Rebecca F. Kuang
"The draft will be messy, but that's all right - this whole affair is messy."
6.8
When struggling writer June Hayward witnesses the death of rival author Athena Liu, she seizes the opportunity to steal her manuscript. Reinventing herself under a pseudonym, June skyrockets to literary fame but as the deception unravels June finds herself haunted - by the truth, the internet and possibly by Athena herself.
Judging The Book By It’s Cover
The copy being discussed in this review is the 2023, HarperCollinsPublishers paperback edition with cover design by Ellie Game and HarperCollinsPublishers.
We first came across this book on a poster in a train station, and its striking yellow cover immediately caught our attention. The bold, eye-catching design draws you in, while the featureless face on the cover perfectly encapsulates the book’s premise. The character’s averted gaze—staring off to the side rather than meeting your eyes—subtly suggests something secretive, making us eager to find out more. The back cover blurb, on the other hand, feels a little underwhelming. It lays out the premise clearly but lacks the intrigue that makes you feel like you have to read the book right now. That said, we did appreciate the detail of the dripping fountain pen—a small but effective touch. Overall, the cover does the heavy lifting here, while the blurb feels more like an afterthought.
Closing the Book
For the most part, we both enjoyed Yellowface. It started off strong—gripping and hard to put down—but it lost momentum towards the end and the pacing felt off at times. The ending dragged and left some things unresolved. However, as a commentary on the publishing industry, it executed its premise well.
The story had plenty of ups and downs, both in pacing and engagement. When it was good, it was really good—sharp and insightful. But the slower sections felt drawn out, making some parts of the book a struggle to get through. Despite being marketed as a thriller, it didn’t quite deliver on that front. The twists weren’t bad, but they weren’t particularly exciting either.
The characters were largely unpleasant, which made it difficult to connect with anyone. Rob, in particular, struggled with this. That being said, the character writing was strong—each felt distinct and real, even if they weren’t likable.
The writing itself was accessible and engaging, making it an easy book to binge-read, and the premise was fascinating, offering a sharp critique of the publishing industry.
Overall, we’re glad we read Yellowface. It was an engaging and thought-provoking book with a lot to say about the publishing industry, and it kept us reading even when the pacing faltered. While we had issues with the slower sections and the lack of truly compelling twists, the strong writing and sharp commentary made it a worthwhile read.
That said, it’s not a book we see ourselves revisiting. Once the initial intrigue wore off, there wasn’t much left to draw us back in. Still, we’d recommend it to anyone interested in discussions about authorship, cultural appropriation, and the inner workings of the publishing world.
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