Five Fiction Books by Asian Authors I’ve Loved
One of the ways I recharge and reflect outside of the therapy room is through reading. Stories are a powerful way in which we can feel seen, learn something new, or simply be entertained. And as a Psychologist and mental health therapist, reading stories has also been a way to deepen my empathy for others. In recent years I’ve especially enjoyed reading stories by Asian and Asian diaspora authors, and in today’s blog post I’d like to share a few that have had an impact on me.
Some of the books are romantic and tender, others bold or hilarious, and they explore a range of issues including belonging, identity, resilience, friendship, and healing. In no particular order, here they are:
1) Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Inspired by Chinese mythology, this novel and its sequel are romantic fantasies with emotional depth. I enjoyed how the author imagined, brought to life, and fleshed out the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e. What I appreciated beyond the immersive world-building, were the central themes of agency, loyalty, and love, including between mothers and daughters.
2) Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou
Witty, sharp, and full of chaos, this satirical novel dives into academia, identity politics, and racial and cultural fetishization. It’s a wild ride reading along as the protagonist (a PhD student who is desperately trying to finish her dissertation) goes on a journey of unlearning and rebuilding her entire framework for understanding who she is. The author did an incredible and hilarious job of depicting the uncomfortable and disturbing situations that modern Asian American/Canadian women face as they navigate their personal and professional lives.
3) The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
This novel is darkly funny and surprisingly hopeful. It follows a woman in a rural Indian village who’s rumoured to have killed her husband. It is able to address a heavy topic like gendered oppression while remaining humorous, and speaks to the resilience and complexity of women supporting each other through pain. Ultimately it is a story about reclaiming power and finding community.
4) Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert
This young adult novel is emotionally rich and quietly devastating. It follows a Chinese American teen who uncovers long-buried family secrets while grappling with identity, grief, friendship, and the weight of expectations. The book captures the emotional complexity of growing up with so much love, but also so much pressure.
5) Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal
Playful yet poignant, this book follows a young woman who begins to teach a creative writing class to a group of older women, mostly comprised of Punjabi widows. To her surprise and initial discomfort, she learns that they want to write spicy and erotic stories. I loved how it honoured the inner lives and sexuality of older women, whose voices are often sidelined. It’s a celebration of finding one’s voice and self-expression.
6) To Have and Have More by Sanibel
I know this list was supposed to have five books, but there are just so many good stories by Asian authors that I had to include one more. This novel follows a Korean girl who was adopted into a wealthy white family. She becomes frenemies with a Taiwanese American teen at their super elite boarding school. This novel explores the intersections of race, class, and privilege. It is also set in the early aughts, which may induce significant nostalgia for those of us who were also going through the process of identity formation at that time.
Books don’t have to be “therapeutic” or focus explicitly on mental health to offer comfort or insight. Sometimes they just offer an opportunity to be seen. If any of these stories touched something in you, therapy can be a place to explore those themes more deeply.
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