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Disorientation
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
25 posts | 23 read | 23 to read
A Taiwanese American woman's coming-of-consciousness ignites eye-opening revelations and chaos on a college campus in this outrageously hilarious and startlingly tender debut novel "Disorientation is a multivalent pleasure, a deeply original debut novel that reinvents the campus novel satire as an Asian American literary studies whodunnit, in which the murder victim might be your idea of yourself--no matter how you identify. I often held my breath until I laughed and I wouldn't dare compare it or Chou to anyone writing now. Wickedly funny and knowing, Chou's dagger wit is sure-eyed, intent on what feels like a decolonization of her protagonist, if not the reader, that just might set her free." --Alexander Chee, How to Write an Autobiographical Novel Twenty-nine-year-old PhD student Ingrid Yang is desperate to finish her dissertation on the late canonical poet Xiao-Wen Chou and never read about "Chinese-y" things again. But after four years of grueling research, she has nothing but anxiety and stomach pain to show for her efforts. When she accidentally stumbles upon a strange and curious note in the Chou archives, she convinces herself it's her ticket out of academic hell. But Ingrid's in much deeper than she thinks. Her clumsy exploits to unravel the note's message lead to an explosive discovery, one that upends her entire life and the lives of those around her. With her trusty friend Eunice Kim by her side and her rival Vivian Vo hot on her tail, together they set off a roller coaster of mishaps and misadventures, from campus protests and OTC drug hallucinations, to book burnings and a movement that stinks of "Yellow Peril" propaganda. In the aftermath, nothing looks quite the same to Ingrid--including her gentle and doting fianc, Stephen Greene. When he embarks on a book tour with the "super kawaii" Japanese author he's translated, doubts and insecurities creep in. At the same time, she finds herself drawn to the cool and aloof Alex Kim (even though she swears he's not her type). As the events Ingrid instigated keep spiraling, she'll have to confront her sticky relationship to white men and white institutions--and, most of all, herself. An uproarious and bighearted satire, alive with sharp edges, immense warmth, and a cast of unforgettable characters, Disorientation is a blistering send-up of white supremacy in academia and a profound reckoning of individual complicity and unspoken rage. In this electrifying debut novel from a provocative new voice, Chou asks who gets to tell our stories--and how the story changes when we finally tell it ourselves.
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Emilymdxn
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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For day two of the #hauntedshelf book cover scavenger hunt it‘s autumn/fall and that always says academia to me! Here‘s a campus novel I loved recently

#skeletoncrew

PuddleJumper 🩷🩷 1mo
30 likes1 comment
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Emilymdxn
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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An autumnal rec for #hauntedshelf - if autumnal says one thing to me it‘s academia and campus novels. This satire on race in the modern American university is a very very cool and hard hitting comedy by an awesome Taiwanese-American (I believe) writer

#skeletoncrew

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Emilymdxn
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

I really loved this satire on race in grad school and academic research. I think the balance of silly and serious was good and Ingrid was the right amount clueless, clever, relatable, sweet and frustrating. I will say I thought the plot carried on after the point where I‘d have wanted the book to end if I was an editor, but I loved the ending we got to in the end so I can‘t hold that against the book too much.

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Zuhkeeyah
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

I feel like I read a different book than all the other rave reviews. I still enjoyed it, but rarely did I find it funny. Maybe it was the cluelessness of the main character? The story implies she‘s really smart, while also emphasizing she‘s people illiterate. I like how her perspective of the world slowly expanded as she (finally) matures throughout the book though. This book is a good satirical take on the current social climate in the U.S.A..

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TalesandTexts
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

A commentary on racial relations in contemporary times, this book was humorous, entertaining, introspective and heartbreaking in turn.

At its core is the story of racial relations in a white-dominated country, where people of colour are colonised (not using earlier methods), but through the appropriation of their cultures.

Although this book focused on East Asians, I think it holds true of any BBIPOC community in a white-dominated nation.

batsy Loved the absurdist element of the story, because very often being subject to the various forms of racism definitely has an element of absurdity to it. 6mo
22 likes1 comment
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Honeybeebooks
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

Chou‘s work is at turns farcical and revelatory. Ingrid Yang at the behest of her advisor has spent years dutifully researching and writing her dissertation on a celebrated Chinese poet. No matter she has hated it. She stumbles on a clue that sends her on a mission to learn the truth about the poet and her own life. Thought provoking, but a little uneven…3+/5 ⭐️.

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batsy
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

I thought this was terrific. It's a weird book that has its flaws, but I think it's a lot more interesting on racism & yellowface than, well, Yellowface. I feel that the stakes are higher in that everyone is implicated in this narrative, & it showed through slapstick set-pieces how racism actually works through institutions & people. There were little clever bits that had me snorting (the whole Japanese autofiction thing!). Odd, fun, compelling.

sarahbarnes I remember really liking this one! I agree - I remember it really hit the mark in its commentary on racism and was a good page turner, too. 1y
batsy @sarahbarnes Happy to hear you liked it, too! I think it went a bit under the radar upon its release. 1y
squirrelbrain Oh, good to hear you liked it! I have it on Kindle - actually it was a #netgalley request that I never got round to reading. I may bump it up the list a bit now. 1y
batsy @squirrelbrain I hope you like it! It has mixed reviews and is maybe slightly longer than expected, but I liked what the author was doing. 1y
84 likes5 stack adds4 comments
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she.hearts.horror
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

This was WILD! 😃

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NovelNancyM
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Panpan

I thought about bailing on this book several times, but I rarely don't finish a book so decided to keep going. For me, it didn't get better, which might be more a reflection on me not enjoying satires than on the novel. It felt too long.

