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Yellowface

by R.F. Kuang

★★★★☆ 3.72 (1 074 222 ratings)
2023 · 336 pages · ~5h 36m read · Fiction

June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be rising stars together, but Athena is a literary darling while June is a nobody. When June witnesses Athena's freak death, she steals Athena's just-finished masterpiece about Chinese laborers. June submits it as her own work under a racially ambiguous pen name. As the book becomes a massive success, June must go to extreme lengths to protect her secret. This biting satire explores themes of cultural appropriation, social media, and the publishing industry.

Widely read around the world. Estimated 7 million readers.

Atmosphere: Real WorldVibe: IntensePacing: Fast-paced
psychologicalhumorpolitics

Notable Quotes

"Reading lets us live in someone else’s shoes. Literature builds bridges; it makes our world larger, not smaller."
"Writing is the closest thing we have to real magic"
"Writing is the closest thing we have to real magic. Writing is creating something out of nothing, is opening doors to other lands. Writing gives you power to shape your own world when the real one hurts too much."

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