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I am wanting to edit this review so I can focus on the issues with this book, most importantly, the problematic ones.

Throughout the book, Israel is mentioned many times and at one point the main character begins to read a book labelled
‘The founding of Israel' and I am going to explain exactly why this is problematic.

The name of the book itself is harmful and erases the true meaning of what occurred for this ‘founding'. This was the Nakba.

The Nakba was the violent displacement and the destruction of their society, culture, identity, political rights, and national aspirations. This caused the expulsion of 700,000 Palestinians and the depopulation and destruction of over 500 Palestinian villages by the zionist militias and later the Israeli army and subsequent geographical erasure, the denial of the Palestinian right of return, the creation of permanent Palestinian refugees and the “shatters of Palestinian society”.

reference: Nakba

It is now 2023 and we are witnessing the second Nakba. Survivors of the 1948 Nakba are experiencing it again and this is a direct result, again, by the Israeli army. 2 million Palestinians have been displaced, over 27,000 injured and over 12,000 have been killed (not including those who remain stuck under the rubble) and this is a number that grows every single minute, hour and day.

We are witnessing a mass genocide and ethnic cleansing.

So, yeah. ‘The founding of Israel' let's call it what it is.

An occupation over Palestine that has been going on for 75+ years.

Free Palestine.

Lynn Painter, you've done it again.

I can't explain what exactly it is about Painter's writing that has me kicking my feet and swooning like a teenager again. The best way to get close to an explanation would have to be because every time I read one of her works I feel like I'm being transported back to when I was in high school, experiencing the highs and lows of growing older and the feeling of falling in love for the first time. It's so nostalgic in the best way possible.

I loved Emilie and Nick's characters. For her whole life, it was about having control, being perfect and making sure everything was on track and in order. Nick comes into her life and shows her that there's more to life than that and helps her learn to be herself and have fun. Nick is so smitten and swoon-worthy. I genuinely want to keep him in my pocket always.

They had the best banter and I found myself giggling on multiple occasions but I expect nothing less when they are written by Lynn Painter.

I knew from the premise that I would be sold. Groundhog's Day set on Valentine's Day? Absolutely.

I won't say anything more because I don't want to spoil but I had so much fun with this and I am so happy I finally decided to pick this up.

“People who are considered normal enjoy putting those who aren't on trial.”

I think this is the perfect book for anyone who has felt like they needed to change just to fit the mould that society has made for them.

I think I chose to read this at the perfect time as a twenty-three-year-old who is trying to learn how to navigate through life. As an autistic person, this book spoke to me in the way of always feeling like a person on the outside looking in. The constant feeling that something is wrong with you because you know you act and see things differently than others is overwhelming and I believe it was the same for Keiko.

This was a quick, easy read and I enjoyed it.

In the times that we are now, unfortunately, where it feels like trans rights are being stripped away from the community daily, this is a read that I recommend to everyone to pick up and read.

I've recently developed a true love for the genre that is non-fiction and it is books like this one that are real eye-openers that make me love it even more.

Shon Faye is such a fantastic writer in the way that you can feel the heart and soul she put into every single page. Faye directly calls out people in power who allow their bigotry to place in politics, the media for continuing to push harmful rhetoric and anti-trans feminists who are continuously speaking out against the basic rights of the transgender community.

I believe this is a book that everyone should read, trans and cis alike.

If I have learnt anything this year, it's that I will devour and enjoy anything that R.F. Kuang writes.

I'm going to be as vague as possible whilst still giving my thoughts because I don't like writing spoilers or anything in particular detailed for reviews, especially when it comes to books that aren't released to the public yet.

Yellowface covered important topics that are not often highlighted in books, especially when it comes to the publishing world. Racism, plagiarism, microaggressions and cultural appropriation are just some of the things that were portrayed in this book. This book was the definition of meta and satire and I loved every minute of it.

June was a protagonist that you didn't want to root for and that's something that you don't see often in books but I think it speaks volumes about how there are many people in the real world, in all types of workplaces and life in general like June who take advantage of the disadvantages of marginalised groups for their own benefit. I found myself so angry reading this at June's blatant disrespect, racism and self-righteous actions throughout the book. Just to name one out of many was when June was annoyed by others rightfully saying that many issues arise when it comes to white people writing stories from the point of view of marginalised groups, a point of view that white people will never experience or understand.

This was so unlike anything that Kuang has written and I'm excited to see what she writes next. I know that I will eat up anything that she publishes.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.