Summary: In today's article, I have compiled 20 of the best books similar to Yellowface that explore themes of cultural appropriation, identity, and the complexities of race. Here are my top 3:
- The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
- The Leavers by Lisa Ko
- American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Books like Yellowface dive into the complexities of cultural appropriation, identity, and the challenges faced by marginalized groups. They make us question who has the right to tell certain stories and shine a light on the power behind those decisions. Reading these books not only broadens our understanding of race and privilege but also sparks important conversations about what true representation looks like in literature.
TOP 20: Best Books Similar to Yellowface
- The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
- The Leavers by Lisa Ko
- American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
- Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
- The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo
- White Teeth by Zadie Smith
- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
- The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
- On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
- The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon
- Pride by Ibi Zoboi
- The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
- No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
- An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
- Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
- The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla
- The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
- A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
- Our Lady of the Nile by Scholastique Mukasonga
1. The Other Black Girl
- Author: Zakiya Dalila Harris
- About: This novel delves into the workplace dynamics of race, particularly when an African American woman faces subtle and overt discrimination.
- Style of Writing: Suspenseful, thought-provoking, and occasionally surreal.
- Length: 368 pages
- Year Written: 2021
- Emotional Impact: Leaves a lasting impression with its sharp critique of race and identity in professional spaces.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A gripping exploration of microaggressions and the tension between racial identity and professional advancement.
2. The Leavers
- Author: Lisa Ko
- About: The story of an undocumented Chinese immigrant mother who vanishes, and the son she left behind, exploring themes of belonging and displacement.
- Style of Writing: Lyrical, reflective, and heartfelt.
- Length: 368 pages
- Year Written: 2017
- Emotional Impact: Deeply emotional, as it touches on the immigrant experience and the bonds between parent and child.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: Offers a poignant look at immigration, identity, and family, with rich emotional depth.
3. American Dirt
- Author: Jeanine Cummins
- About: A mother and son flee Mexico to escape cartel violence, leading to a harrowing journey across the U.S. border.
- Style of Writing: Fast-paced, dramatic, and emotional.
- Length: 400 pages
- Year Written: 2020
- Emotional Impact: Strong emotional resonance, especially around themes of trauma and survival.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: It brings attention to the struggles faced by migrants, though its portrayal of Mexican culture has sparked significant controversy.
4. The Vanishing Half
- Author: Brit Bennett
- About: This novel explores the lives of twin sisters who take divergent paths—one living as a Black woman, the other passing for white.
- Style of Writing: Clear, reflective, and richly detailed.
- Length: 343 pages
- Year Written: 2020
- Emotional Impact: Powerful and evocative, challenging notions of race and identity.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A gripping examination of race, family, and identity that spans generations.
5. Such a Fun Age
- Author: Kiley Reid
- About: This contemporary novel looks at race, privilege, and the complexities of being a Black woman in a white family’s employ.
- Style of Writing: Witty, sharp, and contemporary.
- Length: 320 pages
- Year Written: 2019
- Emotional Impact: Thought-provoking with moments of humor but also deep discomfort.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: It provides a fresh take on race, class, and privilege with humor and insight.
6. The Night Tiger
- Author: Yangsze Choo
- About: A historical novel set in 1930s Malaysia, blending mystery and supernatural elements as it explores the intersection of culture and identity.
- Style of Writing: Magical realism with a rich, atmospheric tone.
- Length: 432 pages
- Year Written: 2019
- Emotional Impact: Fascinating and haunting, with strong emotional undercurrents tied to culture and folklore.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A unique blend of mystery and historical fiction, filled with rich cultural context.
7. White Teeth
- Author: Zadie Smith
- About: A multi-generational story that explores race, immigration, and identity in London.
- Style of Writing: Satirical, detailed, and intricately layered.
- Length: 464 pages
- Year Written: 2000
- Emotional Impact: Deeply thought-provoking, with a mix of humor and poignancy.
- Difficulty Level: High
- Why Read It: A sharp exploration of multiculturalism and identity in the modern world.
8. Homegoing
- Author: Yaa Gyasi
- About: Spanning three hundred years and multiple generations, this novel traces the legacy of slavery through two half-sisters in Ghana and their descendants.
- Style of Writing: Richly detailed and expansive.
- Length: 320 pages
- Year Written: 2016
- Emotional Impact: Powerful and deeply moving, with a heavy emotional weight.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A breathtaking, multi-generational epic that explores the impact of slavery across centuries.
9. The Sympathizer
- Author: Viet Thanh Nguyen
- About: A Vietnamese-American spy navigates between the worlds of communism and the American dream during and after the Vietnam War.
- Style of Writing: Darkly comic, satirical, and deeply reflective.
- Length: 384 pages
- Year Written: 2015
- Emotional Impact: Profound and often unsettling, leaving readers to think critically about history, identity, and conflict.
- Difficulty Level: High
- Why Read It: A gripping and unique take on the Vietnamese-American experience, filled with political and cultural insights.
10. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
- Author: Ocean Vuong
- About: A letter from a son to his mother, this novel explores themes of love, trauma, and identity, against the backdrop of the Vietnamese-American experience.
