Yellowface by R.F. Kuang | Book Review

Get ready, because R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface is about to take you on a wild ride from page one. This book’s got everything from dark humor that will make you snort-laugh, satire so sharp it could cut glass, to a plot that moves faster than a Twitter scandal. Through the deliciously messy perspective of June Hayward (a hot mess of a narrator you’ll love to hate), Kuang drags us into the dumpster fire of publishing, cultural appropriation, and the desperate hustle for fame. It’s a full-on interrogation of who gets to tell stories and who gets caught in the lie.

(Siap-siap geleng-geleng kepala, karena Yellowface oleh R.F. Kuang bakal membawa kita naik rollercoaster emosi dari halaman pertama. Bayangkan ada humor gelap yang bikin ketawa ngakak, sindiran setajam silet, sampai alur cerita yang lebih cepat dari skandal Twitter. Lewat sudut pandang June Hayward, si narator berantakan yang bikin kita "ih gak banget, tapi kok penasaran sih?", Kuang menyeret kita masuk ke dunia penerbitan yang toxic, masalah cultural appropriation, dan usaha gila-gilaan demi terkenal. Intinya, buku ini adalah interograsi tentang siapa sih yang berhak ceritain kisah orang lain.)

TL;DR: A deliciously messy, darkly hilarious part thriller part literary fiction about a struggling writer who steals her dead rival's manuscript, only to spiral into a nightmare of Twitter drama, cultural appropriation, and the brutal truth that success built on lies will crumble.

BOOK INFORMATION

Title                       : Yellowface 

Author                  : R.F. Kuang 

Publisher             : William Morrow

Language             : English 

Length                  : 329 pages

Released               : May 16, 2023

Read                     : January 8-10, 2023

GR Rating            : 3.74

My rating            : 4.50

SYNOPSIS

Authors Juniper Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena is a literary darling while June is a nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls?, June thinks. So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse, stealing Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers 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? This piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller. That is what June believes, and The New York Times bestseller list agrees.

But June cannot escape Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens her stolen success. As she races to protect her secret she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

⚠️ SIDE EFFECTS

🔺Midnight existential crises about your own moral compass

🔺Uncontrollable urge to side-eye the publishing industry

🔺Inexplicable sympathy for a terrible person (June’s a trainwreck, but relatable?)

🔺Sudden fear of Twitter (RIP your sanity)

❌ NOT RECOMMENDED FOR:

🔺Anyone who thinks "cultural appropriation" is just a buzzword

🔺Readers who want fluffy, feel-good stories (this is not that)

🔺People currently writing their debut novel (you’ll panic)

VIBE CHECK: The pick-me girl of books, so problematic you can’t look away, but low-key makes valid points between the mess.

BOOK REVIEW

R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface is like watching a literary train wreck in the best way possible, you can’t look away. Meet June Hayward, a struggling writer whose ambition (and questionable life choices) will have you gasping, cringing, and low-key relating way more than you’d like to admit. Told through June’s messy, unfiltered perspective, this book dives into her wild justifications, Twitter obsessions, and desperate hustle for fame, holding up a mirror to the chaos of modern publishing. 

Let’s talk about the drama. June’s life goes from zero to chaos when she steals her late (and way more successful) friend Athena’s unpublished manuscript and puts her own name on it. Cue the frantic rewrites and the oh-no-she-did-that moments as June tries to pass it off as her own and ride that stolen work straight to the bestseller lists. Kuang calls out cultural appropriation, then drags it, flips it, and makes you question everything about who "gets" to tell certain stories. Spoiler: The publishing industry does not come out looking good here.

Watching June ride high on her stolen success in The Last Front is like watching someone build a house of cards in a windstorm, you just know it's gonna crash spectacularly. As she's collecting awards and praise, she's also frantically faking research, sweet-talking editors, and basically sweating through every interview. The irony? The more famous she gets, the more she realizes none of it actually belongs to her. Kuang serves us this delicious slow-motion trainwreck of imposter syndrome and guilt that's equal parts horrifying and impossible to look away from.

And then there’s social media aka June’s personal hellscape. Her toxic love affair with Twitter is equal parts hilarious and horrifying, as she chases clout, melts down over cancel culture, and learns the hard way that the internet never forgets. Kuang nails the absurdity of online fame, where one viral thread can make or break a career overnight. If you’ve ever doomscrolled through booktwt, you'll know how chaotic it is.

