Yellowface: R.F. Kuang

“Yellowface:” Emily Jury

It’s been hard to miss “Yellowface” over the past year. The radiant cover stands out on bookstore shelves, propped up by accolades from the New York Times, The Boston Globe, and countless best-selling authors. R. F. Kuang has certainly captivated the literary sphere—and for good reason.  

Kuang’s enthralling work explores highly controversial and complex themes of diversity and cultural appropriation. She delves beyond the surface of racial tensions in the twenty-first century and examines both overt and subtle racism within the publishing industry. The intensity with which the Chinese American author writes complements her agonizing tale of deceit, isolation, and justice. In the novel, June—a white author who steals portions of her late friend Athena’s writing—slowly becomes trapped in a sinister web of deceit. She spirals deeper into false narratives, cognitive dissociation, and cultural appropriation while relying heavily on her social media to guide her perception of the publishing world that surrounds her.  

“Yellowface” reflects Kuang’s familiarity with the process of seeing her writing through to publication but transcends the bounds of one industry and offers valuable insight into the racial intricacies of our society. The dialogue between her characters reflects real-life conversations that many of us engage in on a regular basis.  There were many instances while I was reading that prompted a memory of a phrase that a friend repeated, or a racist stereotype uttered by a careless family member. Yellowface confronts the realities of racial microaggressions in professional and personal settings head-on, provoking thoughtful consideration from its readers.  

Lastly, I’d like to note that Kuang’s emphasis on Twitter illustrates the realities of anxiety and loneliness that result from excessive social media engagement. Through June’s psychological difficulties, she demonstrates how all-consuming and perception-changing it can become. My one criticism is that it seems a bit overdone, taking up substantial and repetitive portions of the book. Nonetheless, social media is represented accurately as a crucial element of literary success and general social life in our modern, digital age.  

“Yellowface” is an enthralling and important work that has earned its well-deserved place in post-2020 American literature. Its sinister style and suspense keep readers captivated and engaged with crucial racial issues in American society.