Reviews with content warning for Racism - Disorientation

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

138 reviews

lilradridinghood's review against another edition

The beginning really pulled me in with the narrative voice and the relatable frustration of writer's block, but I quickly lost interest when Ingrid started talking about her relationships and her actual life. Her fiance is annoying. She and her friend are so unnecessarily resentful toward the other Asian woman they know. I started getting annoyed with how much Ingrid really refuses to write.

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okaychanly's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

I read this because I had just finished Yellowface by R.F. Kuang and was looking for something in a similar vein. Both explore themes of identity, cultural expectations, and the complexities of navigating one's place within broader societal and academic contexts through the use of satire. However, with Disorientation I struggled to finish this book. It's entirely too long. The satire itself was annoying sometimes and the chaotic nature that developed within subplots lost me. On top of that, Ingrid Yang was an infuriating protagonist. It has some perks, esp. in regards to humor, but overall, it was just a tough one to get through.

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elizabeth_lepore's review against another edition

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funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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stellahadz's review against another edition

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funny medium-paced

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

4.75

This book is an absolute delight. It's equal parts hilarious, thought-provoking, and just generally buckwild. The title and cover are both great, the prose is clever and funny, and the story itself tackles timely issues in an interesting way. It's like Yellowface meets The Stepford Wives meets every horror story you've ever heard from anyone who works in academia. Absolutely recommend.

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