist! So what if the story is primarily about the unknown Chinese labor force recruited during WWI? June expertly trims, adds, polishes, edits, shapes all Athena's words. She believes she makes it better. And finally, June passes off this eerie ghost-written work as her own, gets published, and earns that grand success she's been yearning for which Athena had in spades.
The high received from this grave-robbing lasts for a while. June is expectedly feted, hailed as a great success post her flat first attempt. Now mind, she's gone and styled herself "Juniper Song." Why? Not only because Song can plausibly be taken for Chinese, but because that's her real middle and first name. She's also taken care to get new author photos with her now-tanned summer skin, so that 'ethnically ambiguous' is a possible profile.
Ah, you think. The fall is coming. Soon, it does. Someone on Twitter accuses her blatantly of theft. A storm erupts, as it's bound to do on Twitter. June denies all. The storm goes away, she even gets to the bottom of who the originator was. THEN, in what is surely the dumbest move of the century, June decides to steal from dead Athena AGAIN.
And from here on out the whole thing became very Twitter-heavy. While in the first third I was greatly enjoying reading about the writing process, the publishing cycle, the process behind book selection and launch, etc., post second-theft it seems all the steam is gathered on Twitter and June merely reacts. Then also begins a somewhat bizarre thread where she not only imagines seeing Athena in the flesh, she also begins getting stalked by Athena's original Instagram account.
This is where I began to tire of this idiot girl. Maybe the author meant it this way; I hear that this work is a satire, a send-up of the publishing industry itself. And indeed some wrenching truths are revealed regarding Athena's pigeonholing as an "Asian Voice" despite her talent and success. Athena herself is shown to be a sort of writerly vampire, simply feeding on people's real stories, writing then down in exact detail, and earning success. The other larger issues of cultural appropriation et al were also probingly discussed.
However, the denouement felt a little tame. There could have been no one else behind it all, and while the ending is satisfyingly meta, one can't help feeling that the last bit sagged under the pressure of getting it all over with.
This only dimished my rating a little. I did thoroughly enjoy the thing; there are lots of little poignant truths about writing, writers, young writers in particular, and the publishing industry in general. Now would I read more by author R.F.Kuang? I am not sure. She's only written high fantasy besides this, so one will have to scratch one's head quite a bit before deciding for or against.
This here has been a bit of a buzzy book all summer. In fact the NYT suggested it as such, under the heading, "If you want to read a buzzy book this summer." Well, then. After a long wait the library finally lent it to me, and I picked it up with what I thought were measured
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expectations. Suffice to say I tore through the first third. Our narrator, one-novel wonder June Hayward, is with her literary-star somewhat-friend Athena Liu when the latter chokes on a pancake, dies. Diabolically, June then swipes the entire physical manuscript of the new novel Athena has just shown her: June knows Athena shares this stage of work with no-one else, so June just swoops in on the dead girl's desk and makes off with said manuscript.
Then, nauseatingly, she begins the process of self-justification. See, she tells us, without the work she, June, put in, this new novel would not even exist! So what if the story is primarily about the unknown Chinese labor force recruited during WWI? June expertly trims, adds, polishes, edits, shapes all Athena's words. She believes she makes it better. And finally, June passes off this eerie ghost-written work as her own, gets published, and earns that grand success she's been yearning for which Athena had in spades.
The high received from this grave-robbing lasts for a while. June is expectedly feted, hailed as a great success post her flat first attempt. Now mind, she's gone and styled herself "Juniper Song." Why? Not only because Song can plausibly be taken for Chinese, but because that's her real middle and first name. She's also taken care to get new author photos with her now-tanned summer skin, so that 'ethnically ambiguous' is a possible profile.
Ah, you think. The fall is coming. Soon, it does. Someone on Twitter accuses her blatantly of theft. A storm erupts, as it's bound to do on Twitter. June denies all. The storm goes away, she even gets to the bottom of who the originator was. THEN, in what is surely the dumbest move of the century, June decides to steal from dead Athena AGAIN.
