R.F. Kuang

Academic rivals descend into Hades to retrieve a lost soul, but in the underworld’s twisted game, one of them will have to stay behind forever. A dark retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth.

War orphan Rin aces the Empire-wide test to escape her arranged marriage, discovering shamanic powers at military academy. But when war erupts, she learns the terrible cost of her newfound abilities.

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (2023) is a razor-sharp social satire and psychological thriller that took the publishing world by storm. It’s a biting critique of diversity in the arts, the “cancel culture” ecosystem, and the performative nature of social media.

The Plot: A Stolen Legacy

The story is narrated by June Hayward, a struggling white author who is perennialy jealous of her “frenemy,” Athena Liu. Athena is a literary darling—beautiful, successful, and the recipient of a massive multi-book deal.

When Athena dies in a freak choking accident in front of June, June does the unthinkable: she steals Athena’s unfinished masterpiece, a novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I. June edits the manuscript, rebrands herself under the ethnically ambiguous pen name Juniper Song, and submits it as her own.

The book becomes a massive bestseller, but June’s success is built on a foundation of lies. As she tries to defend her “work,” she is haunted by Athena’s ghost (literally or figuratively) and a persistent anonymous social media account that threatens to expose the truth.

Key Themes: The “White Savior” and Cultural Appropriation

• Who has the right to tell a story? Kuang explores whether an author can authentically write about a culture that isn’t their own, especially when they are profiting from it.


• The Tokenization of Diversity: The book satirizes how the publishing industry treats “diverse voices” as trends to be marketed rather than human beings to be supported.


• The Horror of the Internet: Much of the tension comes from June’s obsession with Twitter (X) and Reddit, showing how online discourse can build a person up or tear them down in a matter of hours.


• Unreliable Narrator: June is deeply unlikeable, yet Kuang writes her with such “villainous logic” that you find yourself glued to her spiraling justifications.

Why It’s a “Must-Read” in 2026

• Meta-Commentary: Since R.F. Kuang herself is a hugely successful Asian-American author (known for Babel and The Poppy War), the book serves as a fascinating meta-commentary on her own experiences in the industry.


• The Cover Art: The iconic yellow cover with the “judgmental eyes” has become a symbol of modern literary satire.


• Book Club Gold: It is one of the most discussed books in recent years because it forces readers to confront their own biases regarding race and intellectual property.