Book Review: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

I finally finished Yellowface! This book has been sitting on my shelf for about two months now, waiting for me to pick it up. I bought it because I was curious after seeing so many people talk about it, but honestly, I wasn’t sure if it was really for me. When I finally started reading, I didn’t know what to expect at all, but wow… this book really took me on a ride. There were parts that made me stop and think, parts that made me uncomfortable, and even moments where I felt like I was questioning my own sanity while reading. It sticks with me even after putting it down.

What Yellowface is About

Yellowface follows June Hayward, an aspiring writer who never quite got her big break. Her friend Athena Liu, on the other hand, is a literary star with fame, success, and everything June wishes she had. When Athena suddenly dies in an accident, June is the only one there — and she makes a split-second decision that changes her life forever. She takes Athena’s unpublished manuscript and publishes it under her own name.

What follows is a messy, fast-paced story about lies, guilt, and ambition. As June rises in the literary world, she constantly battles the fear of being exposed. The book digs into big topics like cultural appropriation, privilege, identity, and how the publishing industry decides who gets to tell what stories. It’s sharp, uncomfortable, and at times darkly funny, but that’s exactly what makes it such an unforgettable read.

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Review

So let’s talk about my reading experience. I finally finished Yellowface, and honestly, it felt like a rollercoaster. There were parts that completely hooked me, and then some chapters that dragged a little. That’s why I’m giving it 4 stars.

What really stood out to me was R.F. Kuang’s writing style. It’s sharp, fast, and so immersive that even when I was annoyed at June (the main character), I couldn’t stop turning the pages. June is not likable at all, but that’s the point. She’s selfish, insecure, and makes terrible choices, and yet you’re stuck in her head the whole time.

Here’s the weird part: it actually made me question my sanity while reading. June did something so wrong from the very beginning, and I knew it was wrong. But somewhere in the middle, the way Kuang wrote her thoughts and reasoning made me feel a little sympathetic toward her. I had to remind myself, wait, no… she’s not supposed to be the hero here. That push and pull between knowing she was awful and still understanding her perspective is what made the book so unsettling but also so effective.

I’ll admit there were moments where I felt bored, especially in the parts that focused too much on social media drama. But even then, I appreciated how Kuang captured the toxicity of internet culture and how it affects people’s careers and reputations. It felt real, even when it was exhausting to read.

What I loved most is how the book made me think about bigger questions: Who gets to tell a story? How much of success is talent, and how much is timing or privilege? And how far would someone go to be seen and recognized? These questions lingered with me long after I closed the book.

Overall, Yellowface was a wild, messy, and thought-provoking read. It’s not a comfort book by any means, but it’s one that leaves an impact.

This definitely won’t be my last R.F. Kuang book. Babel is next on my list before I make my way to Katabasis. I also want to get into The Poppy War trilogy, though I’ll probably save that for when I’m ready to commit to a full series. For now, I’m just excited to keep exploring her work and see what other stories she has in store.

0