Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

28 reviews

joensign's review

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting

juliaureads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

 Truly, how did it take me so long to read this? It has all my favorite things, including an unhinged MC bent on her own destruction. Ironies that are so frustrating all you can do is laugh and a satisfying resolution. CW: micro and macro-aggressions 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Addiction, Bullying, and Colonisation

shesreadingagain_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism

chaoticenby's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Absolutely captivating, wild and unexpected, highly relatable as an Asian American. The plot takes you on such a ride and I loved every moment, with so mean reveals and twists in the mystery my heart racing and pages turning. The cast of Asian American characters capture a full experience of life, that had me recalling my own experiences growing up, my relationship to white institutions, and varying relationships with community.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Xenophobia, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Drug abuse and Sexism

carojust's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This was a fun satirical read about the absurd world of academia, and an absolutely scathing look at racism, sexism, and finding identity as a first-generation Asian woman in America. 

Ingrid is a Taiwanese-American grad student at a Harvard-like university, struggling to finish her dissertation on the works of Chinese-American poet Xiao-Wen Chou. She relies on an addiction to allergy meds to get through her anxiety and procrastination, and feels strongly this isn't the work she should be doing. Right away, we are introduced to scenes of her taking a backseat to white men, including her own fiancé, on topics about her own culture. The plot continues in a feverish nightmare, as Ingrid is shaken by the truth of her work, and realization of the incredibly racist world she's tried to function in. 

Admittedly, I couldn't get into Elaine Hsieh Chou's writing style, but appreciated her funny storytelling, and extremely unlikeable characters. The author unlocked a lot of my own trauma, with anecdotes about trying to fit in with white friends, being ashamed of our own culture, the incessant need to question if someone is interested in us because they have a fetish. A lot of these themes are told in a continuous loop that could've been edited down, but I totally get the need to expand on topics that aren't represented enough. After reading R. F. Kuang's "Yellowface," with a white character faking Asian identity and struggling to find fault with what she's doing, "Disorientation"

similarly plays out this plot, but with an Asian protagonist's churning shock and disenchantment witnessing what's happening

; I'd highly recommend reading both in succession, for these two perspectives.

Give this a read if you're interested in Asian American themes, funny stories on grad school life, and whimsical sleuth-style storytelling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Deportation

hmih's review

adventurous mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Colonisation

Moderate: Cancer, Hate crime, Sexual content, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Police brutality

ottotto's review against another edition

dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

oh god, i loved this book. it's been a really long time since i've seen myself so clearly in a book. it was retelling me experiences i didn't know anyone else had. i'm so glad i read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Violence

Moderate: Racism and Sexism

kathshiroma's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Bullying, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

Minor: Body shaming, Outing, Colonisation, and Deportation

madeleinebay's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, and Gaslighting

frankieclc's review against another edition

4.0

There were descriptions in this book where it made me shiver because it felt too real, "I know that character, I've met them" kinda vibes. 

Went a lil off the rail in places and that's the only reason it wasn't a 5, the conversations made were incredible 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Fatphobia