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Reading “Yellowface” by R.F. Kuang stirred several different emotions as I reflected on it. The book incorporates themes linked to the publishing industry, cultural appropriation, authenticity, white privilege, envy, and the price of fame and success. Although the protagonist's choices are not what we might encounter every day, I believe that the emotions she experiences are very relevant and realistically can happen within our professional and personal relationship dynamics overall.
Although I would agree that cultural appropriation and themes of identity are strongly apparent in this read, I would also argue that envy and personal responsibility stood out for me as well. Envy alongside authenticity is consistently present throughout June’s character journey, and although it makes her interesting, I felt that I was consistently waiting for the moment when she would redeem herself by taking responsibility and discovering her own vo…
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