Now let's talk about the internet drama, because oh boy, does June get canceled in style. When booktwt catches wind that this white girl might not be the best person to tell a Chinese war story, the digital pitchforks come out fast. Kuang perfectly captures how online outrage can be both totally justified and completely unhinged at the same time. One minute people are making valid points about representation, the next they're spinning wild conspiracy theories and everyone's just here for the show. It'll make you side-eye your own Twitter habits, that's for sure.

And can we talk about Athena? Even though she's gone, she's basically the ghost haunting this whole story. Through June's messy, jealous memories, we get these glimpses of who Athena really was, not just the "perfect" writer June resented, but a real person who faced racism and struggles too. The genius part? The more we learn about Athena, the more we realize June might not be the scrappy underdog we kinda rooted for at first, but is she actually the villain? Kuang keeps us guessing until the very end, turning what could've been a simple thriller into this layered onion style ghost story about stolen legacies.

This book rips the lid off the publishing world with zero chill, and shows how it often cares more about what sells than what's actually good. June's glow-up from nobody to bestselling author reveals how quick the industry is to ignore red flags when there's money to be made. The way they rebrand her as "Juniper Song" (wink-wink, nudge-nudge about that ambiguous last name) is low-key genius satire, proof how diversity can get reduced to a marketing gimmick. Kuang is calling out the system and roasting it to perfection while making us face the music: at the end of the day, publishing's about profits, not principles.

The real tea in this book is the explosive debate about who "owns" stories. When June swipes Athena's manuscript about Chinese WWI laborers, she both steal and whitewashes it for mainstream appeal. Kuang doesn't give us easy outs, instead throwing us into the messy thick of it: Is the real crime the theft, or how June dilutes Athena's vision? This novel eviscerates publishing's habit of treating diversity like this season's hot trend rather than actual representation. It's a brutal wake-up call showing how the industry talks big about inclusion while keeping the same old barriers in place.

Here's where Yellowface gets scary-good: it turns the spotlight on US, the readers. Kuang plays mind games, are we mad at June because what she did was wrong, or just because she got caught? Would we have eaten up her book if she'd been smoother about her lies or if we never know who she is? This book makes us uncomfortably aware that we're all part of this messed-up system, consuming stories while rarely questioning who's telling them or why. With its killer pacing and savage wit, this book isn't just about one woman's fraud, it's also about our collective obsession with fame, identity, and who controls the narrative. Days after finishing, you'll still be side-eyeing your own bookshelf.

(Yellowface oleh R.F. Kuang itu kayak nonton kecelakaan sastra, tragis tapi bikin nagih. Kita bakal kenalan sama June Hayward, penulis gagal yang ambisinya (dan keputusan hidupnya yang questionable) bikin kamu geleng-geleng, cringe, tapi jujur aja, somehow relate juga. Diceritakan dari sudut pandang June yang kacau dan unfiltered, buku ini membahas semua pembenaran perbuatannya, obsesi Twitter-nya, dan usaha nekatnya buat terkenal, basically cermin kacau-balau dunia penerbitan modern.

Dramanya? Gila. Hidup June langsung berantakan pas dia mencuri naskah Athena (teman sekaligus rivalnya yang udah meninggal) terus ngaku-ngaku itu karyanya sendiri. Bayangin aja, dia edit naskahnya, pura-pura riset, sambil keringat dingin tiap wawancara. Kuang nggak cuma menyindir soal cultural appropriation, tapi membongkarnya habis-habisan dan bikin kita mikir: emangnya siapa sih yang berhak ceritain kisah orang lain? Spoiler: dunia penerbitan keliatan very jahat di sini.

Nonton June sukses melalui naskah curian itu kayak lihat orang membangun rumah kartu di tengah angin ribut, udah pasti rubuh, tapi kita tetep penasaran. Pas dia dapat pujian dan penghargaan, dia juga memalsukan penelitian, cari-cari alasan, dan panic inside. Ironisnya? Semakin sukses, semakin dia sadar ini semua bukan miliknya. Kuang menyajikan slow-motion trainwreck imposter syndrome dan rasa bersalah yang bikin kamu "ih jahat banget sih, tapi lanjut dong."

