Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

6 reviews

slimyfan's review

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really enjoyed reading this: a protagonist that makes you cringe as much as you root for her. No character is spared the ruthless blade of the Hsieh Chou's satire, which though sometimes a little on the nose, is funny enough to balance the mounting stress I felt as the mystery unfolded. It attempts to cover a huge range of themes, and doesn't in my opinion land on any particular side, which I consider a strength - the trappings and realistic difficulty of navigating the world as a person vulnerable to those who are systematically privileged. My favourite parts were those that dealt with the struggles between truth and narrative.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming

Minor: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault

luna_bear's review

adventurous challenging funny informative 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Bullying, Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Violence and Murder

ilychristinalauren's review

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Cursing, Cultural appropriation, Misogyny, Drug use, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Violence, Drug abuse, Genocide, Racial slurs, Slavery, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Islamophobia, War, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Outing, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

caitlinww's review

dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Murder and Sexual harassment

emergencily's review

funny lighthearted

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The book is about a Taiwanese American PhD student with a white boyfriend who is struggling to finish her thesis on a fictional Chinese-American poet, who in the book is a celebrated part of the AsAm literary canon. She has a lot of issues with internalized racism & misogyny that makes you want to scream "PLEASE STAND UP." You see her slow and gradual emotional & political growth over the book. It's a relief when she finally begins to  confront the unsettling feelings she gets from her white BF and finally admits he's a creep with yellow fever. The main plot is her discovering that the AsAm poet she's writing her thesis on is actually a white guy who's been masquerading in yellowface for decades, and has built a career off of it.

 Honestly the plot wasn't that interesting. It felt really contrived sometimes and way too on the nose. Like I get the point the author wanted to make, but does it have to be so literal? It felt like being bludgeoned over the head with a lecture sometimes. All the points made about Asian women and their treatment & identity & experiences were pretty basic and not very subversive. It was like critical race studies 101. The book made me laugh a couple times, so kudos for that. But about halfway through I felt bored.  The book is satirical and it works at first with the author nailing a lot of the archetypes & experiences of AsAm women. Like some of the girls in this book, I've known girls like that IRL (and god have I mourned them and prayed for them to open their eyes). But by the second half it feels like the author is smacking you over the head yelling "this is the message I am trying to convey." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Rape, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

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

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Content Warnings

Minor: Stalking, Sexual content, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Addiction, Racism, Racial slurs, Outing, Misogyny, Hate crime, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Deportation, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Body shaming, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse