Yellowface

About the book

When June Hayward witnesses the accidental death of her more successful rival, Athena Liu, she steals Athena’s unfinished manuscript about Chinese laborers in World War I. June rewrites the draft and publishes it under the racially ambiguous pseudonym Juniper Song. As the book achieves massive success, June undergoes physical makeovers to appear ethnically diverse while navigating a landscape of social media call-outs and anonymous threats. The narrative tracks her escalating paranoia as she attempts to justify her cultural theft and protect her stolen literary career.

This story serves readers interested in the internal dynamics of the publishing industry and the mechanics of online cancellation. Those who follow debates regarding traditional gatekeeping and cultural appropriation will find a cynical examination of how corporations commodify identity. Readers walk away with a cold perspective on the ethics of authorship and the performative nature of modern social justice movements. It provides a technical look at how a narrative is manipulated by public relations teams and the volatile whims of internet subcultures.

Details

Published

2023

Publisher

The Borough Press

Language

EN