- Style of Writing: Poetic, lyrical, and deeply emotional.
- Length: 256 pages
- Year Written: 2019
- Emotional Impact: Intense and heart-wrenching, with lyrical beauty.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A beautifully written exploration of family, identity, and the immigrant experience.
11. The Incendiaries
- Author: R.O. Kwon
- About: A novel about the destructive impact of love, religion, and radical ideology on a young woman and her relationships.
- Style of Writing: Introspective, spare, and sharp.
- Length: 224 pages
- Year Written: 2018
- Emotional Impact: Deeply unsettling, with a poignant emotional journey.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A haunting and intimate exploration of belief, betrayal, and the impact of extremism.
12. Pride
- Author: Ibi Zoboi
- About: A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in a gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, dealing with race, class, and family.
- Style of Writing: Fresh, contemporary, and engaging.
- Length: 368 pages
- Year Written: 2018
- Emotional Impact: Light-hearted yet thought-provoking, with strong themes of self-discovery and social justice.
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Why Read It: A relevant, updated take on a classic novel, focusing on race and class in a modern setting.
13. The Kiss Quotient
- Author: Helen Hoang
- About: A romantic comedy about a woman with Asperger’s who hires an escort to help her with her social and romantic life.
- Style of Writing: Warm, funny, and heartwarming.
- Length: 336 pages
- Year Written: 2018
- Emotional Impact: Fun and uplifting, with a focus on self-acceptance and love.
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Why Read It: A delightful romance that challenges societal expectations and explores neurodiversity.
14. No One Is Talking About This
- Author: Patricia Lockwood
- About: A novel that explores the effects of internet culture on a woman’s life, combining the personal and the digital.
- Style of Writing: Fragmented, experimental, and witty.
- Length: 288 pages
- Year Written: 2021
- Emotional Impact: Engaging and thought-provoking, especially for readers familiar with online culture.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A smart and satirical take on how modern life and social media intersect with personal identity.
15. An American Marriage
- Author: Tayari Jones
- About: A deeply emotional novel about the impact of wrongful imprisonment on a young couple’s marriage and life.
- Style of Writing: Poignant, accessible, and powerful.
- Length: 320 pages
- Year Written: 2018
- Emotional Impact: Profoundly emotional, challenging ideas of justice, love, and race.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A compelling and heartbreaking exploration of love, justice, and race in America.
16. Leave the World Behind
- Author: Rumaan Alam
- About: A suspenseful novel about a family vacation interrupted by a mysterious catastrophe and the arrival of strangers.
- Style of Writing: Atmospheric, suspenseful, and tense.
- Length: 288 pages
- Year Written: 2020
- Emotional Impact: A chilling and thought-provoking meditation on societal collapse and human nature.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A haunting and timely exploration of race, privilege, and crisis in a modern context.
17. The Good Immigrant
- Author: Edited by Nikesh Shukla
- About: A collection of essays by writers reflecting on what it means to be a person of color in modern Britain.
- Style of Writing: Diverse and insightful, with each essay offering a unique perspective.
- Length: 336 pages
- Year Written: 2016
- Emotional Impact: Thought-provoking and powerful, with each essay highlighting different facets of the immigrant experience.
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Why Read It: A vital and timely collection that explores the immigrant experience from multiple viewpoints.
18. The Buddha in the Attic
- Author: Julie Otsuka
- About: The story of Japanese “picture brides” who came to America in the early 20th century, exploring their experiences and struggles.
- Style of Writing: Poetic, brief, and intimate.
- Length: 144 pages
- Year Written: 2011
- Emotional Impact: Quietly haunting and deeply moving.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A beautifully crafted exploration of immigration, identity, and sacrifice.
19. A Little Life
- Author: Hanya Yanagihara
- About: A complex and emotional story about four friends, focusing particularly on one man’s painful past and the relationships that sustain him.
- Style of Writing: Intense, emotional, and occasionally graphic.
- Length: 720 pages
- Year Written: 2015
- Emotional Impact: Deeply emotional, with themes of trauma, friendship, and survival.
- Difficulty Level: High
- Why Read It: A haunting, complex novel about friendship and survival that lingers long after reading.
20. Our Lady of the Nile
- Author: Scholastique Mukasonga
- About: A story set in a convent school in Rwanda in the years leading up to the genocide, examining the lives of the students and teachers.
- Style of Writing: Poetic, subtle, and evocative.
- Length: 304 pages
- Year Written: 2006
- Emotional Impact: Quietly devastating, with an exploration of ethnic tensions and colonialism.
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Why Read It: A poignant and reflective look at colonialism, ethnicity, and identity in Rwanda just before the genocide.
Conclusion
If you're looking for books that tackle themes of cultural appropriation, race, and identity, I think The Other Black Girl, The Leavers, and American Dirt are excellent choices. Each of these novels dives into the complexities of navigating different cultural worlds, dealing with representation, and facing the impact of appropriation. Whether it’s through the dynamics of a workplace, an immigrant’s journey, or societal pressures, I believe these books offer compelling stories that will make you think, empathize, and reflect on how we all connect with the narratives we share.