Dan ada sosmed alias neraka pribadinya June. Hubungan toxic-nya sama Twitter tuh setengah lucu setengah ngeri, liat aja dia ngoyo cari clout, panik gegara cancel culture, dan akhirnya sadar: internet never forgets, sis! Kuang bener-bener nangkep betapa absurdnya dunia online, dimana satu thread viral bisa bikin karir kita meledak atau hancur dalam semalam. Buat kamu yang pernah doomscroll booktok/booktwit, pasti tau chaotic-nya kayak gimana.

Ngomong-ngomong soal internet drama. Gile, June kena cancelnya extra banget. Pas booktwit sadar perempuan kulit putih mungkin bukan orang yang tepat buat menceritakan cerita perang China, mereka langsung pada bawa tombak digital. Kuang jago banget nunjukin betapa outrage di internet bisa beneran valid tapi sekaligus unhinged. Satu menit orang ngomongin representasi, menit berikutnya udah bikin teori konspirasi wild, dan semua orang cuma nonton kayak lihat drama. Baca ini bakal bikin kita mikir dua kali buka Twitter, trust me.

Eh jangan lupa Athena! Walaupun udah gak ada, dia kayak hantu yang menghantui cerita ini. Lewat ingatan June yang jealous dan biased, kita dikasih lihat sisi Athena yang sebenernya, bukan cuma "penulis sempurna" yang June benci, tapi manusia beneran yang juga mengalami rasisme dan struggle. Bagian jeniusnya? Semakin kita kenal Athena, semakin kelihatan kalo June mungkin bukan underdog yang kita kira. Tapi apa dia villain beneran? Kuang bikin kita menebak-nebak sampai akhir, karena dia mengubah cerita yang bisa jadi thriller biasa jadi kayak bawang berlapis, ada hantu, ada dendam, ada warisan yang dicuri. Deep banget tapi tetep ngena!

Buku ini membuka borok dunia penerbitan tanpa ampun, nunjukin kalau mereka lebih peduli uang daripada kualitas. Perjalanan June dari nobody jadi penulis bestseller membuktikan betapa cepatnya industri ini tutup mata asal ada cuan. Cara mereka mengganti nama June jadi Juniper Song (ehmmm last name yang ambigu ya) itu sindiran jenius, bukti kalau diversity cuma jadi bumbu marketing doang. Kuang emang jago banget mengejek sistem sambil bikin kita sadar: publishing tuh bisnis, bukan idealisme.

Yuk kita tumpahin teh terpanasnya: debat sengit soal siapa yang "berhak" ceritain suatu kisah. Pas June mencuri naskah Athena tentang pekerja Tiongkok di PD I, dia enggak cuma mencuri, tapi juga whitewash ceritanya biar laku. Kuang enggak kasih jawaban gampang, malah nyemplungin kita di pusaran pertanyaan: lebih jahat mana, m2ncuri karyanya atau merusak visi aslinya? Novel ini membongkar kebiasaan toksik publishing yang memperlakukan keragaman kayak tren musiman, bukan komitmen serius. Wake-up call banget: industri sok inklusif tapi barrier-nya tetap sama.

Nah ini bagian paling mindblowing: Kuang bikin kita sadar KITA JUGA PART OF THE PROBLEM. Dia mainin pikiran kita, emang kita marah karena June salah, atau cuma karena ketahuan? Apa kita bakal tetep beli bukunya kalau aksinya lebih rapi? Buku ini bikin kita merasa uneasy karena kita semua (iya, termasuk kamu) adalah bagian dari sistem rusak ini, asal konsumsi cerita tanpa nanya siapa yang bikin dan motifnya apa. Dengan narasi ceplas-ceplos dan sindiran tajam, buku ini bukan cuma soal penipuan June, tapi juga obsesi kita akan ketenaran, identitas, dan siapa yang memegang kendali cerita. Habis baca, siap-siap deh kita bakal curiga sama isi rak buku sendiri.)

THINGS I LOVE

■ Unputdownable storytelling. Kuang’s writing is like literary caffeine: sharp, addictive, and packed with twists that’ll have you reading way past bedtime. Every scene crackles with tension, dark humor, or a shocking reveal, it's impossible to look away. Because you’re right inside June's messy, chaotic brain, sweating over every bad decision she makes.

■ Big, messy themes done right. This isn’t some dry lecture on cultural appropriation or publishing’s dark side, but a full-on, complex experience. Kuang combines ambition, racism, and industry hypocrisy so seamlessly that you’ll catch yourself questioning your own biases mid-page. It’s the kind of book that sticks to your brain like glitter: sparkly, impossible to ignore, and slightly uncomfortable.

