Disorientation (novel)

Disorientation is a 2022 satirical humor political fiction novel by American writer Elaine Hsieh Chou. The novel was published by Penguin Group on March 22, 2022.

Synopsis
The novel follows Ingrid Yang, an eighth-year PhD student studying the work of late Chinese-American poet, Xiao-Wen Chou, described as the "so-called Chinese Robert Frost." The story takes place at Barnes University, a university in fictional Wittlebury, Massachusetts. Originally, Michael Bartholemew, Ingrid's white advisor and chair of the East Asian Studies department at Barnes, pressured Ingrid into studying Chou's poetry, even though she finds Chou stereotypical and boring. After spending long nights studying in the Chou archives at Barnes, and struggling to find inspiration for her dissertation, Ingrid finds a note in unfamiliar handwriting revealing new information about Chou's poetry. Feeling motivated to uncover this mystery and find a new angle for her dissertation, Ingrid, along with her friend Eunice, discovers that the handwriting on the note belongs to John Smith. 

Ingrid and Eunice decide to break into John Smith's home to learn more about him. While inside his house, Ingrid watches the man who she thought was Xiao-Wen Chou take off his black wig, yellowface makeup, and eyelid tape, and reveal John Smith, a white man underneath. 

Ingrid decides to anonymously out Xiao-Wen Chou as John Smith, causing chaos and scandal on campus. Vivian Vo, Ingrid's academic nemesis in the postcolonial studies department, leads campus activism around racial justice, causing Ingrid to reexamine her once-held beliefs. In this context, Ingrid also negotiates her relationship with her fiance Stephen, a white translator of Japanese literature.

Writing and publication
The novel was originally a "very serious novel set on campus" but Chou changed the direction of the book after the controversy over Michael Derrick Hudson's pseudonymous publication of poems under the name Yi-Fen Chou.

Accolades
Chou was nominated for the Young Lions Fiction Award for the novel.

Film adaptation
On September 27, 2022, Apple Studios, Hyperobject Industries' Adam McKay, and Malala Yousafzai and Erika Kennair's company Extracurricular announced that they will produce a film adaptation of the novel.