June Hayward and Athena Liu were destined to be twin rising stars: sharing the same year at Yale and debuting in the publishing world simultaneously. However, while Athena becomes a celebrated cross-genre literary sensation, June’s book receives little attention, leaving her to believe that stories about basic white girls like herself aren’t in demand.
Tragedy strikes when June witnesses Athena’s untimely death in a freak accident. Driven by impulse, she makes a bold decision: she steals Athena’s recently completed masterpiece, an experimental novel delving into the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during World War I.
Taking a risky step further, June decides to edit Athena’s work and submit it to her agent as her own creation. She even adopts a new identity, Juniper Song, complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo, allowing her to share this important historical piece with the world, regardless of the teller. Her calculated move pays off, as the book climbs the New York Times bestseller list.
However, June soon finds herself entangled in Athena’s shadow, and as evidence starts surfacing, her stolen success becomes threatened. Desperate to protect her secret, June grapples with the depths she will go to retain what she believes she deserves.
Through an immersive first-person narrative, “Yellowface” explores issues of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation not only in the publishing industry but also the persistent erasure of Asian-American voices and history by Western white society. R. F. Kuang’s timely and sharp novel offers a compelling and easily relatable reading experience.
