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theglossreview's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Yet, the topic of diversity and inclusion is a central theme of the book. Specifically, the author handles the topics of racism, cultural appropriation and the representation of the Asian-American diaspora masterfully. The main character’s insidious biases, micro-aggressions and transgressions are revealed slowly throughout the story. The main character, June Hayward, is wholly, completely unlikeable. In fact, there isn’t a single lovable and morally upstanding character in “Yellowface”, which SOMEHOW STILL WORKS. Wouldn’t you expect a story about greed and immorality to be FILLED with greedy, morally grey characters?
Another topic that was handled well was mental health, especially in connection with social media addiction. June Hayward was made neither more or less likeable by the state of her mental health. It is portrayed well - neither as an excuse for her actions or a sympathy card, nor as a flaw or defect. What was strange was how unaware June seemed of the impact of the mental health issues on her everyday life. I think that she could have been more self-aware and asked for help sooner and with more confidence. Instead, the lack of help doesn’t even seem to bother her that much. When 2020 comes around in the timeline of the book, the lockdown isn’t even mentioned. Juniper Song Hayward is so lonely, isolated and chronically online that the lockdown made no difference in her everyday life. And even though that’s terrible, June is such an unlikeable person that I can’t even have sympathy with her for that. Her “friendship” with Athena Liu made me recoil. I’m telling you, that is a whole new brand and intensity of hatred.
“Yellowface” offers a lot of wisdom for everyone to take away from it. One of the lessons I have learned that, if you are going to become a published author, DON’T DO IT LIKE THAT. June is an example of what NOT to do. Once, her mother tells her that writing isn’t everything. She thinks: “But writing IS everything to me.” That obsessive tunnel vision is a problem. We all love books very much, but if books are EVERYTHING to you, you have doomed yourself to a state of dependency and despair. There must be more that one single thing in your life that is important to you.
“Yellowface” is incredibly layered. It keeps breaking the fourth wall, seeping into our world. The cynical portrait of the American publishing industry makes me wonder about R. F. Kuang’s experience in the publishing industry. The constant mention of Goodreads makes me wonder if authors really do read their Goodreads reviews — like the review I am writing right now. It sends a shiver down my spine… It’s almost as if I’m trapped in the story.
The writing is fresh and modern. The present tense and first person narration are intriguing. The book contains elements of horror and suspense, and I wish it would’ve leaned more strongly into those at the end. There were three points in the book where the story could have come to a clearer and sooner end. The main problem was that a few heavy topics were not dealt with the appropriate sensitivity and depth. In that case, they should have been left out entirely. For this reason, the book loses half a star. My final rating is 4.25 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
It reminds me of the first season of “You” (the typewriter, the sacrifice, the struggles at university and in the publishing industry, the price of becoming a New York Times bestselling author). A recommended read is “The Carls” by Hank Green.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Cultural appropriation, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Misogyny, Vomit, and Stalking
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
thebruce's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
kittykitkat's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Mental illness, Racism, Stalking, and Murder
insideunder's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Grief, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Vomit, and War
beccamay99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Racism, Violence, and Stalking
Minor: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
sinamile's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
kelisabeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
alegzac's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Stalking
Minor: Grief, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
s3ag0at's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Stalking
Minor: Racial slurs
martyrbat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Xenophobia, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and War