And from here on out the whole thing became very Twitter-heavy. While in the first third I was greatly enjoying reading about the writing process, the publishing cycle, the process behind book selection and launch, etc., post second-theft it seems all the steam is gathered on Twitter and June merely reacts. Then also begins a somewhat bizarre thread where she not only imagines seeing Athena in the flesh, she also begins getting stalked by Athena's original Instagram account.
This is where I began to tire of this idiot girl. Maybe the author meant it this way; I hear that this work is a satire, a send-up of the publishing industry itself. And indeed some wrenching truths are revealed regarding Athena's pigeonholing as an "Asian Voice" despite her talent and success. Athena herself is shown to be a sort of writerly vampire, simply feeding on people's real stories, writing then down in exact detail, and earning success. The other larger issues of cultural appropriation et al were also probingly discussed.
However, the denouement felt a little tame. There could have been no one else behind it all, and while the ending is satisfyingly meta, one can't help feeling that the last bit sagged under the pressure of getting it all over with.
This only dimished my rating a little. I did thoroughly enjoy the thing; there are lots of little poignant truths about writing, writers, young writers in particular, and the publishing industry in general. Now would I read more by author R.F.Kuang? I am not sure. She's only written high fantasy besides this, so one will have to scratch one's head quite a bit before deciding for or against.
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LibraryThing member bell7
June Heyward and Athena Liu have been friends and rivals since college. Athena has been the more successful author of the two, and June has been struggling with her jealousy, feeling that Athena's identity as a queer Asian American has helped her in her career where no one wants to hear a cishet
Yellowface explores the world of publishing through June's experience publishing Athena's work. She narrates, justifying her stealing the work and making a more and more elaborate story blending her truth and the truth. The reader can see her double standards and racism, but June doesn't really interrogate herself and her entitlement. The deceased, too, was not a perfect person, and exactly how far a writer goes before they're "stealing" is part of the exploration here as well. Well done all around.
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white woman anymore. When Athena dies in a freak accident while celebrating her newest success - a Netflix deal on one of her books - June impulsively picks up Athena's latest work-in-progress and starts polishing it herself.Yellowface explores the world of publishing through June's experience publishing Athena's work. She narrates, justifying her stealing the work and making a more and more elaborate story blending her truth and the truth. The reader can see her double standards and racism, but June doesn't really interrogate herself and her entitlement. The deceased, too, was not a perfect person, and exactly how far a writer goes before they're "stealing" is part of the exploration here as well. Well done all around.
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LibraryThing member mcelhra
June and Athena are authors who first became friends at Yale. Athena became the new it girl in publishing with a massive book deal for her debut. June’s first book was a total flop. When Athena dies in a tragic accident, June steals the manuscript for Athena’s next book, The Last Front, and
Yellowface is a send-up of systemic racism in the publishing industry. June is completely oblivious to her white privilege in a forehead-smacking way. I was shaking my head at her the whole time. She actually thinks it’s harder for white writers and that Athena’s being Asian played a big part in her success. Kuang does not spare the agents or publishers either. Even though this book is satire, I don’t think it’s too far from the truth.
There is a thriller aspect to Yellowface also. Someone claiming to be Athena is stalking June online and June thinks she’s actually seen Athena at one of her book signings. I found it suspenseful and gripping. I was surprised by the ending which I think was perfection.
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passes it off as her own. The Last Front is a novel about Chinese laborers during World War I. It becomes a huge best-seller, prompting people to ask if June, a white woman, should be profiting off a story about a painful time in Chinese history. Not long after that, June is publically accused of plagiarizing Athena’s work. The lies are spinning out of control, social media has turned against her, and June has deluded herself into thinking she’s more responsible for the success of The Last Front than Athena.Yellowface is a send-up of systemic racism in the publishing industry. June is completely oblivious to her white privilege in a forehead-smacking way. I was shaking my head at her the whole time. She actually thinks it’s harder for white writers and that Athena’s being Asian played a big part in her success. Kuang does not spare the agents or publishers either. Even though this book is satire, I don’t think it’s too far from the truth.
