Strap in for what will invariably be one of the most-talked about books of the season. June is a mediocre white novelist who can’t quite catch a break. One of her friends is brilliant, best-selling Chinese author Athena Liu, whose meteoric rise to fame and fortune is only stopped by her sudden, tragic death. June decides to steal her friend’s unpublished manuscript and publish it under her own name, which also involves heavily implying that she’s of Asian descent when she’s not. Yellowface grabs hold of you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go until the last page. It’s a swift takedown of the publishing industry, cultural appropriation, exoticism, social media, and plagiarism – but it’s also not simple at all. I can’t remember the last time I read a book that I am dying to discuss quite this much – and I can’t wait to share it with the group this June! Sarah Aswell, Senior Editor |
