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bibliozord's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Sexual content and Stalking
alysereadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-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
4.0
This book was unique and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. It made me reflect on what it means to identify as an Asian person. Also found the exploration of academia and general disillusionment fun to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Xenophobia
archiveofrasa's review against another edition
funny
informative
reflective
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
4.75
this really came for academia's throat. for the JUGULAR. the twists also held me and shook my South Asian ass by the shoulders to not trust white men ever and I agree!
this was the first satirical work of fiction I had ever read and honestly? a good way to start. what made it super fucking hilarious was how accurate the shit they were saying was. Ingrid, Vivian, Eunice, Alex, even the ass white men. among that, Ingrid's development was so satisfying to read. she goes from this literal pick-me East Asian into what realistically many people of colour are in this day and age (not the exaggerated stereotype that the right love to make fun of, though you do get that with Vivian in a sort of love letter manner). I love reading flawed women in fiction and their shenanigans, it's what makes me fly by these things so quickly. the discussion of white men fetishising (East) Asians is 100% a conversation that needs to be had and this book handles it so so well.
I also loved how not only the antagonistic characters had flawed views.Alex points out how easily Eunice and Ingrid throw themselves at their white counterparts but is also super hypocritical in the same sense. very realistic and refreshing to see! it also just outwardly spoke about issues that a lot of us are too scared to bring up, so if you're white, I highly recommend reading this book to fully grasp what we mean by fetishistic racism.
I definitely agree the pace slowed down a bit in the middle but personally was okay with it! I think what maybe knocked this down a 0.25 was how heavy it was on the satirical aspects. the characters really had no room to breathe and neither did I (out of laughter? maybe) but I'm not sure how else you would've gone about it, so it doesn't affect me too much.
the detailed writing was my favourite too, how Chou built so much character in what Ingrid describes. definitely gonna reread this again to fully absorb the prose. third person definitely fits the narrative style of this story, I think if it was in first person, Ingrid would've annoyed me too much to continue reading. and the ending was incredibly gratifying, never felt myself cheer for Ingrid harder.
overall very much looking forward to what Chou writes next!!
this was the first satirical work of fiction I had ever read and honestly? a good way to start. what made it super fucking hilarious was how accurate the shit they were saying was. Ingrid, Vivian, Eunice, Alex, even the ass white men. among that, Ingrid's development was so satisfying to read. she goes from this literal pick-me East Asian into what realistically many people of colour are in this day and age (not the exaggerated stereotype that the right love to make fun of, though you do get that with Vivian in a sort of love letter manner). I love reading flawed women in fiction and their shenanigans, it's what makes me fly by these things so quickly. the discussion of white men fetishising (East) Asians is 100% a conversation that needs to be had and this book handles it so so well.
I also loved how not only the antagonistic characters had flawed views.
I definitely agree the pace slowed down a bit in the middle but personally was okay with it! I think what maybe knocked this down a 0.25 was how heavy it was on the satirical aspects. the characters really had no room to breathe and neither did I (out of laughter? maybe) but I'm not sure how else you would've gone about it, so it doesn't affect me too much.
the detailed writing was my favourite too, how Chou built so much character in what Ingrid describes. definitely gonna reread this again to fully absorb the prose. third person definitely fits the narrative style of this story, I think if it was in first person, Ingrid would've annoyed me too much to continue reading. and the ending was incredibly gratifying, never felt myself cheer for Ingrid harder.
overall very much looking forward to what Chou writes next!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, and Toxic relationship
k_aro's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
On the level of how articulately and beautifully this book manages to encapsulate so many disparate Asian-American experiences, it really deserves the biggest props.
Unfortunately, as an Asian-Canadian... I wish I could say this (that is to say, any of the bigotry) was shocking to me. It's really rewarding to watch Ingrid grow both not only as someone who can articulate her own desires but also come to terms with the oppressions she faces now and perpetuated when she was younger (and at points in the book!). I do have to say, the first... third? Is truly frustrating as someone who had to grow up and grow through these feelings myself.
I mean, half the time I feel like I'm staring at a mirror of myself. There really is something about how immigrant narratives are so often circular in nature.
However, the other thing that Disorientation should get props for is how it manages to express that every single person has at least one little piece of the puzzle, even if they're pretty horrible in other ways. Take, for example, Alex, who really does understand the fetishization of Asian women - but is also an MRA/appropriates Black culture. He only understands it through this very myopic lens (at first), but he really does get it. And, for how it sympathizes with Ingrid for her desire to close her eyes and just go along with it, because it is easier than anything else.
I have some... weird feelings about how Vivian Vo and the POC Caucus are talked about - I don't think Chou is always wrong about it, mind, I just think certain framings are a bit weird given the overall story's conclusion.