There is a thriller aspect to Yellowface also. Someone claiming to be Athena is stalking June online and June thinks she’s actually seen Athena at one of her book signings. I found it suspenseful and gripping. I was surprised by the ending which I think was perfection.
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LibraryThing member LindaLoretz
The story of the Yellowface novel is familiar, where a struggling author "steals" someone else's story. Yet, there are serious racial overtones in this plot. I was glad to read that many readers have had difficulty with this book since I had trouble relating to the storyteller, who is both
The story begins when June Haywood witnesses her friend, Athena Liu, choke to death, and after calling the authorities, June steals an unpublished manuscript from Athena's apartment. She edits the manuscript, publishes it as her own, and it is successful…until social media activists start the accusations.
In addition to the story of June, who publishes Liu's book as Juniper Song, readers get a detailed perspective of the publishing industry and the values of editors, agents, and book companies hierarchy. There are many themes, yet the author was too didactic for me. I prefer the themes and messages to be a little more subtle. It was apparent that Kuang wanted us to understand racism from her point of view and recognize white privilege. The text also delved into moral authority and character assassination.
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protagonist and villain. Not only is she an unreliable narrator, but she also seems to be living in denial of reality and a pathological liar. The story begins when June Haywood witnesses her friend, Athena Liu, choke to death, and after calling the authorities, June steals an unpublished manuscript from Athena's apartment. She edits the manuscript, publishes it as her own, and it is successful…until social media activists start the accusations.
In addition to the story of June, who publishes Liu's book as Juniper Song, readers get a detailed perspective of the publishing industry and the values of editors, agents, and book companies hierarchy. There are many themes, yet the author was too didactic for me. I prefer the themes and messages to be a little more subtle. It was apparent that Kuang wanted us to understand racism from her point of view and recognize white privilege. The text also delved into moral authority and character assassination.
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LibraryThing member tibobi
The Short of It:
Grabs you from the get-go.
The Rest of It:
Some books grab you as soon as you turn that first page. Yellowface is one of those books but I had a love/hate relationship with it. Oh no, not that I hated it at all but I found myself frustrated that I liked it so much even though the
There is really nothing redeeming about June. June and Athena started off on similar footing. Both, should have been up and coming young authors of incredible talent. But June never truly breaks through as a successful writer, even though she can write quite well. Athena on the other hand, has that special something that sells books. She wows her agent and publicists and they tend to bend over backwards for her.
June, slightly bothered by Athena’s popularity, sits back while a freak accident takes the life of Athena. June’s lack of effort to save Athena tells you everything you need to know about June. She’s a little bit self-centered, obviously jealous, and has no problem stealing Athena’s manuscript and passing it off as her own.
Her justification? As a White writer she will never be on level ground with an author of color. Especially when the book is about Chinese laborers. So June takes Athena’s work and “makes it better” and then calls it her own.
But we get hints early on that all is not smooth sailing when June begins to “see” Athena at author events. Is she imagining her? Is someone playing games with her because they know what she did? As a reader, I eagerly flipped those pages to find out but in all honesty, I was a tad disappointed with the ending. No spoilers, though.
This was read for book club and it was an excellent book for discussion. Was anyone Team June? No. Did we even like Athena? Not really. But did it keep me reading. Yes. Big yes.
Have you read it? Thoughts?
Grabs you from the get-go.
