The Sinister Implications of 'Yellowface' and White Privilege.

R.F. Kuang's new novel Yellowface is a satirical commentary on the exploitation and rigors writers face under the pressure to be successful. The story follows a young white author who steals the manuscript of her dead Asian friend, finishes it, and publishes it as her own. The novel tackles the topic of cultural appropriation and challenges the idea of what kind of stories writers are allowed to write given their race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Yellowface also raises questions about desire and greed, and about privilege on both sides of the spectrum for white writers and diverse writers.