Fetishized

“Thoughtful… . [Fetishized is] a tough read, but ultimately, it’s a redemptive narrative. Yu, a skillful writer, doesn’t give a pass to the pop culture that shaped her, but she also shows compassion towards her younger self for the exploitation and discomfort she experienced while trying to find an authentic path forward.”—Shondaland“Yu’s memoir is a true examination of the systemic factors that have shaped—and are still shaping—the exotification and fetishization of Asian women in the U.S. today.”— NPR“Candid and intimate … [A] voicey memoir-in essays… . Yu’s debut fuses critique, historical examination and feminist contemplation with an unsparing account of her personal journey. This is an unstinting and necessary read, a memoir that sits as a natural companion to Cathy Park Hong’s Minor Feelings… . [Yu] holds up a mirror not only to herself, but to the West, its past and present. And what a jaundiced reflection it is.”—The New York Times“Kaila Yu’s debut is a hard-hitting memoir-in essays focused on the fetishization of Asian women… . She candidly digs into how she sexualized herself to conform to social conditioning and unrealistic Western beauty standards.”—Ms. Magazine“A mirror to the world that packs a punch. Yu reflects with such unflinching candor about glamour, culture, and fetishism it feels like you’re out for coffee with her. She moves through the personal and the global lens with such ease. This book was truly eye-opening.”— Debutiful “[I]ntentionally unflinching …Yu grapples thoughtfully with questions of representation—both the lack of it that shaped her youth and her own role in creating it.”—Mochi Magazine“Five stars! This is truly an amazing read. Kaila’s challenging perspective and her truth is an eye-opening experience on each page that keeps you glued and wanting to read more. People from all walks of life can learn something impactful from her story.”—Kiki Wong, guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins“For too long, Asian women have been objectified, reduced to exotic fantasies rather than seen as complex individuals with their own stories, struggles, and strength. Fetishized is an honest, raw, and beautiful memoir about attempting to find Westernized acceptance and, eventually, discovering true beauty within.”—Aiko Tanaka, comedian and actress, Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift“Yu is fearless and unflinchingly self-aware. In this courageous memoir, Yu has become the role model her younger self was looking for.”—Bianca Mabute-Louie, author of Unassimilable: An Asian Diasporic Manifesto for the 21st Century“[Fetishized] is a raw memoir, and Yu expertly balances visceral, emotional scenes from her life with trenchant social criticism. A disturbing but well-told memoir about the true costs of Asian fetishization.”—Kirkus Reviews“A searing memoir … What sets Yu’s musings apart, in addition to their ferocity, is the author’s willingness to acknowledge her complicity in her own fetishization… . It’s an immense pleasure to read Yu as she does that unraveling with a ruthless gaze and a razor-sharp pen. This leaves a mark.”—Publishers Weekly

Kaila Yu is a freelance writer for the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, the New York Times, Business Insider, Conde Nast Traveler and more. Formerly, she was a model and the lead singer for the all-Asian American female rock band Nylon Pink. Fetishized is her first book. You can find Kaila online @kailayu.

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