21 May 2026

Author Talk | RF Kuang: From Yellowface to Katabasis

The #1 New York Times bestselling writer RF Kuang (USA) joins us to discuss the imaginative worlds she creates in her blockbuster novels.

The viral Yellowface is a biting and propulsive satire of the publishing industry, while the cult hit Babel imagines a wildly counter-historical version of Oxford University. RF Kuang's latest book Katabasis brings together dark academia and fantasy and is destined to be a classic. 

Rachael King chats with this literary global sensation.

Presented in partnership with Auckland Writers Festival.

Find RF Kuang’s books at UBS – University Bookshop Canterbury.(external link)

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The viral Yellowface is a biting and propulsive satire of the publishing industry, while the cult hit Babel imagines a wildly counter-historical version of Oxford University. RF Kuang's latest book Katabasis brings together dark academia and fantasy and is destined to be a classic. 

Rachael King chats with this literary global sensation.

Presented in partnership with Auckland Writers Festival.

Find RF Kuang’s books at UBS – University Bookshop Canterbury.(external link)

Location
The Piano, 156 Armagh Street, Christchurch Central

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