The Rest of It:
Some books grab you as soon as you turn that first page. Yellowface is one of those books but I had a love/hate relationship with it. Oh no, not that I hated it at all but I found myself frustrated that I liked it so much even though the
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book’s main character is less than honorable. I should not have enjoyed a book, which at its heart, is all about deception and lies.There is really nothing redeeming about June. June and Athena started off on similar footing. Both, should have been up and coming young authors of incredible talent. But June never truly breaks through as a successful writer, even though she can write quite well. Athena on the other hand, has that special something that sells books. She wows her agent and publicists and they tend to bend over backwards for her.
June, slightly bothered by Athena’s popularity, sits back while a freak accident takes the life of Athena. June’s lack of effort to save Athena tells you everything you need to know about June. She’s a little bit self-centered, obviously jealous, and has no problem stealing Athena’s manuscript and passing it off as her own.
Her justification? As a White writer she will never be on level ground with an author of color. Especially when the book is about Chinese laborers. So June takes Athena’s work and “makes it better” and then calls it her own.
But we get hints early on that all is not smooth sailing when June begins to “see” Athena at author events. Is she imagining her? Is someone playing games with her because they know what she did? As a reader, I eagerly flipped those pages to find out but in all honesty, I was a tad disappointed with the ending. No spoilers, though.
This was read for book club and it was an excellent book for discussion. Was anyone Team June? No. Did we even like Athena? Not really. But did it keep me reading. Yes. Big yes.
Have you read it? Thoughts?
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LibraryThing member Stefuto
I finished this book a few days ago and it left me with a lot of thoughts. I love it when books do that which is why I am giving it 4 stars.
What I really loved was the discussion in the book about a white author wriring a story about Chinese people. I would like it if this discussion was happening
The process of publishing a book was quite interesting. But the whole social media thing was exhausting honestly. I don't use them in the way described in the book and I don't understand why people do.
I find a bit problematic that June dismisses all of her own ideas but as soon as she got her hands on someone else's work she couldn't stop writing...
The other thing I found very conficting were the 2 incidents about the Twitter and Instagram accounts... When the Twitter account @AthenaLiusGhost is created, soon after June learns how to find an IP address and creates a website in 15 minutes (which is impossible, a very simple website is easy but it is time consuming). But when Athena's Instagram account comes to life she believes that it is her ghost haunting her. Why on earth the thought that the account has been hacked did not cross her mind? Why would she not block it immediately?? How come ALL of Athena's followers unfollowed her account as soon as she died and nobody but June could see all the grotesque pictures?? Yes, I get it, she was consumed with guilt and the pictures got to her, but I don't buy it. When June teaches those kids for 2 days she says to one of her students that 'the coincidences to move the story along are contrived'. In the case of Yellowface I think the Instagram account story is forced! Is this the satire part of the book?
What I really loved was the discussion in the book about a white author wriring a story about Chinese people. I would like it if this discussion was happening
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without June having stolen the story from Athena. The process of publishing a book was quite interesting. But the whole social media thing was exhausting honestly. I don't use them in the way described in the book and I don't understand why people do.
I find a bit problematic that June dismisses all of her own ideas but as soon as she got her hands on someone else's work she couldn't stop writing...
The other thing I found very conficting were the 2 incidents about the Twitter and Instagram accounts... When the Twitter account @AthenaLiusGhost is created, soon after June learns how to find an IP address and creates a website in 15 minutes (which is impossible, a very simple website is easy but it is time consuming). But when Athena's Instagram account comes to life she believes that it is her ghost haunting her. Why on earth the thought that the account has been hacked did not cross her mind? Why would she not block it immediately?? How come ALL of Athena's followers unfollowed her account as soon as she died and nobody but June could see all the grotesque pictures?? Yes, I get it, she was consumed with guilt and the pictures got to her, but I don't buy it. When June teaches those kids for 2 days she says to one of her students that 'the coincidences to move the story along are contrived'. In the case of Yellowface I think the Instagram account story is forced! Is this the satire part of the book?
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LibraryThing member LynnB
Earlier this week, a beloved Canadian Aboriginal icon was exposed as being neither Canadian nor Aboriginal. So, I plucked Yellowface off my TBR shelves as something topical.
