Why R.F. Kuang won't stay in the world of Yellowface

Is there any genre RF Kuang can't master? Her work continually surprises readers and for her latest novel, Taipei Story, she explains why she's shifted gears to tell a quiet story infused with subtle humour.
Taipei Story (harpercollins.com/pages/taipei-story) follows a Chinese American student trying to connect with her heritage while uncovering some confronting family secrets. The novel's origins lie in RF Kuang (rfkuang.com)'s own experience of attending an intensive Mandarin course in Taiwan when her grandfather died. As she describes to Claire Nichols, as well as mourning his loss, his death was a profound blow to her search for a meaningful connection with her Chinese heritage and she struggled to find the right language to express her feelings. And she wondered, how much harder it would be for a younger person from the diaspora seeking a link to their heritage?
Listen to Claire's interview with RF Kuang about Katabasis (abc.net.au/listen/programs/the-book-show/rf-ku…) and Yellowface (abc.net.au/listen/programs/the-book-show/rf-ku…).
Love Agatha Christie mysteries? Dive into The Book Show's new series The Agatha Christie Murder Club (abc.net.au/listen/programs/the-book-show/the-a…) as we solve mysteries about Christie, her books and legacy. Each week you'll have a chance to solve a cryptic puzzle devised by puzzle master, David Astle.
Relive your favourite moments (abc.net.au/listen/radionational/countdown/top1…) of the Top 100 Books countdown. Download a printable Top 100 Australian Books 1-100 ranked (abc.net.au/xmlpublic/documents/Top-100-Austral…) and also, the list from 101-200 (abc.net.au/xmlpublic/documents/top100_ranks_10…).