Yellowface (novel) explained

Yellowface
Author:R. F. Kuang
Language:English
Genre:Fiction
Publisher:HarperCollins
Published:May 2023
Isbn:9780063250833

Yellowface is a 2023 novel written by R. F. Kuang. The book was described as a satire of racial diversity in the publishing industry as well as a metafiction about social media, particularly Twitter.[1] [2]

Writing and development

Kuang first began conceptualizing Yellowface in 2021, amidst conversations regarding diversity and representation in the publishing industry.[3] She wrote the first draft over the course of a few months, taking inspiration from her own experiences as an Asian American author, such as being told her appeal is largely or entirely due to her being a "token" author.[4] [5]

Upon reading parts of the first draft, Kuang's literary agent was at first hesitant about the project and attempted to dissuade Kuang from pursuing it further due to its content being seen as an attack on the publishing industry. At Kuang's insistence, they continued the project; it was ultimately published by HarperCollins.[6]

Synopsis

June Hayward, an unsuccessful young author, finds herself the only witness to the death of her former classmate and casual friend, Athena Liu, a Chinese-American author who is an industry darling. She decides to position herself as best friend of the author and begins to edit and re-write Athena's manuscript, a novel about Chinese laborers in World War I. As she changes more and more of the draft, June begins to feel ownership over the novel and decides to publish it as her original work. June submits the manuscript and is immediately welcomed by publishers and offered a large advance. To avoid controversy, she publishes the book under an Asian-sounding name (Juniper Song, her full first name and middle name) and takes author photos where she appears racially ambiguous. Despite efforts to present herself as Asian, controversy surrounds the success of the novel, and June repeatedly fends off accusations of cultural appropriation and plagiarism on Twitter.

Critical reception

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews called the book "a quick, biting critique of the publishing industry" but commented that it sometimes lacked nuance.[7] The Guardian wrote "Kuang delivers a hugely entertaining account of a brazen literary heist."[8] The New York Times gave the book a positive but reserved review, calling it "viciously satisfying" but "on-the-nose" and overly blunt.[9] NPR reviewed Yellowface positively, called it a "well-executed, gripping, fast-paced novel."[10] The Chicago Review of Books wrote "where [''Yellowface''] shines is Kuang’s darkly witty tone, critiques of publishing and cultural exploitation, and the all-consuming nature of internet personas." The Washington Post gave a critical review of the novel, saying that June's character was inconsistent and lacked depth, while the novel's depictions of the publishing industry were perfunctory and relied too heavily on replicating Twitter arguments in text.[11]

Awards and honours

In 2023, Libro.fm named Yellowface one of the top 10 audiobooks of the year,[12] and Time included it on their list of the "100 Must-Read Books of 2023".[13] It was also named Amazon's Best Book of the Year.[14] [15]

Awards for Yellowface!Year!Award!Result!
2023Barnes & Noble Book of the Year Award[16]
Books Are My Bag Readers' Awards[17]
Foyles Books of the Year for Fiction[18]
Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction[19]
Libby Book Award for Best Book Club Pick[20]
New England Book Award for Fiction[21]
Waterstones Book of the Year for Fiction[22]
2024Aspen Words Literary Prize[23]
Audie Award for Fiction[24]
British Book Award for Fiction[25]

