Elaine Hsieh Chou

A Novel

Disorientation

armoni mayes

This was amazing, i have no notes. 

Ingrid Yang, a Taiwanese American PhD student in her 9th year, seeks to escape academia by deciphering a mysterious note in the archives of poet Xiao-Wen Chou. Her pursuit leads to unexpected chaos, challenging her views on race, relationships, and herself. With her friend Eunice Kim and rival Vivian Vo, Ingrid navigates a whirlwind of mishaps, protests, and personal revelations. As her world unravels, she questions her engagement to Stephen Greene and confronts her role in perpetuating societal norms. 

It’s astonishing that this a debut novel. Chou explores themes of identity, cultural assimilation, and the immigrant experience. It delves into the complexities of navigating between different cultural worlds and the disorienting effects of trying to fit into societal expectations while grappling with one's own sense of self. The novel also touches on themes of privilege, power dynamics, and the struggle to assert one's own voice and agency in the face of societal pressures. It’s also an extremely funny, refreshing, fast-paced read that I would recommend to almost anyone.

Disorientation A Novel

Reviews