Yellowface, by R. F. Kuang

“White lies. Dark humor. Deadly consequences... Juniper Song is not who she claims to be. She didn't write the book she takes credit for, and she is definitely not Asian American. In this chilling and hilariously sharp novel by R. F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel, the truth unravels.

June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars in the literary world. But while Athena becomes a literary darling, June remains a nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls, June muses.

When June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she impulsively seizes the moment. She steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I.

June edits the novel and submits it to Athena's agent as her own. She lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song, complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo. After all, doesn’t this important piece of history deserve to be told, no matter who the author is? That’s what June insists, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.

But Athena's shadow looms large, and mounting evidence threatens to expose June’s theft. As she scrambles to protect her secret, June learns just how far she will go to keep what she believes she deserves.

Told in a captivating first-person voice, Yellowface tackles issues of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the alienation fueled by social media. R. F. Kuang’s novel is timely, razor-sharp, and utterly compelling.”