Razor-Sharp Satire: "Yellowface" by R.F. Kuang

This review has been simmering in the back of my brain for a while, published in May 2023, R.F. Kuang's contemporary debut ‘Yellowface’ has been the pinnacle of my TBR list.

While 'Yellow Face' earned a mention in my recent 'Four Funny Favourites' piece, it deserves its own spotlight. The acclaim speaks for itself - Foyle's Fiction Book of the Year, Amazon Book of the Year, shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year, and Fiction Book of the Year 2024 British Book Awards. With credentials like these… Who can resist?

R.F. Kuang's contemporary debut, published in May 2023, introduces us to June Hayward, a white American protagonist whose personality could charitably be described as… "challenging." Her debut novel languishes in obscurity while her acquaintance, Chinese-American author Athena Liu, basks in the glow of literary success. When Athena meets an untimely end in a freak accident, June makes a decision that would make even Machiavelli raise an eyebrow - she appropriates Athena's nearly completed manuscript, publishing it under the pseudonym Juniper Song. What follows is an increasingly complex web of deception as June attempts to maintain both her fraudulent success and her newly invented persona.

June is a fascinating study in contradictions - racist, calculating, dishonest, and consumed by envy. As our unreliable narrator, she takes us on a journey that's equal parts uncomfortable and compelling. Through her eyes, we experience moments of panic, social awkwardness, and flashes of sharp wit that often catch you off guard with their darkness.

Kuang demonstrates remarkable skill in crafting a protagonist who, despite being thoroughly unlikable, keeps readers thoroughly invested. She achieves this by carefully revealing June's moments of vulnerability and inner turmoil, providing context for her actions without excusing them. This nuanced approach grounds the narrative in reality, even as the situation becomes increasingly outrageous.

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At its heart, this book is a razor-sharp satire targeting several critical issues. Racism takes center stage as June blunders through publishing a book about the Chinese War, oblivious to the cultural implications of her appropriation. More broadly, the novel serves as a critique of the publishing industry's shortcomings regarding inclusivity and representation. Kuang pulls back the curtain on the industry's inner workings, revealing the often problematic expectations placed on ethnic minority authors. As she notes in her afterword, the book is essentially "a horror story about loneliness in a fiercely competitive industry.”

The novel also offers a shrewd examination of social media culture, exploring themes of identity fabrication, online harassment, and the ever-present threat of "cancel culture" as June navigates her precarious position.

Born in the United States to Chinese immigrant parents, Kuang has rapidly emerged as a significant voice in modern literature, exploring themes of cultural identity, appropriation, and the publishing industry's complex dynamics - all drawn from her own experience.  Kuang is also an accomplished academic, holding degrees from Georgetown University, the University of Cambridge, and a Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Literatures from Yale University.

'Yellow Face' masterfully balances suspense with social commentary, featuring characters so well-crafted they seem to leap off the page. For Kuang, who previously established herself in fantasy with works like The Poppy War trilogy and Babel, this foray into contemporary fiction proves to be a remarkable achievement, demonstrating her versatility as an author while maintaining her trademark incisive style.

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