Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

24 reviews

ramreadsagain's review

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

An excellent dark academia-adjacent satire. 

It talks about so many things, from yellowface and cultural appropriation/fetishism to internalised racism, academic burnout, and more. 

It was entertaining throughout, definitely a ‘food for thought’ kind of book. 

My only gripe is with a couple of characters. I found Ingrid to be frustratingly naive and stupid ay times though I believe this was intentional. Eunice also felt underdeveloped and I would have liked to have seen more of her storyline. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation and Racism

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs

Minor: Colonisation, Suicide attempt, and Deportation

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

---

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

dfrancis's review against another edition

funny lighthearted 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? It's complicated

2.75

The book was well-written and interesting but just not my cup of tea

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Racism, Misogyny, and Hate crime

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Colonisation, and Sexism

smute's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Classism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, and Sexism

Minor: Violence, Sexual assault, and Vomit

annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

(adjusted from 3.0 to 3.5; i’ve since searched for similar books but come up short, so i have to recognize it for creating that itch and being original)
the courtroom tableau was brilliantly executed, definitely my favorite part
the plot summary was so fucking promising, but i found the writing to be lacking. i feel like it addressed its heavy topics through regurgitations of already finished conversations, rather than playing out those conversations in real time, if that makes sense. i know it's supposed to be absurdist, but the plot was just off the rails at times. Vivian's character development was very good though, shout out to that. also, the audiobook narration was very bland
cover review: ★★★★½. the illustration is gorgeous, just not a fan of either the typeface or the color of the title and author's name

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Cultural appropriation, Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, Rape, Trafficking, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Infidelity

Minor: Chronic illness, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, Ableism, Terminal illness, Vomit, Death, Drug abuse, Cancer, Homophobia, Mental illness, Cursing, Blood, Drug use, Outing, and Islamophobia

harperhoney's review

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: Sexism, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Racism, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Classism, Violence, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Deportation, Addiction, Body shaming, and Colonisation

Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, Blood, Police brutality, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Trafficking, Ableism, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Outing

caseythereader's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

 - I keep trying to write a coherent review of DISORIENTATION and can't. The book is simply too good for me to try to craft anything that does it justice.
- The way Chou spotlights and skewers academia, leftists, Asian stereotypes and more is masterful. I alternated between gasping in shock and crying with laughter.
- The satire is just perfect. I usually don't love satire and find it unfunny and/or too smart for me, but this is just *chef's kiss* possibly because it takes only the slightest nudge to push academia into the absurd. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Blood, Colonisation, Cursing, Drug use, Ableism, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Suicide attempt, and Xenophobia

Minor: Police brutality

sydapel's review

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: Classism, Colonisation, Racism, Xenophobia, and Bullying

Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Drug use, and Hate crime

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: 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

redroseses's review against another edition

funny informative 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: Xenophobia, Racism, Racial slurs, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Stalking, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Racism

Minor: Gore, Police brutality, Blood, Colonisation, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, and Animal death