"Disorientation," by Elaine Hsieh Chou

I enjoyed Elaine Hsieh Chou’s novel “Disorientation” (Penguin, 2022) on several levels. It is a very perceptive satirical campus novel, which I always enjoy, being an academic myself. It is about ethnic and gender identities in the United States, specifically what it is like to be a Chinese American woman. And it is a literary mystery, which itself brings up issues of identity and authenticity. It is also funny, although occasionally the humor seems a little exaggerated. The main character, Ingrid Yang, is studying for her PhD, a process that has been dragged out by issues of rather manipulative advisors, as well as by her own boredom with the topic that she feels she was pushed into. She is studying a famous Chinese American poet who taught at Ingrid’s university; during the course of her research, she finds clues that not all is what it seems with that poet and his identity and history. Ingrid soon finds that some other people she knows at the university are not as they seem either. She finds herself in some daring and unorthodox situations as she tries to solve the mystery. Meanwhile she is having some doubts about her supposedly ideal fiancé, a white man who seems a little too proud of himself and his "open-mindedness" for having a Chinese American fiancee. These several elements of the novel are adeptly woven together, and readers are definitely entertained along the way. They also learn quite a bit about ethnic stereotyping, microagressions, and other issues arising out of ignorance but also out of racism and sexism. The author deserves much credit for her vivid portrayals of these issues.