From the Bookshelf of 2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge…

Yellowface

R.F. Kuang

Start date: January 1, 2024

Finish date: January 31, 2024

Discussion: November 2025 Buddy Reads

Why we're reading this: January 2024 Featured Buddy Read
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What Members Thought

Feb 14, 2024 Barbara rated it liked it

Shelves: american, audiobooks, asian-american, 2024-reads

This book to me was as much a condemnation of the publishing industry as it was about a number of other themes. The protagonist, June/Juniper is guilty of plagiarism if one follow the strictest definitions. At the very least, she stole the theme of the novel, and all of the research done by the writer, who suddenly died. She could have approached the situation differently. Perhaps listing herself as a co-author.

Many questions arise about who has the "right" to write about ethnic, racial, cultura This book to me was as much a condemnation of the publishing industry as it was about a number of other themes. The protagonist, June/Juniper is guilty of plagiarism if one follow the strictest definitions. At the very least, she stole the theme of the novel, and all of the research done by the writer, who suddenly died. She could have approached the situation differently. Perhaps listing herself as a co-author.

Many questions arise about who has the "right" to write about ethnic, racial, cultural or religious groups that they are not part of. This is particularly a debate when people who are not minorities write about people that they may not have any real understanding of. But often these arguments are simplistic and ignore the complexities of group "membership". The writer who died was of Asian descent, but had grown up in England, educated in exclusive boarding schools. Does a person's racial background necessarily mean they understand and know all aspects of life for people with the same ancestry. The answer is complicated. However, as I said initially, I found the role of publishers to be despicable in many ways. It was their actions that caused some of the protagonists in the story to attack June/Juniper. As much as publishers seek out to promote writers of color, they may also be guilty of limiting writers from diverse groups because they "already have one of them".

For a number of years I have sought out novels written by Latine authors. Even recently, I have found it challenging to find their books even in independent bookstores that lauded diverse writers. In the past year, this has changed dramatically. I attribute much of this change, at least locally, to a Mexican American queer woman who is a champion of all books written by Latine writers - Lupita Reads. I have a goal this year to read at least one book a month by a Latine author. It will help me read my large pile of both novels and non fiction by Latine writers from the U.S. as well as Latin America. It also is an incentive or excuse (not that I need one) to buy the newest books that Lupita mentions.

My rating is 2.5 rounded up to 3. ...more

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Aug 30, 2023 Susan Liston rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, read-2023-fiction

On the plus side, the writing is spritely and its quick to read. But it was hard for me to tell what I was supposed to be taking seriously and what I wasn't. I'm still not sure. To begin with, the stolen book that becomes a huge bestseller is about conscripted Chinese workers during WW1? Really? That's the subject matter the Colleen Hoover crowd is going to snap up in a hurry. I take it we're supposed to sneer at the narrator, but the dead character whose book she purloins is equally dislikeable ...more

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Nov 04, 2023 Ashley Fritch rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4.5 rounded up

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Dec 19, 2023 Katie Kenig rated it it was amazing

Shelves: suspense, nyc

Never have I ever enjoyed hating a protagonist so much.

Usually, if I dislike the main character, I don't really connect with or enjoy the book, but I absolutely loved this. Compelling and raw and extraordinary. ...more

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Feb 17, 2024 Prema rated it it was amazing

Single day read. Unputdownable.

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Jan 07, 2024 Brenda rated it it was amazing

R.F. Kuang has a winner in Yellowface. This book was very well written. Even though the characters were unlikable,this story kept me reading. I just could not put this book down. A 5 ⭐ read for me. I highly recommend it. What an ending.

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