In 'Joan Is Okay', author Weike Wang presents an insightful tale of Joan, a dedicated ICU doctor navigating the complexities of her Chinese-American identity and professional life in a New York City hospital. Deeply entrenched in her career, Joan values her independence and the solace she finds in the sterile corridors of the ICU. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when her father's death beckons her mother back from China, prompting Joan to confront the cultural and familial expectations that have long shaped—but also confined—her existence. As a global health crisis looms, Joan's personal upheavals compel her to grapple with existential questions about her place in both her family and a dominant culture that often feels alien. Weike Wang's narrative is a deft blend of subtle humor and profound observation, crafting a story that is as much about the internal journey of its protagonist as it is about the external events reshaping her world.