In 'The Dissident,' Nell Freudenberger intricately weaves a narrative centered on Yuan Zhao, a renowned Chinese performance artist and political dissident. Taking up a one-year artist's residency in Los Angeles, Yuan becomes a Visiting Scholar at the St. Anselm's School for Girls, where he's hosted by the Traverses, a wealthy but dysfunctional American family. While Yuan seeks solitude due to his past involvements in radical movements, the family is engulfed in their own crises, barely noticing their distinguished guest. As the story progresses, the lives of the Traverses and Yuan become entangled, leading to mutual discoveries that challenge their views on art, identity, and family. Freudenberger captures the complexities of cultural collision and the everyday chaos of American life, examining how secrets untangle and relationships evolve under the weight of personal and political histories.