Yellow Face

 What exactly constitutes plagiarism when interacting with another person's work? How much can we separate what a writer does online with the stories they write?What are the ramifications of cancel culture? When is diving into another ethnic groups story insightful and when is it cultural appropriation? These just are some of the questions that the psychological thriller Yellowface addresses. Kuang digs really deep into the realities that writing and the publishing industry face today.

Chronicaling the life of a writer who is dealing with a lot of scrutiny online could run the risk of being shallow and dull. However Kuang puts the reader in suspense, making it impossible to put the book down. Coupling this with compelling characters grappling with culturally relevant questions makes this book a masterpiece. 

As someone who is trying to get get more of my fiction published, I find the main character June's anxieties easy to relate to. Kuang does a fantastic job of exploring the plight of a writer who is trying to find her own ground. Even if June is unlikable at times, the reader really understands her motivations. 

It is tempting to call this a thriller for writers and people in the publishing industry. However, the way the dilemmas of social media are portrayed anyone who is on social media or aware of what can happen on social media will appreciate.

I won't give away the ending but damn, it sure caught me off guard. This has to be the most brilliant piece of fiction I've read so far this year and I've been lucky that everything I've read recently has been excellent. It was an amazing addition to Feminist Book Club's summer Cults Cons and Conspiracies box!