I waited until the last minute of 2023 to read (and binge) Yellowface. Do I see the hype surrounding this book? You bet I do.

Genre: Fiction
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narration: ☆☆☆
Pub Date: 5.25.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

“Reading lets us live in someone else’s shoes. Literature builds bridges; it makes our world larger, not smaller.”

I was honestly not prepared to be as sucked into Yellowface as I was, but R.F. Kuang crafted this disconcerting and compulsive read that kept me hooked, resulting in me devouring the audio in less than 24 hours. I can’t tell you how many times I cringed or was in awe of the direction that Kuang took her characters. It’s one of those stories you just can’t put down because you HAVE to know what will happen.

The main character is absolutely unhinged (I don’t use that word often, but it is the only word that accurately describes June Hayward). She was the true villain of the story. But did I want her to get caught? Yes, no? It was such a perplexing thing for me, and I still don’t know how I feel.

I can’t think of a character in a book who has made me as uncomfortable as June - I had no idea what to expect of her. She is the perfect example of how an author can create an unlikable character that keeps you interested. If you’ve read this, do you agree?

Yellowface has themes of race, identity, privilege, and immoral behavior and is set in the publishing industry. It shines a not-so-bright light on the toxic nature of our world.

💯 Highly recommend audio
📖 Compulsive read
🤯 Unlikable characters that keep you coming back
😬 Will leave you feeling uncomfortable

I recommend reading Yellowface if you have an entire day to devote to reading because once you start, you won’t be able to stop.


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