If you haven’t already heard of R.F. Kuang’s New York Times bestseller Yellowface, it’s safe to say that you’re out of the loop! This satirical thriller novel was all the rage about two years ago on social media; I distinctly remember my For You page on TikTok being flooded with book reviewers telling me to purchase this popular read immediately. Even though this was the case, I never got around to reading the book when it was all anyone was talking about. I genuinely ended up forgetting about it until a fateful Barnes and Noble trip at the beginning of this past summer.
I walked into the store with a desire to leave with a new beach read, but I didn’t have anything specific in mind in terms of what I was looking for. As I was browsing, the bright yellow cover immediately caught my eye, and memories of all of those past recommendations came back to me. I knew I had to buy Yellowface; it’s better late than never!
To put it simply, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which is what I was expecting! Without giving anything away (if there are still some people out there who haven’t read it), the story follows the mental and vocational downfall of an author who commits plagiarism, with Kuang tying themes of racism, ethics, and cultural appropriation into the narrative. Since the novel is written from a first-person perspective, the reader is transported into the shoes of the protagonist (who, in many ways, is an antagonist), producing a significant amount of tension for the reader.
As someone who is a big fan of the thriller genre across all forms of entertainment (books, TV shows, movies), I actually enjoyed the fact that Yellowface made me feel stressed as I was reading it. This quality speaks to Kuang’s storytelling and writing abilities, so the novel’s past spot on the New York Times bestseller list doesn’t surprise me! In addition to this, Kuang’s incorporation of particularly culturally relevant motifs was something that I appreciated, as the narrative provided socio-cultural insight.
Overall, I absolutely recommend Yellowface! I was genuinely on the edge of my seat throughout the duration of the book, which is an experience that I crave when I begin a novel of any genre. Again, it’s important to note that it’s better late than never, especially with this narrative!