The novel uses the narrative structure of the screenplay format to tell the tale of Willis Wu, the "Generic Asian Man" who is stuck playing "Background Oriental Male" and occasionally "Delivery Guy" in the fictional police procedural Black and White. He longs to be "Kung Fu Guy" on screens worldwide.[11]
Background
Interior Chinatown was published in hardcover, e-book and audiobook format by Pantheon Books on January 28, 2020.[3] The audiobook was narrated by actor Joel de la Fuente.[1]
Kirkus Reviews called the novel an "acid indictment of Asian stereotypes and a parable for outcasts feeling invisible in this fast-moving world".[16]Carolyn Kellogg of The Washington Post praised Yu's screenplay format as "the perfect delivery system for the satire of Interior Chinatown".[11] Anita Felicelli of the San Francisco Chronicle called the novel's format "groundbreaking" and wrote that Yu "solders together mordant wit and melancholic whimsy to produce a moving exploration of race and assimilation".[17] Pete Hsu of the Los Angeles Review of Books praised the accessibility of the novel's allegory and its commentary on the human condition, as well as the "meticulously crafted" details of the novel which "render a universe that feels complete to the touch".[18] Josh Denslow of the Washington Independent Review of Books wrote that the story is "told with humor and affection and a deep understanding of human nature".[19]
Jaclyn Fulwood of Shelf Awareness wrote, "Yu's format-bending, deeply felt examination of the American dream is an exercise in encouraged empathy."[20] Ken Smith of the Asian Review of Books wrote, "Though much of his protagonist's insecurities are narrowly focused—not just Asian, but specifically Asian American—his accumulation of concerns becomes surprisingly and relatably inclusive."[21]
In October 2020, Hulu announced that they would be adapting the novel into a TV series.[29] In 2022, details emerged that Taika Waititi would be an executive producer, Jimmy O. Yang would starring as Willis Wu, and that Charles Yu would be the showrunner.[30] The ten-episode series premiered on Hulu on November 19, 2024.[10]
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