Who gets to tell a story? Is it based on race, ethnicity, or gender? Or rather, you may believe, it is based on experience and zeal. R.F. Kuang is an author known for her unapologetic novels addressing issues that are pertinent to society today. In Yellowface, Kuang writes a contemporary novel that grapples with major themes of racism, privilege, and the brutality of social media.
This novel follows Juniper Hayward, or June, a struggling white writer who witnesses the death of Athena Liu, a newly famous Chinese author, in an unexpected accident. Taken by instinct, she steals Athena’s finished masterpiece about Chinese laborers and their contributions to World War I. June believes this story needs to be told, no matter who writes it. June, under Juniper Song, publishes it and quickly rises to fame.
This book explores racial privilege through June using her whiteness to pass as “racially ambiguous”. At the same time, Athena was undervalued and only allowed to write about certain things as a Chinese-American. Kuang doesn’t just show this, but she delves into how it is ingrained into the structures of creative undertakings. Yet again, who gets to tell a story?
Another major theme is the role of social media in spreading information, whether false or correct. As June’s defenders and prosecutors bombard her notifications, we see just how fast information can spread, along with rumors and lies. June’s mental health deteriorates, whether deserved or not, and the psychological aspect of social media is introduced in this novel. As both a tool to expose June and to protect her, we see the complexities and precariousness of social media.
While a comical book, R.F. Kuang’s novel, Yellowface, makes us question our role in cultural conversations and opens the door for more deliberate discussions. As an unflinchingly honest novel, I believe it will benefit every reader, no matter which of the abundant messages they contemplate. Readers are challenged to assess their role within systems of inequality and look beyond preconceived notions. Yellowface demands your attention and leaves you intrigued.