Notes and References

  1. News: Zimmerman . Haley . May 17, 2023 . R.F. Kuang satirizes the publishing industry in new novel ‘Yellowface’ . April 27, 2024 . . January 15, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240115025047/https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/books/r-f-kuang-satirizes-the-publishing-industry-in-new-novel-yellowface/ . live .
  2. Web site: Saleh . Reema . 2023-05-19 . The Specters of “Yellowface” . 2023-07-27 . . en-US . July 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230727215848/https://chireviewofbooks.com/2023/05/19/yellowface-r-f-kuang/ . live .
  3. News: 2023-05-15 . How R. F. Kuang turned every recent book scandal into the satirical thriller 'Yellowface' . 2023-11-12 . Los Angeles Times . en-US . Helen . Li . November 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231113021456/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2023-05-15/how-r-f-kuang-turned-every-recent-book-scandal-into-the-satirical-thriller-yellowface . live .
  4. News: Alter . Alexandra . May 12, 2023 . She Wrote a Blistering Satire About Publishing. The Publishing Industry Loves It. . April 27, 2024 . . January 26, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240126075618/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/12/books/yellowface-rf-kuang.html . live .
  5. News: Jones . C. T. . 2023-05-17 . R.F. Kuang Is Not Your 'Cultural Tour Guide.' She's a Storyteller . 2023-11-13 . . en-US . November 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231113021457/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/r-f-kuang-yellowface-publishing-industry-1234736246/ . live .
  6. News: HarperCollins signs two titles from Babel and Yellowface star Kuang . 2023-11-13 . . En . Sian . Bayley . April 19, 2023 . November 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231113021501/https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/harpercollins-signs-two-titles-from-babel-and-yellowface-star-kuang . live .
  7. March 15, 2023 . YELLOWFACE . April 27, 2024 . . en . July 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230727215847/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rf-kuang/yellowface-kuang/ . live .
  8. Web site: Cummins . Anthony . May 21, 2023 . Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang – a wickedly funny publishing thriller . April 27, 2024 . . September 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230923145139/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/may/21/yellowface-by-rebecca-f-kuang-a-wickedly-funny-publishing-thriller . live .
  9. News: El-Mohtar . Amal . Amal El-Mohtar . May 16, 2023 . Her Novel Became a Best Seller. The Trouble: She Didn't Write It . April 27, 2024 . . March 22, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240322103256/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/books/review/yellowface-rf-kuang.html . live .
  10. Web site: Williams . Keishel . May 15, 2023 . 'Yellowface' takes white privilege to a sinister level . April 27, 2024 . . September 12, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230912142627/https://www.npr.org/2023/05/15/1175725398/r-f-kuang-novel-yellowface-takes-white-privilege-to-a-sinister-level . live .
  11. News: Hu . Zoe . 2023-05-12 . Review ‘Yellowface,’ a satire of race and publishing, falls into its own trap . 2023-07-27 . . en-US . 0190-8286 . May 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230514223824/https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/12/yellowface-kuang-book-review/ . live .
  12. Web site: Schaub . Michael . 2023-11-30 . Lists of the Top Audiobooks of 2023 Are Revealed . 2024-04-28 . . en . December 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231201045908/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/lists-of-the-top-audiobooks-of-2023-are-revealed/ . live .
  13. Web site: 2023-11-20 . Time 100 Must-Read Books of 2023 . 2024-04-28 . . en-US . December 25, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231225134754/https://locusmag.com/2023/11/time-100-must-read-books-of-2023/ . live .
  14. Web site: Spanoudi . Melina . 2023-11-16 . Yellowface named Amazon's Best Book of the Year . 2024-04-28 . . En . November 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231118013520/https://www.thebookseller.com/news/yellowface-named-amazons-best-book-of-the-year . live .
  15. Web site: 2023-11-17 . Yellowface Named Amazon UK Best Book of the Year . 2024-04-28 . . en-US . November 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231118141715/https://locusmag.com/2023/11/yellowface-named-amazon-uk-best-book-of-the-year/ . live .
  16. Web site: Schaub . Michael . 2023-11-07 . B&N Reveals Finalists for Book of the Year . 2024-04-28 . . en . January 16, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116060206/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/bampn-reveals-finalists-for-book-of-the-year/ . live .
  17. Web site: 2023-11-08 . 2023 Books Are My Bag Readers Awards . 2024-04-28 . . en-US . November 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231115192645/https://locusmag.com/2023/11/2023-books-are-my-bag-readers-awards/ . live .
  18. Web site: 2023-12-01 . 2023 Foyles Books of the Year Winners . 2024-04-28 . . en-US . December 25, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231225134753/https://locusmag.com/2023/12/2023-foyles-books-of-the-year-winners/ . live .
  19. Web site: Schaub . Michael . 2023-12-08 . Winners of the Goodreads Choice Awards Revealed . 2024-04-28 . . en.
  20. Web site: 2024-03-14 . 2023 Libby Book Awards Winners . 2024-04-28 . . en-US . March 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240321175153/https://locusmag.com/2024/03/2023-libby-book-awards-winners/ . live .
  21. Web site: 2023-11-30 . 2023 New England Book Awards . 2024-04-28 . . en-US . February 29, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240229112211/https://locusmag.com/2023/11/2023-new-england-book-awards/ . live .
  22. Web site: 2023-11-30 . 2023 Waterstones Book of the Year . 2024-04-28 . . en-US . December 25, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231225134747/https://locusmag.com/2023/11/2023-waterstones-book-of-the-year/ . live .
  23. Web site: Anderson . Porter . 2023-11-08 . The Aspen Words Literary Prize Names Its 2024 Longlist . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231129044459/https://publishingperspectives.com/2023/11/the-35000-aspen-words-literary-prize-names-its-2024-longlist/ . 2023-11-29 . 2024-04-28 . Publishing Perspectives . en-US.
  24. Web site: 2024-02-16 . 2024 Audie Awards Finalists . 2024-04-28 . . en-US . February 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240217003723/https://locusmag.com/2024/02/2024-audie-awards-finalists/ . live .
  25. Web site: 2024-03-08 . 2024 British Book Awards Shortlists . 2024-04-28 . . en-US . March 8, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240308230632/https://locusmag.com/2024/03/2024-british-book-awards-shortlists/ . live .

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