As an exploration of cultural appropriation, this book delivered an interesting display of the issues and emotions that
The book is also a satire on the publishing industry where "bestsellers" are pre-chosen before they hit the market and diversity and inclusion are driving factors.
At the end, the book becomes a ghost story, almost gothic in style.
My main problem with this book is that it didn't have a strong enough plot to carry the issues and genres it was portraying. So, I found myself a bit bored with the story at times, even though I was drawn to the issues.
As an exploration of cultural appropriation, this book delivered an interesting display of the issues and emotions that
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surround the debate as to whether you have to be a member of a marginalized group in order to write in their voices, or even to tell their stories. Various characters have strong feelings, but our protagonist remains focused on her own justifications and sense of entitlement. She is not a likeable character by any stretch of the imagination, but very well written.The book is also a satire on the publishing industry where "bestsellers" are pre-chosen before they hit the market and diversity and inclusion are driving factors.
At the end, the book becomes a ghost story, almost gothic in style.
My main problem with this book is that it didn't have a strong enough plot to carry the issues and genres it was portraying. So, I found myself a bit bored with the story at times, even though I was drawn to the issues.
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LibraryThing member Mav-n-Libby
This book was great! Oddly, I had just listened to The Plot, which is very similar in theme. Maybe I would've rated this higher if I hadn't just listened to something very similar? However, I enjoyed this more than The Plot. I thought it was well-written and brought up some great points about race
I think my favorite part about this book is how the main character seemed to change. She seemed more "innocent" in the beginning despite stealing her friend's work. And by the end, she turned a bit malicious, after meeting with the person tormenting her and she was pushed down the stairs. Almost like, she must protect everything she's done and take the girl down for going after her. Loved it! :)
I listened to the audiobook and got through it very quickly!
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and perspective. I think my favorite part about this book is how the main character seemed to change. She seemed more "innocent" in the beginning despite stealing her friend's work. And by the end, she turned a bit malicious, after meeting with the person tormenting her and she was pushed down the stairs. Almost like, she must protect everything she's done and take the girl down for going after her. Loved it! :)
I listened to the audiobook and got through it very quickly!
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LibraryThing member Gwendydd
June Hayward is an aspiring writer, who is jealous of the success of her friend Athena, an Asian-American who is a brilliant writer and has a promising career. June visits Athena one evening, and Athena chokes to death in a freak pancake accident. June finds a draft of Athena's next novel in her
The book is narrated by June, so the reader really gets fully into the headspace of this abhorrent character as she does all kinds of mental gymnastics to justify her own actions. Kuang's writing is ingenious: June has no idea how racist she is, but it is very clear to the reader. The book treads a fine line: June is such a horrible person that I sometimes wanted to stop reading, but Kuang manages to make the book hard to put down. I didn't necessarily enjoy the book, but I can't deny that Kuang is an excellent author.
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apartment, and takes it home. She finishes the novel, and publishes it as her own work. The rest of the book is spent justifying this plagiarism and managing the potential fallout as other people suspect what she has done.The book is narrated by June, so the reader really gets fully into the headspace of this abhorrent character as she does all kinds of mental gymnastics to justify her own actions. Kuang's writing is ingenious: June has no idea how racist she is, but it is very clear to the reader. The book treads a fine line: June is such a horrible person that I sometimes wanted to stop reading, but Kuang manages to make the book hard to put down. I didn't necessarily enjoy the book, but I can't deny that Kuang is an excellent author.
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LibraryThing member mojomomma
An interesting tale about originality, the authentic voice, publishing, the role of minorities, truth and honesty and mental health.
