A review by arireadsitall
Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

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

4.0

Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou is a unique mix of hot mess, academia, and satire and I really liked it. Tbh it’s not something I would normally reach for but as someone that grabs books based on covers, this one caught my eye. 

Ingrid is a 29 year old Taiwanese American woman working on her PHD on a dissertation on the late poet Xiao-Wen Chou. Just when she thinks she’s lost inspiration she discovers a strange note in the archives of the poet and down the rabbit hole she goes. The journey this note takes her on is messy and unexpected but also eye opening for Ingrid. The writing read like a fever dream which makes sense since a majority of the time Ingrid was in an allergy medicine brain fog.

I appreciated that this book felt “smart” but that I didn’t feel dumb reading it. It made me think and it was eye opening social commentary of racism in the academic world. I also liked that the three female characters were all strong and could stand on their own unlike the men characters.


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