While my last article, “Where BookTok Falls Short” talked about my pessimism about not seeing any book recommendations that “push us to face uncomfortable truths about the world around us,” having read two books from this fairly (if not very) popular author, some of my hope has been restored. The author? R.F. Kuang.
After completing Yellowface and Babel, I can confidently say that Kuang has become one of my favorite authors. Her stories are not only entertaining but also tackle topics like cultural appropriation, privilege, and colonialism exceptionally well. The amount of research and knowledge that she pours into her books definitely shows, yet it never feels convoluted or overwhelming. She’s able to strike a balance between teaching readers and keeping them fully immersed in her narratives.
Take Babel, for example. It is a dark academia historical fantasy novel that centers on language and translation but goes far deeper than its academic surface. The book asks readers to reflect on difficult questions: What are we willing to sacrifice for comfort? Who gets to pass in a world built on exclusion and inequality? Furthermore, it explores the “power” of white women’s tears in maintaining systemic oppression.
There is so much I want to say and explore, but I truly think it is best to go into her books “blind” (don’t look up what it’s about, don’t read the synopsis, just read!)
However, I will say that I am surprised R.F. Kuang has become so popular on Booktok. Of course, my surprise isn’t because I think she doesn’t deserve it. On the contrary, I am ecstatic that her books are getting the recognition they deserve. I am surprised because the topics she addresses are not commonly talked about amongst popular booktokers. As smaller creators on the app have pointed out, many big influencers will include Kuang’s books in their content, yet they don’t actually speak up when fiction becomes reality. It’s one thing to recommend a book about colonialism and its lasting effect and another to actively engage in conversations about those issues when they show up in real life. This disconnect really makes me wonder if we’ve read the same book, or if they even read it at all.
That being said, I leave you to reflect on R.F. Kuang’s words,
“History isn’t a premade tapestry that we’ve got to suffer, a closed world with no exit. We can form it. Make it. We just have to choose to make it.”