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A review by booksbytheglass
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
when ceci (@winstonandbooks) tells you to read a book, you drop everything and order your copy immediately!!! the queen of recommendations!!
“do you know what it’s like to pitch a book and be told they already have an asian writer? that they can’t put out two minority stories in the same season? this industry is built on silencing us, stomping us into the ground, and hurling money at white people to produce racist stereotypes of us.”
THIS QUOTE. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE SUMS UP EVERYTHING 👏🏼
yellowface is written mostly as a satirical literary fiction novel from the POV of a white woman who steals her asian american friend’s manuscript and passes it off as her own. and yes, I think every single white person on this planet should read this one …
after witnessing the tragic death of her friend athena, june comes up with the brilliant idea of repurposing athena’s half-written draft and putting it into the universe, but what happens when she decides to pass it off as her own creates a story about racism, white savior tropes, white privilege, and the constant silencing of non-white stories.
I absolutely loved the way that rebecca used the same narrative that white authors use again and again of “reverse racism” and “would you tell a black author that she can’t write about white women” 😅😅 it’s an unconscious thought that white people think they’re being cheated out of something when BIPOC and AAPI people are featured - and I seriously hate that this is still happening today and every day
the most refreshing take as an aspiring writer and frequent reviewer & reader is the inside look at the publishing and editing industry, as well as the blatant difference between white authors/editors/publishers and those who are not white. and the cancel culture!!! I’m almost always against immediate cancel culture - but I loved how it was addressed in this one
overall, I found this book to be the right amounts of satiric and truthful. rebecca writes a story that just screams for your attention and succeeds at every moment of it.
as a white woman myself, I do my best to uplift and promote non-white stories as often as possible, but this story has inspired me to do even more and continue to make those voices heard!! thank you thank you thank you
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
“do you know what it’s like to pitch a book and be told they already have an asian writer? that they can’t put out two minority stories in the same season? this industry is built on silencing us, stomping us into the ground, and hurling money at white people to produce racist stereotypes of us.”
THIS QUOTE. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE SUMS UP EVERYTHING 👏🏼
yellowface is written mostly as a satirical literary fiction novel from the POV of a white woman who steals her asian american friend’s manuscript and passes it off as her own. and yes, I think every single white person on this planet should read this one …
after witnessing the tragic death of her friend athena, june comes up with the brilliant idea of repurposing athena’s half-written draft and putting it into the universe, but what happens when she decides to pass it off as her own creates a story about racism, white savior tropes, white privilege, and the constant silencing of non-white stories.
I absolutely loved the way that rebecca used the same narrative that white authors use again and again of “reverse racism” and “would you tell a black author that she can’t write about white women” 😅😅 it’s an unconscious thought that white people think they’re being cheated out of something when BIPOC and AAPI people are featured - and I seriously hate that this is still happening today and every day
the most refreshing take as an aspiring writer and frequent reviewer & reader is the inside look at the publishing and editing industry, as well as the blatant difference between white authors/editors/publishers and those who are not white. and the cancel culture!!! I’m almost always against immediate cancel culture - but I loved how it was addressed in this one
overall, I found this book to be the right amounts of satiric and truthful. rebecca writes a story that just screams for your attention and succeeds at every moment of it.
as a white woman myself, I do my best to uplift and promote non-white stories as often as possible, but this story has inspired me to do even more and continue to make those voices heard!! thank you thank you thank you
rating: 5 stars
wine pairing: dry creek zinfandel
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Xenophobia