LibraryThing member jnmegan
Some novels offer a side order of social commentary along with a healthy and fulfilling plotline. With this technique, even the most controversial subjects can be addressed without too much fear of rapprochement or outrage. Then, there are novels that don’t just sample potentially divisive topics
Thanks to the author, Borough Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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but offer a full buffet of concepts for chewing. R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface is a wonderfully executed example of the latter. The author mixes in: American racial inequity and politics, intellectual property arguments, cultural appropriation questions, comments on the ephemeral nature of fame, and evidence of rooted prejudice within the publishing industry. The narrator, Juniper Song, is insecure in her own writing talents and covetous of the acclaim that she sees others receive. Her envy is embodied in her greatest rival and friend, Athena Liu, whose effortless rise to fame Juniper observes with obsessive contempt. Faced with a pivotal decision, Juniper quickly rationalizes that her theft and completion of Athena’s latest project is sufficient for her to claim total ownership. The “hybrid” work catapults Juniper to a heady and corrupting fame—one that she readily accepts while stifling feelings of guilt. The specter of imposter syndrome and dread of exposure, combined with a fickle and volatile public, requires her to exhaustively protect her secret. When the world pressures her to produce another opus, Juniper panics and her paranoia threatens to prove her downfall. A less-talented writer would have left a reader overly stuffed, but Kuang manages to balance the heavy issues with a gripping story. Don’t bother looking for a likeable character in Yellowface—even the smallest actor is depicted as somehow greedy and self-serving. This book is about as self-referential and scathing as it gets: providing a disparaging view of the very industry with which it is forced to comply.Thanks to the author, Borough Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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LibraryThing member novelcommentary
Yellowface is a clever, very current novel, narrated by a young girl named June Hayward, hungry for publishing fame. The premise is enticing as the struggling June tells of her friendship and jealousy of her more successful friend, Athena. "It’s hard, after all, to be friends with someone who
They share a fun night of drinking and eating pancakes when Athena chokes to death. (No spoiler here; it's the first line if the book.) Athena's rough draft of her newest venture into historical fiction is there for the taking and Hayward (think Wayward) makes a decision that will change her life. "The novel is about the unsung contributions and experiences of the Chinese Labour Corps, the 140,000 Chinese workers who were recruited by the British Army and sent to the Allied Front during World War I." Her publishers suggest "I publish under the name Juniper Song instead of June Hayward" and she begins the extraordinary climb to fame she has always wanted. Her social media feeds start soaring and the book gives a great description of how rewarding these likes and retweets are. However rather than the expected narrative of whether she will get away with this, the author introduces elements of mystery, blackmail and even ghost stories.
There is a lot to discuss here regarding a narrator that is hardly likable, an indictment of the publishing industry, and the commentary about the social media's influence on the "netizens who love to argue for the sake of arguing". It's interesting to consider how autobiographical the portrait of the publishing industry may have been for this accomplished young author. So I too will follow her Instagram feed.
Recommend this book.
Lines
I stare at Athena’s brown eyes, framed by those ridiculously large lashes that make her resemble a Disney forest animal, and I wonder, What is it like to be you?
But Twitter is real life; it’s realer than real life, because that is the realm that the social economy of publishing exists on, because the industry has no alternative. Offline, writers are all faceless, hypothetical creatures pounding out words in isolation from one another.
Writing is the closest thing we have to real magic. Writing is creating something out of nothing, is opening doors to other lands. Writing gives you power to shape your own world when the real one hurts too much.
I miss writing before I met Athena Liu. But enter professional publishing, and suddenly writing is a matter of professional jealousies, obscure marketing budgets, and advances that don’t measure up to those of your peers. Editors go in and mess around with your words, your vision. Marketing and publicity make you distill hundreds of pages of careful, nuanced reflection into cute, tweet-size talking points. Readers inflict their own expectations, not just on the story, but on your politics, your philosophy, your stance on all things ethical. You, not your writing, become the product—your looks, your wit, your quippy clapbacks and factional alignments with online beefs that no one in the real world gives a shit about.
