Our book group choice for April 2024 is Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. June Hayward is a struggling writer yearning for recognition. Her world collides with Athena Liu, a rising literary star lauded for her insightful novels exploring the Asian American experience. June sees in Athena everything she desires: success, fame, and validation.
Fate, however, takes a drastic turn. Athena dies in a tragic accident, leaving behind an unpublished manuscript. Seized by a desperate ambition, June hatches a daring plan. She assumes the pen name “Juniper Song” and publishes Athena’s work as her own.
The novel, imbued with a depth June could never have crafted, becomes a runaway success. June, transformed into Juniper Song, basks in the glow of critical acclaim and financial rewards. But her house of cards is built on a foundation of stolen identity. As internet sleuths and a tenacious journalist begin to chip away at the truth, June’s carefully constructed facade starts to crumble.
Yellowface isn’t just a story of literary deception; it’s a scathing indictment of the publishing industry’s fraught relationship with diversity. Kuang masterfully satirizes the performative embrace of “own voices” narratives, where success hinges more on an author’s ethnicity than the merit of their writing. We see June, a white woman, exploit the industry’s blind spots to achieve the recognition she believes eludes her due to her race. The novel forces us to confront uncomfortable questions: Is authenticity overrated? Does identity politics overshadow true artistic value?
The narrative unfolds through June’s captivatingly unreliable first-person voice. As she navigates the treacherous world of social media and literary fame, we’re drawn into the vortex of her paranoia and desperation. Kuang weaves a suspenseful plot, where the thrill of June’s potential exposure keeps you glued to the page.
Discussion Questions
- Should the author’s background ever affect how we judge a novel?
- What do we owe the people we are writing about?
- Is this a satire of the publishing world? Or of diversity within the industry?
- Is a book’s success or failure entirely manufactured by the Publisher? Is this process fair?
- What does it mean to steal a story?
- What do y ou think of the title of the book?
- Is June + Athena’s relationship toxic? Or something else?
- What did you make of the sexual politics? Of June’s story of sexual abuse?
- How is race dealt with in the book? Is June racist? Are there examples of cultural appropriation?
- Did the book challenge any of your own assumptions about identity? Power dynamics?
- Did the book ending work? Will June’s coping plans succeed?
Individual Ratings
Anthony's Rating 
Jo's Rating 
Baljit's Rating
Hayley's Rating
Willow's Rating
DKB's Rating
Sue's Rating
Kelby's Rating