A review by shadowolf19
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

This was such a weird book. Premise aside, after the story kicks into its gears, it quickly runs out of gas, and by the half point, I was left wondering what was the author going to write for the remaining part of the book. As it turns out, not that much. It just keeps going around in circles, pretty much like the main character. The critique about the publishing world and the power/role of social media on people are obviously the main focus, but again, by the half point is just running around in circles over and over. This ruins the suspense and the tension that might have intrigued and hooked the reader onto the story, maybe even getting them to care about the protagonist's feelings. Instead, it turns into a pedantic repetition with intervals of plot that serve to move the story forward, and all the while I kept wondering, "Where is this going"?
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