Joan Is Okay

The narrator is a doctor working at the hospital in Morningside Heights (very near my old apartment) just before and just after the onset of the pandemic. The pandemic looms in the background as a harbinger of racism and distress for Americans of Chinese descent, like Joan. When Joan's father dies, she grieves in the way she knows: by throwing herself even more whole-heartedly into her work, which is both her identity and her home.

The style of this book takes a little while to find a rhythm, but then it builds momentum into some complex thoughts about children of immigrants, Chinese language and culture, and how we define “home.” It's a quick read and well-worth it.