ziyah reads and writes!

5/5 stars 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

“Is this fucking play about us?” (Euphoria Season 2 Episode 8)

That’s the question everyone is asking after reading this razor sharp, completely exposing novel about rivalry, race, DEI, social media, the toxic publishing industry and most of all ourselves and where we fit in the “great game”.

This is a story from the perspective of the most insufferable person you’ve ever met, Juniper Song – actually June Hayward, who steals the manuscript of her dead acquaintance Athena Liu. In playing up the role, she changes her name, researches Chinese history, and publishes the book as her own, gaining all the fame and misfortunes that come with keeping up with a lie.

This piece of literature bends genres, with it being a dark comedy, contemporary fiction as well as horror, with a sprinkle of paranormal activity. It was fascinating and groundbreaking. Each chapter leaving you wanting more and good at explaining all the bullshit that comes with writing and the industry that can take away from the magic of creativity.

To be quite honest, nothing I’ve read or have been reading has inspired me to write a review or write at all. Especially in this current political climate, being afraid of how you will be perceived has been and always will be a huge barrier to overcome when taking the leap of faith which is slicing yourself open for everyone to see. And that’s exactly what R.F. Kuang did.

The way RF Kuang writes this novel feels like one of the most personal we’ve ever been with her. With her deepest fears and the criticisms launched against her. It felt raw, it felt real, it felt personal like she was right there turning the pages with you. I know a lot of people have commented that they didn’t like it, that it felt too close to a memoir and it just sounds like her all over the page and the characters are inseparable from the author. I KNOW, I kind of feel like that’s the point. It’s her, and it’s beautiful. It encapsulates writing as a process, which is intimate and solitary and lonely. 

The plot twist at the end actually got me, and I was hooked. I really think everyone should read it but especially if you are into social media content creation, in publishing, research, education etc. should especially read it since its about us, and our role in this capitalistic machine which capitalizes off of suffering and creates mundane experiences which are supposed to be fulfilling and exciting. 

The character breaks the fourth wall and I love that!

Also this audiobook is amazing and I highly recommend listening to it while reading! 

Anyways Go READ IT!

FAN CAST TIME!!!!

Fan Cast Below: (semi-spoiler alert!)

(Yea I know in the book they already talk about a fan cast and I don’t give a f*** I’m still going to make my own)

I’m weary about this ever being made into a movie because I’m scared the wrong audience can misinterpret this into an alt-right rallying cry against DEI and actually misconstrue the entire thing. And forget that this is a warning about how the industry sews these divisions and the point isn’t to hate DEI but hate this system that is causing people to have to be fighting for a spot in the first place, pitting people against each other, and that if we didn’t have DEI we might’ve not gotten POC writers or stories like this AT ALL. And how a majority of book publishing is VERY WHITE till this day and that any fear of POC TAKEOVER is full of bullshit.

Anyways on to the fun!

• June Hayward/Juniper Song Hayward – Victoria Pedretti or Emma Mackey
  • (Main Character and Protagonist (Although she’s actually the antagonist when you think about it)
  • If we are looking for a younger cast then we can go with Emma Mackey, but if we want slightly older we can do Victoria Pedretti
  • Victoria Pedretti (on the left) can pull off that off-putting look really well which fits with the tone of the book. (Previous work: You, The Haunting of Hill House)
  • Emma Mackey (on the right) also has these large eyes that capture the audience, and she also plays a writer well (Previous work: Sex Education, Barbie etc.,)
  • I know RF Kuang said Sydney Sweeny in an interview and (idc)
    • I also thought of Miranda Cosgrove as a good alternative because people always say that they thought she was Asian but she’s actually white, but then I thought it might be too on the nose.

• Athena Liu – Gemma Chan or Ashley Liao
  • Main Character looming in the background
  • If we are continuing with the younger cast and with Emma Mackey, then I think Ashley Liao is perfect, but if we want a more experienced actress then Gemma Chan is great!
  • Gemma Chan (on the right) is a Chinese British actress who has worked in many films and has prioritized Asian representation writ large (Previous work: Crazy Rich Asians, Eternals, etc.,)
  • Ashley Liao (on the left) is up and coming but she has a very captivating look that anyone would be jealous of. She’s also Chinese American and fits the age range to match Emma Mackey (Previous work: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Love in Taipei, Fuller House etc.,).

• Candace Lee – Arden Cho
  • Past editor who is dumped by Eden Publishing and final author of Yellowface
  • She fits perfectly, she’s Korean American and was a complete badass in Teen Wolf. (Previous work: Teen Wolf, Partner Track, Chicago Med, etc.)

• Patricia Liu – Michelle Yeoh or Sandra Oh
  • Patricia Liu is Athena Liu’s mother
  • Michelle Yeoh is perfect! (on the right)
  • Sandra Oh (on the left) gives me mom vibes, more so than Michelle, but she’s not Chinese so Michelle Yeoh is better for accuracy. (they are both to young to play Gemma Chan’s mom but its not my fault Gemma Chan looks great for her age)
  • Michelle Yeoh (Previous works: Everything Everywhere All At Once, Wicked, Crazy Rich Asians)
  • Sandra Oh (Previous works: Grey’s Anatomy, Killing Eve, Umma, etc.)