I need to create. It is a physical urge, a craving, like breathing, like eating; when it’s going well, it’s better than sex, and when it’s not, I can’t take pleasure in anything else.
Sometimes, when we fought, she would give me this very cool, narrow-eyed look. I knew that look, because it was the same look she got when she was drafting a scene. And I never knew if she was really there during our relationship, or if the whole thing for her was some kind of ongoing story, if she did what she did just to document my reaction. I felt like I was losing my mind.”
The truth is fluid. There is always another way to spin the story, another wrench to throw into the narrative. I have learned this now, if nothing else. Candice may have won this round, but I won’t let her erase my voice.
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outshines you at every turn. Probably no one else can stand Athena because they can’t stand constantly failing to measure up to her. Probably I’m here because I’m just that pathetic."They share a fun night of drinking and eating pancakes when Athena chokes to death. (No spoiler here; it's the first line if the book.) Athena's rough draft of her newest venture into historical fiction is there for the taking and Hayward (think Wayward) makes a decision that will change her life. "The novel is about the unsung contributions and experiences of the Chinese Labour Corps, the 140,000 Chinese workers who were recruited by the British Army and sent to the Allied Front during World War I." Her publishers suggest "I publish under the name Juniper Song instead of June Hayward" and she begins the extraordinary climb to fame she has always wanted. Her social media feeds start soaring and the book gives a great description of how rewarding these likes and retweets are. However rather than the expected narrative of whether she will get away with this, the author introduces elements of mystery, blackmail and even ghost stories.
There is a lot to discuss here regarding a narrator that is hardly likable, an indictment of the publishing industry, and the commentary about the social media's influence on the "netizens who love to argue for the sake of arguing". It's interesting to consider how autobiographical the portrait of the publishing industry may have been for this accomplished young author. So I too will follow her Instagram feed.
Recommend this book.
Lines
I stare at Athena’s brown eyes, framed by those ridiculously large lashes that make her resemble a Disney forest animal, and I wonder, What is it like to be you?
But Twitter is real life; it’s realer than real life, because that is the realm that the social economy of publishing exists on, because the industry has no alternative. Offline, writers are all faceless, hypothetical creatures pounding out words in isolation from one another.
Writing is the closest thing we have to real magic. Writing is creating something out of nothing, is opening doors to other lands. Writing gives you power to shape your own world when the real one hurts too much.
I miss writing before I met Athena Liu. But enter professional publishing, and suddenly writing is a matter of professional jealousies, obscure marketing budgets, and advances that don’t measure up to those of your peers. Editors go in and mess around with your words, your vision. Marketing and publicity make you distill hundreds of pages of careful, nuanced reflection into cute, tweet-size talking points. Readers inflict their own expectations, not just on the story, but on your politics, your philosophy, your stance on all things ethical. You, not your writing, become the product—your looks, your wit, your quippy clapbacks and factional alignments with online beefs that no one in the real world gives a shit about.
I need to create. It is a physical urge, a craving, like breathing, like eating; when it’s going well, it’s better than sex, and when it’s not, I can’t take pleasure in anything else.
Sometimes, when we fought, she would give me this very cool, narrow-eyed look. I knew that look, because it was the same look she got when she was drafting a scene. And I never knew if she was really there during our relationship, or if the whole thing for her was some kind of ongoing story, if she did what she did just to document my reaction. I felt like I was losing my mind.”
The truth is fluid. There is always another way to spin the story, another wrench to throw into the narrative. I have learned this now, if nothing else. Candice may have won this round, but I won’t let her erase my voice.
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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
But enter professional publishing, and suddenly writing is a matter of professional jealousies, obscure marketing budgets, and advances that don't measure up to those of your peers. Editors go in and mess around with your words, your vision. Marketing and publicity make you distill hundreds of
This novel begins with two young authors. Athena is successful and has just finished her first draft of a new novel, this one centered on the Chinese workers who helped the allies in France in the First World War; June is struggling to find a foothold after her first novel didn't sell well. When Athena suddenly dies, June takes the manuscript and so begins her journey as an author with a book publishers want to print and that readers are willing to buy. But along the way, her journey as a white woman who has written a book about the Chinese experience is marketed and positioned in ways that aren't entirely honest and June is always worried that her theft will be revealed.