That said, it refuses to excuses both the institutions and the people who perpetuate them. For John (the true identity of the elusive poet Ingrid agonizes over), Ingrid is possibly (or possibly not!) tricked into sympathizing with him, but when it is revealed he really is a fucking scumbag (and he is!), Ingrid has no qualms in her irritation and hatred with him.
I also appreciate the perpetuation of the system, even if it isn't the "happy ending" I may have wanted. There's an article that for the life of me I cannot find, but it talks about how Babel (by R. F. Kuang) and Portrait of a Thief (by Grace D. Li) try and deconstruct academia, but still have their main characters assume academia as the inherent natural high point they work to, with Kuang and Li alike hailing from T10 schools. Even beyond not attending a T10, Ingrid's decision to move out of academia is interesting.
That said, I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. Everyone seems to consolidate their opinions - not a bad thing! - but it does come very quickly.
Unfortunately, as an Asian-Canadian... I wish I could say this (that is to say, any of the bigotry) was shocking to me. It's really rewarding to watch Ingrid grow both not only as someone who can articulate her own desires but also come to terms with the oppressions she faces now and perpetuated when she was younger (and at points in the book!). I do have to say, the first... third? Is truly frustrating as someone who had to grow up and grow through these feelings myself.
I mean, half the time I feel like I'm staring at a mirror of myself. There really is something about how immigrant narratives are so often circular in nature.
However, the other thing that Disorientation should get props for is how it manages to express that every single person has at least one little piece of the puzzle, even if they're pretty horrible in other ways. Take, for example, Alex, who really does understand the fetishization of Asian women - but is also an MRA/appropriates Black culture. He only understands it through this very myopic lens (at first), but he really does get it. And, for how it sympathizes with Ingrid for her desire to close her eyes and just go along with it, because it is easier than anything else.
I have some... weird feelings about how Vivian Vo and the POC Caucus are talked about - I don't think Chou is always wrong about it, mind, I just think certain framings are a bit weird given the overall story's conclusion.
I also appreciate the perpetuation of the system, even if it isn't the "happy ending" I may have wanted. There's an article that for the life of me I cannot find, but it talks about how Babel (by R. F. Kuang) and Portrait of a Thief (by Grace D. Li) try and deconstruct academia, but still have their main characters assume academia as the inherent natural high point they work to, with Kuang and Li alike hailing from T10 schools. Even beyond not attending a T10, Ingrid's decision to move out of academia is interesting.
That said, I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. Everyone seems to consolidate their opinions - not a bad thing! - but it does come very quickly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Homophobia, Infidelity, and Religious bigotry
luckyone's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Stalking, and Cultural appropriation
harperhoney's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Violence, Colonisation, Classism, and Deportation
Minor: Ableism, Cursing, Infidelity, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Alcohol
sydapel's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
3.75
Acerbically witty, satirical and insightful, this book made me think more than most books I've read this year about activism, academia and colonialism (which is easy when you read mostly romance but my point still stands). It's an absolutely stunning debut and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racism, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Hate crime, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content
rachaelwho's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Outing, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Deportation
jayisreading's review against another edition
challenging
funny
medium-paced
4.25
Disorientation has an inordinate amount of ridiculousness and ended up being quite the rollercoaster ride. This book unashamedly exudes satirical excess in the way it depicts academia (among other topics) and has a cast full of caricatures. For anyone who wants a gigantic hot mess in all its glory, Chou will satisfy that and then some. (As she aptly states, academics love scandals.) For there to be a hot mess, a lot has to happen, and oh boy, is there a lot happening. Maybe too much, but they were all so intertwined that I couldn’t imagine taking out any part of the plot.
Underlying all of this, Chou is scrutinizing power dynamics in public and private settings, using the protagonist, Ingrid, as a means to navigate these issues within her personal and professional life. Whether it’s her relationships with her fiancé, best friend, or her advisor, you start to see how white supremacy plays out implicitly and explicitly. Chou also addresses the importance of social activism—which is a catalyst for Ingrid and her journey to self-discovery—but doesn’t fail to address its oft-performative nature, especially in academic spaces.
Honestly, I think the reason why I found this to be such an enjoyable read is because I’m also a PhD student constantly butting heads with the array of problems brought up in Disorientation. I doubt I would have enjoyed it as much otherwise. I should also note that this book is definitely not meant for everyone, especially because it can be so obnoxious. Which, well, is in part because a lot of academics are notoriously obnoxious, haha. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending (just the way it was written, not the decisions made by Ingrid), but it didn’t significantly impact my overall enjoyment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Addiction