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A review by richardrbecker
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I wanted to like Yellowface, but ultimately didn't. Sure, there is plenty to like. But, unfortunately, there was also plenty not to like.
Author R.F. Kuang has little sympathy for her protagonist June Hayward a.k.a. Juniper Song. It's hard to blame the author. The character is largely annoying and unlikeable. And any chance to change your mind about her is tossed out the window during her Tell-Tale Heart-light ending. (The twist without the murder.) June Hayward isn't alone. None of the characters are likable. Not one.
I suppose this is why some of the literary world considers it razor-sharp sarcasm or darkly funny. I didn't think so. If it were funny, it would be a movie called American Fiction. The characters are likable in that movie, and the sarcasm is bold and funny. Much of the prose in Yellowface falls flat and sometimes feels hostile.
What is likable about the novel is that it's a remarkably fast read, a decent commentary that cuts at social media, and a poignant take on the fickle nature of the publishing industry — a place where 1+1 might equal 3 on any given day (or not). But other than that, it's a bit shallow in what it wants us to swallow.
Beginning with a tried-but-true story of someone stealing another's work to the shockwaves and consequences that follow, Yellowface rushes toward a mystery that isn't one we care about — who is June Hayward's biggest detractor, how much do they know, and what can they prove. Secondarily, it's a story about the roller coaster of emotions a partial plagiarist might feel (or not), especially when confronted with the fact she is a white author who wrote (or didn't write) about hardships faced by the Chinese during World War I. (This theme is supposed to be edgy in that it raises the question of who can authentically write about whom in fiction — and it's also a topic I despise.)
Of course, I'm in the minority on this one. Plenty of people think that Yellowface is cooly contemporary. Maybe so, for five minutes. Still, I do think the author will have a longer shelf-life than the novel. Kaung is a fine writer. It's just that I wish I would have been introduced to her work by reading something, anything, else.
Author R.F. Kuang has little sympathy for her protagonist June Hayward a.k.a. Juniper Song. It's hard to blame the author. The character is largely annoying and unlikeable. And any chance to change your mind about her is tossed out the window during her Tell-Tale Heart-light ending. (The twist without the murder.) June Hayward isn't alone. None of the characters are likable. Not one.
I suppose this is why some of the literary world considers it razor-sharp sarcasm or darkly funny. I didn't think so. If it were funny, it would be a movie called American Fiction. The characters are likable in that movie, and the sarcasm is bold and funny. Much of the prose in Yellowface falls flat and sometimes feels hostile.
What is likable about the novel is that it's a remarkably fast read, a decent commentary that cuts at social media, and a poignant take on the fickle nature of the publishing industry — a place where 1+1 might equal 3 on any given day (or not). But other than that, it's a bit shallow in what it wants us to swallow.
Beginning with a tried-but-true story of someone stealing another's work to the shockwaves and consequences that follow, Yellowface rushes toward a mystery that isn't one we care about — who is June Hayward's biggest detractor, how much do they know, and what can they prove. Secondarily, it's a story about the roller coaster of emotions a partial plagiarist might feel (or not), especially when confronted with the fact she is a white author who wrote (or didn't write) about hardships faced by the Chinese during World War I. (This theme is supposed to be edgy in that it raises the question of who can authentically write about whom in fiction — and it's also a topic I despise.)
Of course, I'm in the minority on this one. Plenty of people think that Yellowface is cooly contemporary. Maybe so, for five minutes. Still, I do think the author will have a longer shelf-life than the novel. Kaung is a fine writer. It's just that I wish I would have been introduced to her work by reading something, anything, else.