• Geoff/ Geoffrey Carlino – Ian Harding or Logan Lerman
  • Handsome ex-boyfriend of Athena Liu who becomes an antagonist for the second act of the book, but then becomes a friend to our main character (it is revealed that he is a weird fetishizer, and looks a bit rough at first meeting)
  • Ian Harding (on the left) has that writer look as well as being handsome with dark hair (Previous work: Pretty Little Liars, Our Little Secret, Ford v Ferrari)
  • Logan Lerman (on the right) has a similar look and is a bit younger for our younger Athena actress (Previous work: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, etc.)

• Lily Wu – Lola Tung
  • Sophomore at MIT who asks Juniper Song for help through the Asian American Writers group
  • She’s perfect no notes! (Previous work: The Summer I Turned Pretty) It would be the funniest easter egg to have her here.

• Aurora Whisper “Rory” Hayward – Jennifer Lawrence or Margot Robbie
  • Older sister of June Hayward
  • If we pick Emma Mackey, Margot Robbie would be perfect since they look so much alike
  • If we choose Victoria Pedretti, I think picking Jennifer Lawrence would be a nice comedic relief which would be needed with Victoria’s acting.
  • Margot Robbie (right) Previous works: Barbie, The Wolf of Wall Street, Birds of Prey etc.
  • Jennifer Lawrence (left) Previous works : Hunger Games, Passengers, etc.

• Just to re-emphasize how much Emma Mackey and Margot Robbie look alike I’ll place a side by side below:

• Tom – Adam Driver
  • Tom is the brother in law of June Hayward/ the Husband of Rory Hayward, he’s also an IT and helps June catch who one of the antagonists are in the story
  • Adam Driver is perfect I will not be taking any suggestions on this. (Previous work: Marriage Story, House of Gucci, Star Wars : The Force Awakens, BlackKKKlansman)
  • The girls who get it get it….

• Ms. Hayward – Sarah Jessica Parker or Michelle Pfeiffer
  • The mother of both Rory and June Hayward
  • If we pick Emma Mackey and Margot Robbie as the sisters, Michelle Pfeiffer would be perfect as their mother like HELLOOO they look perfect!
  • If we pick Jennifer and Victoria then I would pick Sarah Jessica Parker, idk something about her reminds me of Jennifer Lawrence (we’ll say Victoria takes after her father)
  • Sarah Jessica Parker on the left (Previous work: Sex and the City, Hocus Pocus, Footloose, The Family Stone etc.)
  • Michelle Pfeiffer on the right (Previous work: What Lies Beneath, Scarface, Dangerous Minds etc.)

• Daniella Woodhouse – Kathryn Hahn
  • High Ranking editor at Eden Publishing
  • Nice at first but kind of cut throat towards the end..
  • She’s perfect no notes, she has the look (previous work: WandaVision, Agatha All Along, Bad Moms etc.,)

That’s all for the fan cast!

Now here are my general thoughts (Spoilers below… duh)>>>>

• Does Rebecca Kuang need to pay money for all these references she’s dropping? 
• Oh my god, this feels like I’m watching an EXTRA EXTRA clip and it’s set right in the center of the storm. BDS, BLM, Tom Holland, Dunkirk, I can’t keep track.

• This makes me want to go back and watch every interview she’s ever given on this book!
  • For example: (this is a really good one which explains everything you need to know)

• OOOOOHHH I see a reference to Babel, hehehehehe “An act of translation is an act of betrayal” p. 130
• “OOOOOOHHH I found another one (reference to Katabasis) “The ghost propels me to the underworld” p. 289

• For all the one-star reviews that say “all of RF Kuang’s white characters are one-dimensional villains” this book actually isn’t one dimensional and has a lot of reasonings for why she acts that way. Also all the shitty things this woman has said in this book I’ve ACTUALLY heard a person say! That’s the crazy part, for people saying that its unrealistic, you’re actually wrong. 

• Why are so many writers so f***ing mean? This is a true ass stereotype I’m sorry, every writing class I’ve been too there’s always a mean ass professor or TA even if all your fellow students are cool asf. Is it because they want to be writers and NOT teachers, if so don’t take it out on the kids????

• I bet there are hundreds of people who don’t want to be plumbers. That doesn’t mean they go around breaking toilets all day.

• At first I was asking the question, “Why is June so against having a cultural reader especially when she knows this can save her a lot of headache in the future since its HER reputation is on the line?” And now I get it, its plain old white superiority complex, it’s that, what does some rando know about me and my work, even if the work is about something I’ve never experienced or lived through.
• Is Heidi Steel supposed to be Danielle Steele hehehe

• I love the concept of a cultural reader and I think it should be mandatory if you’re writing anything other than a memoir. Yes, even members of the same community can accidentally say or write something that can come off as offensive or internalized racism or misogyny. Nipping it in the bud is better than publishing it and offending millions.
• Also, I’m surprised Athena’s mother didn’t just read it and catch June herself, I was expecting it to be the mother all along. 
• Also this industry is so fucked up! The way they treat people is so fucking brutal that only the most cutthroat people can survive which creates racist, monsters like June and drive people to insanity trying to keep up. They are just writing stories, it shouldn’t be like this, it shouldn’t be this hard, this competitive or this stressful.
• Also, her writing is so straightforward and clear, it makes it so simple to read but also so realistic
• All the characters in this book are full of flaws, and that’s what makes this story so realistic

Come Back Next Week for a New Review!

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