And once you're writing for the market, it doesn't matter what stories are burning inside you. It matters what audiences want to see, and no one cares about the inner musings of a plain, straight white girl from Philly. They want the new and exotic, the diverse, and if I want to stay afloat, that's what I have to give them.
This is a novel about cultural appropriation, and also about social media and a scathing look at how the publishing industry operates. Kuang is doing a bunch of stuff all at once, all with the breezy, easy style that conceals how much Kuang is taking on with this novel. It felt sometimes like a parody, except every over the top event in this book is similar to real events. Kuang is simply putting them all in the same book. June's own very unexamined racism felt jarring -- Kuang here creates a sympathetic character who does bad things -- yet not a single thought of hers or reaction wasn't one I hadn't heard another person saying. Lots to think about with this one, and despite all the issues the author took on, this was a lot of fun to read.
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pages of careful, nuanced reflection into cute, tweet-sized talking points. Readers inflict their own expectations, not just on the story, but on your politics, your philosophy, your stance on all things ethical. You, not your writing, become the product--your looks, your wit, your quippy clapbacks and factional alignments with online beefs that no one in the real world gives a shit about.This novel begins with two young authors. Athena is successful and has just finished her first draft of a new novel, this one centered on the Chinese workers who helped the allies in France in the First World War; June is struggling to find a foothold after her first novel didn't sell well. When Athena suddenly dies, June takes the manuscript and so begins her journey as an author with a book publishers want to print and that readers are willing to buy. But along the way, her journey as a white woman who has written a book about the Chinese experience is marketed and positioned in ways that aren't entirely honest and June is always worried that her theft will be revealed.
And once you're writing for the market, it doesn't matter what stories are burning inside you. It matters what audiences want to see, and no one cares about the inner musings of a plain, straight white girl from Philly. They want the new and exotic, the diverse, and if I want to stay afloat, that's what I have to give them.
This is a novel about cultural appropriation, and also about social media and a scathing look at how the publishing industry operates. Kuang is doing a bunch of stuff all at once, all with the breezy, easy style that conceals how much Kuang is taking on with this novel. It felt sometimes like a parody, except every over the top event in this book is similar to real events. Kuang is simply putting them all in the same book. June's own very unexamined racism felt jarring -- Kuang here creates a sympathetic character who does bad things -- yet not a single thought of hers or reaction wasn't one I hadn't heard another person saying. Lots to think about with this one, and despite all the issues the author took on, this was a lot of fun to read.
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LibraryThing member BookListener
Interesting concept, but I didn't make it all the way through
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2024)
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — Audiobook — 2023)
Aspen Words Literary Prize (Longlist — 2024)
Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize (Longlist — Fiction — 2023)
Books Are My Bag Readers Award (Shortlist — Fiction — 2023)
BookTube Prize (Octofinalist — Fiction — 2024)
Waterstones Book of the Year (Shortlist — 2023)
Foyles Book of the Year (Shortlist — Fiction — 2023)
Libby Book Award (Finalist — 2023)
New England Book Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2023)
NPR: Books We Love (2023)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Fiction — 2023)
Reese's Book Club (2023-07 — 2023)
All Connecticut Reads (Shortlist — 2024)
Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (2023)
LibraryReads (Monthly Pick — Hall of Fame — May 2023)
Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List (Selection — 2024)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2023)
AudioFile's Best Audiobooks of the Year (Fiction — 2023)
RUSA CODES Listen List (Selection — 2024)
Denver Public Library Staff Picks for Adults (Fiction — 2023)
Pages
336
ISBN
0063250837 / 9780063250833