The Book Slump

Tag: Yellowface

  • Yellowface

    Yellowface

    By R.F Kuang

    SPOILER-FREE

    Released 2023, 323 pages.

    Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena’s a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn’t even get a paperback release. Nobody wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks.

    So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during World War I.

    So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.

    But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    REVIEW

    THEMES: CONTEMPORARY, TENSE, DARK, EMOTIONAL, MEDIUM-PACED.

    June Hayward is nothing compared to Athena Liu. How can she flourish when she must work beside her ‘dear’ friend – the accredited and beloved author. That is until Athena dies. June Hayward, or now Juniper Song has taken it upon herself to honour Athena’s memory by stealing her manuscript and making it her own. Let’s just hope no one finds out….

    I have been putting Yellowface off as it was described to me as weird. Weird is a little hard to decipher, as I find weird a good thing but there is certainly a bad ‘weird’. To me, this book falls under good weird.

    Having read all of Kuang’s other novels, I was pleasantly surprised by her ability to adapt to a contemporary setting- for those who don’t know, Kuang is predominantly a Fantasy writer.

    Whilst her signature sarcasm remains, this book feels more personal than the others. Her layered opinions on the publishing industry and its fickle mentality are insightful, although decidedly pessimistic.

    I found the way she undermines June whilst also finding her humanity commendable. Kuang let the character speak for herself without forcing an agenda on the reader, allowing them to come to their own conclusion – which would presumably reflect their personal lens.

    My only comment is that Athena could have had more substance. The way she is presented in the novel is slightly reductive, though I cannot go into depth as it would spoil.

    I was captivated throughout the entire novel and look back on this book fondly- it may even be my second favourite Kuang book. June’s character reminds me a bit of the main character in My Year of Rest and Relaxation.

    Click link below for Storygraph overview, which includes general rating, summary (same as above) and other reviews.

    LINK TO STORYGRAPH PROFILE

  • Katabasis

    Katabasis

    By R.F Kuang

    SPOILER-FREE

    Released 2025, 541 pages.

    Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality: her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world.

    That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault. Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams…. 

    Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the very same conclusion. 

    But Hell is not like the storybooks say, Magick isn’t always the answer, and there’s something in Alice and Peter’s past that could forge them into the perfect allies…or lead to their doom. 

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    REVIEW

    THEMES: FANTASY, HISTORICAL, HUMOROUS, TENSE, MEDIUM-PACED.

    Alice Law and Peter Murdoch, academic rivals – must journey to hell to retrieve their professor’s soul – after his unfortunate death caused by a ‘freak’ accident. Though, shockingly, it is not a walk in the park – the two must overcome their past and learn to work together, otherwise everything will go to…

    This is my fifth book written by R.F Kuang (only Yellowface to go), and she surprises me every time. Last year I was really into mythology after reading The Song of Achilles and listening to Hozier, so to find out she would be writing a Dantes Inferno-esque book, I was ecstatic.

    I love this book, it is interesting, well-written and funny. Surprisingly, I have not read one review that mentions her quiet, humorous remarks – which adds a light-hearted aspect to an otherwise intense novel.

    The plot itself is immersive, detailed and chaotic – yet somehow structured. In typical Kuang fashion, it is methodically researched, with considerable depth to the magic system – and the math and science behind it. Not to mention the elaborate descriptions of the paradoxes and pentagrams.

    I love Kuang’s unique approach to hell, it is definitely a concept that has been done to death (pun intended), so it was interesting reading her take on it. (In saying that, I have not read that many ‘hell’ books.)

    As per usual, Kuang does not write her characters to be liked but to be humanised. I went through periods where I would hate Alice because of her contradictory, self-righteous disposition – but then I would realise she is hateable because she is relatable. Her complex relationship with Grimes is suffocating – the rage and exasperation I felt whilst reading was constant.

    Kuang masterfully depicts the struggles a Chinese woman would face in a (white) male dominated institution. I also like how she touches on internalised misogyny, which can be tricky to portray as realistic, whilst remaining tasteful.

    My disappointment is that the setting did not feel overly specific to hell, I would have enjoyed more of an incorporation of hell’s lore.

    I would recommend anyone try this book, especially fantasy readers. I think Katabasis definitely showcases Kuang’s range and is a really good stepping stone into her weightier reads.

    Click link below for Storygraph overview, which includes general rating, summary (same as above) and other reviews.

    LINK TO STORYGRAPH PROFILE