Book Club: A windy encounter with Yellowface

An intrepid group of us gathered in Infinity Garden in mid-May, with the North wind channelling viciously between Marlowe House and Keynes. The morning had been deceptively warm and inviting, and we bravely pressed ahead in true British style.

Despite the elements, we had a very lively discussion of Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang. Margaret kicked things off by introducing us to the author — a remarkably accomplished young Chinese-American woman who already boasts numerous degrees and several published works, the first of which was published when she was 19.

Yellowface tells the story of June, an aspiring (but not particularly talented) writer who witnesses the sudden death of her not-quite-friend, Athena. Athena is everything June is not: beautiful, successful and lauded as an author. When June discovers Athena’s unfinished manuscript, she makes the fateful decision to steal it. What follows is an increasing spiral of lies, deceit, self-delusion, and eventually danger. Naturally it’s impossible to truly like June or condone her choices, but she’s undeniably desperate. Some of us were moved to greater sympathy by Kuang’s own description of her novel: “Yellowface is, in large part, a horror story about loneliness in a fiercely competitive industry.”

We were all struck by the breadth of issues the novel tackles — the ruthless nature of the publishing industry, the exploitation of writers, racism and cultural appropriation, the tangled ethics of borrowing plots (hello, Shakespeare), social media mobbing, and even Chinese ghost stories. Neither June nor Athena emerge as particularly honest or kind when it comes to their work, and some of us saw them as two sides of the same person — perhaps even foils to one another. Kuang’s skill — and courage — in navigating such sensitive territory earned unanimous admiration.

Upcoming Meetings

11th June – The Photograph by Penelope Lively (led by Lyndsay)

9th July – Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (led by Jane)

Let’s hope for gentler weather next time — but wind or no wind, the conversation always warms us up.