Disorientation follows an 8th-year Ph.D. student Ingrid Yang during her last year in grad school, struggling with her dissertation while trying to solve a mystery. Ingrid started in the book as an insufferable WASP-wannabe and began reflecting on her identity as the story unfolded. Elaine Hsieh Chou uses her creative writing and satirical tone to include different perspectives throughout the book while introducing other characters and as Ingrid delves deeper into her past actions. She had so many discussions about cultural appropriation, censorship in academia, affirmative action, model minority, token Asians, white men who only date Asian women and the other way around, etc. Because this book is written as a political satire, making confronting these profoundly personal issues easier. Disorientation is such a thought-provoking read it's uncomfortable in all the best ways.