Days of Distraction

Alexandra Chang

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'Days of Distraction' by Alexandra Chang is a novel that delves into the journey of self-discovery, control, relationships, and career choices. The narrative follows a 25-year-old protagonist trying to navigate her place in the world amidst distractions. Divided into three sections set in Silicon Valley, on a road trip, and in Hong Kong, the book employs a fractured narrative style that mirrors the narrator's distracted mindset. Despite the scattered nature of the storytelling, the book manages to convey a narrative with real development, conflict, and resolution, capturing the reader's attention and empathy.

The story explores themes of interracial relationships, microaggressions, identity, and the struggles of a young woman coming to terms with her ethnic background. Through the protagonist's musings about work, family, and her boyfriend, the book takes readers on a poignant journey filled with discoveries and decisions, ultimately offering insights into the complexities of modern life and relationships.

Characters:

Characters are mostly underdeveloped, with the protagonist showing traits that can be off-putting, leading to challenges in reader empathy.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by a fragmented, blog-like format that supports the theme of distraction while maintaining a level of literary quality.

Plot/Storyline:

The story is centered around a protagonist navigating her life and relationships with a distinct lack of traditional plot structure, focusing instead on introspection and societal issues.

Setting:

The book is set across multiple locales that enhance the themes of transition and personal growth.

Pacing:

The pacing is often uneven, with a non-linear structure that can disorient readers but ultimately leads to a more satisfying narrative experience when absorbed in one go.

People think I’m smaller than I am. For example, my feet. In fact, I wear size 8.5 or 9. According to Google, these are the most common sizes for American women. Average is good, I reason. It means th...

Notes:

The protagonist is a tech writer navigating her place in the world.

The book explores themes like microaggressions, identity, and interracial relationships.

It's written in a fractured narrative style that matches the narrator's distracted mindset.

The main character feels overwhelmed by life and anxiety but ultimately seeks personal growth.

The story is divided into three sections: Silicon Valley, a road trip, and time in Ithaca and Hong Kong.

The author, Alexandra Chang, has a background in the tech industry, having worked for Wired.

Readers have mixed feelings about the protagonist, describing her as self-involved and difficult to empathize with.

The book is described as a blend of memoir and fiction, allowing the author to adjust conversations to fit her narrative.

Some readers feel the book lacks a strong plot but appreciate it as a character study.

The writing has been compared to blog-style narratives, which some find engaging and others find confusing.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include discussions of mental health issues such as anxiety, experiences of microaggressions, and themes of cultural identity.

Has Romance?

There is a moderate presence of romance as the protagonist navigates her relationship with her boyfriend, highlighted by challenges that arise due to their differing backgrounds and aspirations.

From The Publisher:

"Startlingly original and deeply moving.... Chang here establishes herself as one of the most important of the new generation of American writers." - George Saunders

A Recommended Book From

Buzzfeed * TIME * USA Today * NPR * Vanity Fair * The Washington Post * New York Magazine * O, the Oprah Magazine * Parade * Wired * Electric Literature * The Millions * San Antonio Express-News * Domino * Kirkus

A wry, tender portrait of a young woman-finally free to decide her own path, but unsure if she knows herself well enough to choose wisely-from a captivating new literary voice

The plan is to leave. As for how, when, to where, and even why-she doesn't know yet. So begins a journey for the twenty-four-year-old narrator of Days of Distraction. As a staff writer at a prestigious tech publication, she reports on the achievements of smug Silicon Valley billionaires and start-up bros while her own request for a raise gets bumped from manager to manager. And when her longtime boyfriend, J, decides to move to a quiet upstate New York town for grad school, she sees an excuse to cut and run.

Moving is supposed to be a grand gesture of her commitment to J and a way to reshape her sense of self. But in the process, she finds herself facing misgivings about her role in an interracial relationship. Captivated by the stories of her ancestors and other Asian Americans in history, she must confront a question at the core of her identity: What does it mean to exist in a society that does not notice or understand you?

Equal parts tender and humorous, and told in spare but powerful prose, Days of Distraction is an offbeat coming-of-adulthood tale, a touching family story, and a razor-sharp appraisal of our times.

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