■ June Hayward, the hot mess we love to judge. June is neither a villain or a hero, she’s that friend who makes terrible choices but somehow has you nodding along like, "Okay, but I see your point…?" Kuang makes her so painfully real that even when she’s at her worst, you get her. And the side characters? Just as layered, adding extra spice to the drama.

■ Mirror that actually slaps. The dark humor here is chef’s kiss, it balances heavy topics with moments so absurd you’ll laugh out loud (then immediately feel guilty about it). Kuang roasts the publishing industry, social media, and even us, the readers, with surgical precision.

■ More than a book, obviously. This book is definitely a conversation starter, a mirror to society’s obsessions, and a wildly entertaining ride. Read it, then immediately force your friends to read it so you can argue about it over Saturday night. Trust me, you’ll want to.

(■ Storytelling yang bikin gabisa berhenti baca. Gaya penulisan Kuang itu kayak kopi sastra: tajam, bikin ketagihan, dan penuh twist yang bakal bikin kita begadang. Setiap adegan isinya menegangkan, humor gelap, atau kejutan yang bikin mata melek. Kita bakal merasa terjebak di dalam kepala June yang kacau balau, sambil bayangin, "Duh, jangan-jangan aku juga pernah kayak gini?"

■ Tema berat tapi diolah dengan keren. Ini bukan ceramah garing soal cultural appropriation atau sisi gelap dunia penerbitan, tapi pengalaman kompleks yang bikin kita mikir. Kuang meracik ambisi, rasisme, dan kemunafikan industri buku dengan smooth, sampe kita tiba-tiba ngeh, "Wait, jangan-jangan aku juga punya bias kayak gitu?" Buku ini nempel di otak kayak glitter: kinclong, ganggu, dan bikin kita agak uncomfortable.

■ June Hayward, karakter berantakan yang bikin gemes. June itu bukan pahlawan atau penjahat, tapi kayak temenmu yang suka bikin keputusan parah tapi somehow kamu ngangguk-ngangguk, "I mean, I get your point sih." Kuang bikin dia begitu nyata sampai kita tetep relate bahkan pas dia lagi rock bottom. Karakter pendukungnya? Nggak kalah kompleks, menambah pedasnya drama.

■ Sindiran yang nendang banget. Humor gelapnya chef's kiss, nggak cuma bikin ketawa, tapi juga bikin kita merasa bersalah abis itu. Kuang call out industri penerbitan, media sosial, bahkan kita sebagai pembaca, dengan presisi yang pas banget.

■ Lebih dari sekadar buku, obviously. Buku ini bahan obrolan seru, cermin obsesi masyarakat, dan rollercoaster yang bikin nagih. Habis baca, kita bakal maksa temen kita buat baca juga biar bisa debat sambil nongkrong di malem minggu. Percaya deh, ini buku bakal stay di kepala lama banget.)

CONCLUSION

Yellowface is more about stolen voices and the systems that let it happen. Kuang serves up equal parts thriller and social roast, and leaves you cackling one minute and side-eyeing your own bookshelf the next. By the end, you’ll be haunted by questions about ambition, authenticity, and why we’re all low-key complicit in this mess. Whether you’re here for the drama, the satire, or just a story that sticks to your brain like glue, this is the kind of book you’ll immediately want to throw at your friends, just so you can argue about it after. Trust me: this one’s unforgettable.

(Sebenernya Yellowface ini berbicara soal karya curian dan sistem busuk yang bikin pencurian kayak gini bisa terjadi. Kuang meracik perfect mix antara cerita seru dan kritik sosial, bikin kita kadang ketawa, kadang gelisah "jangan-jangan aku juga bagian dari masalah ini?" Habis baca, kita bakal ketagihan mikirin pertanyaan kayak "ambisi vs. integritas tuh dimana batasnya?" atau "kok kita semua bisa complicit ya dalam sistem begini?". Mau cari drama, sindiran pedas, atau cerita yang nempel di otak kayak lem? Ini tuh buku yang bakal bikin kita langsung chat temen "BACA INI SEKARANG BIAR KITA DEBAT!" Percaya deh, ini bakal jadi salah satu buku yang nendang dan susah dilupain.)