R. F. Kuang upcoming Taipei Story sees pre-orders cancelled amid backlash over Israeli character

R. F. Kuang faces backlash after Taipei Story excerpt reveals Israeli character, prompting boycott calls

Author R F Kuang is facing criticism after an excerpt from her upcoming novel Taipei Story revealed the inclusion of an Israeli character, prompting online backlash and calls from some readers to boycott the book ahead of its September release.

The excerpt, which circulated on social media, features a brief scene involving an unnamed Israeli pianist described as “a dour-faced man who did not so much as crack a smile as we applauded.”

Despite the limited detail, the character’s nationality has become the focus of debate among readers.

Some social media users criticised the inclusion, with one widely shared post stating, “RF kuang had 190+ countries to choose from to write about a character’s nationality, and she still chose to write about the one who’s actively committing genocide against Palestinians for years.”

Other readers said they had cancelled preorders following the leak, while discussions also spread across platforms, including Threads.

Kuang, known for works such as Yellowface and The Poppy War trilogy, has not publicly responded to the criticism. Comments have been disabled on her recent Instagram posts, though readers continue to raise questions on earlier content.

The reaction reflects a broader trend within publishing, where references to Israel or Israeli characters have led to calls for boycotts or edits.

Previous examples include changes to references in other novels and online campaigns targeting authors based on perceived political positions.

Some readers have defended the author or questioned the intensity of the response. One Threads user wrote, “The people cancelling a preorder over [a] single mention of an Israeli pianist being booked at a concert hall in R.F. Kuang’s new book lack so much f–king nuance. There’s literally no mention of Zionism, yet y’all can’t seem to differentiate.”

Taipei Story centres on a Chinese-American woman attending a summer language programme in Taiwan. The debate surrounding the excerpt continues as readers await the novel’s full release.