When Athena Liu dies in front of her, June Hayward is obviously devastated over her friend's death but doesn't tell anyone that right before she choked to death, June read the first few pages of Athena's manuscript - a story no-one else in the world has read or even knows about. Now June has Athena's novel with her, and with a few changes, she passes it on her own and becomes an instant bestseller - but then the critics come in, those that wonder about the similarities between 'Juniper Song's' book and previous work from Athena as well as the rightful critics of a white woman writing about Chinese history.

This was very readable, and I don't know if enjoyable is the right word because there were times I felt deeply uncomfortable with June's behaviour and some of the things she said, as well as highly embarrassed or anxious about everything was going to turn out. But I think if you didn't feel these things (especially as a white woman) you probably weren't getting the message of the book even though it's very clear.

As someone who has been reading books her entire life, and active in the book reviewing community for ten years, I did enjoy seeing the parts of the publishing industry that you don't get unless you work in the industry or you're an author.

June Hayward is not a likable character, and she's also quite an unreliable one and it does make the story quite fun as we really hope she does get caught out yet seemingly again and again, she gets away with it - and uses her white woman tears to full advantage. I also appreciated how RF Kuang explored how no matter what you do, or what you write (though let's be clear here, what June did was VERY wrong), you aren't going to please everyone and there will always be someone who will have a criticism somewhere as we see when some of the Athena haters come out even within the Asian-American community.

This is actually the first RG Kuang book I've read though her fantasy books have been on my TBR for ages and this is the final push I need to finally give them a go as the writing in this was sharp, entertaining and really compelling.