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Addison_Reads
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

#ToB23 Longlist

I'm not quite sure how to describe my experience with this book. The title is accurate because I felt disoriented, but that's not to say that I didn't like it.

At times the satire is spot on, but other moments felt lackluster. There's a lot to unpack in this one with issues of social justice, racism, sexism, and cross cultural exchanges. Overall though I'd say that I enjoyed my time with Ingrid Yang.

BarbaraBB That cover is so tempting! 2y
vivastory I hope that you are doing well & your holidays were peaceful & filled with reading time. 2y
Addison_Reads @vivastory Thank you for checking in. I hope that your holidays were also peaceful with plenty of reading time. Happy New Year! I can't wait to see what great reads you recommend in the upcoming year. 2y
54 likes3 comments
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rmaclean4
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Mehso-so

Satire is hard. This book makes some excellent points but was too long for me. 3 🌟

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Sydneypaige
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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One of my favorite satires I‘ve read in a few years. I love when you clearly know it‘s satire and you‘re not left wondering if the character just really doesn‘t get it. The PhD setting was interesting as it allowed the book to explore an intersection of systems. I do think the book could be slightly shorter, but overall, a really thought provoking book with a character who can be endearing even if she‘s the satire setting.

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canbku
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Mehso-so

This was hard to read. So much trauma in academia. Really insightful and informative. It was even funny. I just feel like it's too real!

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canbku
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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And a new audiobook for something fresh ..

53 likes4 stack adds
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BacklistB__ch
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

Graduate student burn out, crazy mystery, satire

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Ruthiella
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Mehso-so

Humor & satire are tricky things in novels. I appreciated the author‘s message and I did chuckle a couple of times, but overall it wasn‘t my thing. I found it too earnest generally. My preferred satire draws blood (Think The Trees by Percival Everett /The Sellout by Paul Beatty). Also, the main character was too unbelievably dense often only to propel the plot. I did like the side characters, however & I‘m glad she ended it realistically.

#20in4

squirrelbrain Great review! I have this one on #netgalley, after it was on the #camplitsy longlist. It‘s published in about a month in the UK and I‘m not convinced of my chances of getting to it before then….! 🤷‍♀️ 2y
vivastory I agree with you on preference of satire 2y
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain Thanks! I also read it because it was on the #CampLitsy longlist. I think you will like it. I think it‘s a “me” thing. 2y
See All 6 Comments
Ruthiella @vivastory Do you have any favorites you can suggest? 2y
Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 2y
batsy I like that statement about drawing blood! That's my idea of a good satire, too. 2y
49 likes6 comments
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BekaReid
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
Pickpick

Absolutely delightful writing! A satire of the Asian-American experience in academia that was nuanced, humorous, and encouraged thought and reflection on race, culture, privilege, power, etc.

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sarahbarnes
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this satire on race, racism and whiteness that was also a fabulous page turner. I don‘t always love satire, but this was subtle and smart and a definite pick.

Megabooks Agreed! 2y
29 likes1 comment
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BookNAround
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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“With the box in hand, Ingrid chose a desk by the exit, plucked a random book off the nearest shelf and pretended to read it, not realizing the book was in Braille.”

This book has little gems like this scene as the main character and her friend try to execute a heist which are making me chuckle.

Ruthiella 😂😂😂 3y
EvieBee Lol! 3y
48 likes2 comments
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BookNAround
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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A neighbor asked me to go over and love on his wrinkly kitties so they wouldn‘t get lonely while he‘s out of town. I think he‘s got at least two of us going to keep Ollie and Gus company. I bring my book and read with them.

Catsandbooks So cute! 3y
EvieBee So cute! 3y
LeahBergen Aww! ❤️❤️❤️ Look, @Soubhiville ! 3y
Soubhiville Aw, sweeties. You‘re a good neighbor! I bet they loved the snuggles.💜 (edited) 2y
79 likes4 comments
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Hooked_on_books
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

In this fantastic, sly debut, Ingrid Yang is in the 8th year of her PhD, struggling to get her dissertation written and is so disengaged from it. But then she learns something unknown about her topic, which could be explosive at her college if it comes out. This is a great look at how people are seen in and see the world and what‘s ok for some people but not others. It builds beautifully, and I can‘t believe this was her first book! I loved it.

Megabooks Great review! Sly is an excellent description for this! 3y
Hooked_on_books @Megabooks Thanks! I loved every word of this. I saw someone saying they thought it was boring. What?!? Not even a little bit! 3y
56 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Christine
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

Pretty great! Loved how it was both over-the-top in the satirical parts (ranging from hilarious to horrifying!) and cringeworthily real in so many other ways. And the grad school setting is one that I enjoy. Lots of well-written and insightful observations, including about how painful it can be to acknowledge and care about injustice and inequality - like when main character Ingrid says she sometimes longs for “the soothing balm of apathy.”

Megabooks Great review! 3y
Christine @Megabooks - Thanks! Yours too! :) I hope more people give this one a go! 3y
48 likes2 comments
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Megabooks
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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Pickpick

PhD student Ingrid Yang has spent years studying the great (fictional) Chinese-American poet Xiao-Wen Chou and has been promised a spot at her university if she can just finish her dissertation. But cracks begin to form in her life. She gets a clue that Chou may be alive and not who he seems. This makes her question other parts of her life like why there are so many white East Asian studies professors. A smart coming-of-consciousness satire.

87 likes1 stack add
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Skeebies05
Disorientation | Elaine Hsieh Chou
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I haven't heard too many people talking about this book. TBH I'm not sure how I first heard about it. But is really good. It's funny. I can maybe say more when it's over. I do not know where it is going.

Megabooks This is on my TBR 3y
12 likes1 comment