Week 21 Reading Wrap-Up: Literary Theft and the Weight of Words
This week’s reading spotlight shines on one novel—and what a fiery, provocative ride it was. Yellowface by R.F. Kuang dives headfirst into cultural appropriation, the inner workings of the publishing world, and the warped ethics of ambition.
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang – ★★★★☆
Engaging from the jump, Yellowface isn’t just a novel—it’s a commentary, a satire, and a psychological profile all rolled into one. The central character, June Hayward, is not someone you root for because she’s good. You root for her in spite of the fact that she’s doing terrible, ethically bankrupt things. That’s the trick Kuang pulls off so well: she makes the villain compellingly human.
Side Note: There were a few moments where the plot stretched believability, but the critique of the literary establishment felt sharp and painfully spot-on.
At its core, the novel tackles how stories are owned, marketed, and weaponized. Kuang’s portrayal of publishing’s obsession with identity, optics, and the commodification of culture lands hard—sometimes uncomfortably so.
This one will stick with me for a while.
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