Date: November 9, 2024 / July 18, 2025
Author: RF Kuang
Title: Yellowface
I found this book staring away from me from the top shelf in my local library. I picked it up and read the synopsis, only to find myself intrigued. The basis of the story being of a woman that is both a not-so-great friend and a not-so-great author whom happens to be at the right place and right time to be tempted into stealing the friend’s first draft of a manuscript that is headed for stardom. The setting for this theft began with having a sleepover at her widely adored author friend’s house. The author friend conveniently chokes to death leaving the not-so-great friend alone with the coveted manuscript.
So she steals it. In her mind she is just what the story needs to become top notch and she is going to take all the credit with no regrets.
I made it to page 60 something and had to quit. It was very detailed on the publishing process so if you’re into learning how that works feel free. I just didn’t feel that no matter the twist Mz. Kuang threw at me that it would be enough to hook me. The writing was good, but the content was redundant. To me. But please feel free to check it out and leave your thoughts.
Update July 18, 2025: I tried, again, to read this book. Again, it was painfully detailed about the publishing process and then, surprise(!) social media attacked the author thief, Juniper Song Hayward, as a novel thieving, racist, white girl, telling a story that wasn’t hers to tell. Meaning not only was it Athena’s, the dead author friend’s story, but that she was a white girl telling a tale of Chinese labor camps.
Juniper even went to extreme lengths to change her name from June Hayward to Juniper Song (Song being her middle name) to sound more Asian-y and her photographer styled her look to appear more Asian-y as well. I can see why the public was outraged. She kinda brought all this on herself.
Regardless of all that nonsense, where Mz. Kuang lost me for good and ever was when she described June’s 8-year-old niece as a ‘… I-phone addicted, Tik-Tok obsessed basic bitch in training.’ Page 165 very last sentence.