The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

4.27 AVERAGE

meahm's review against another edition

3.75
emotional reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

youceeanaekwe_'s review against another edition

4.0
emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced
merle_perle's profile picture

merle_perle's review against another edition

5.0
emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
sonacederquist's profile picture

sonacederquist's review against another edition

4.75
emotional sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
This book had lovely prose, strong character development, and beautifully touched on the life of the poor working-class along with topics of mental health, addiction, and aging.
tsals's profile picture

tsals's review against another edition

3.75
challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
tea_racy's profile picture

tea_racy's review against another edition

5.0
"She was heading to America after all. The truest version of it. The one where everyone pays to be here." Did me in.

laura_spires's review against another edition

5.0
dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

cryptidcrouton's review against another edition

2.75
challenging dark emotional funny medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
nataliedc's profile picture

nataliedc's review against another edition

5.0
emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
Ocean Vuong's magnus opus about a boy looking for a second chance at life after accidentally befriending an old woman who lives near a bridge. This novel is one of the best depictions of found family I've ever read and I'm so happy to have the privilege of owning a (signed!) copy of this masterpiece. Every motif (from cornbread to warspeak to owl paraphernalia) is so randomly, yet lovingly placed within this heartwrenching tale of love, loss, and lives worth restarting. Thank you, Ocean Vuong <3
katieproctorbooks's profile picture

katieproctorbooks's review against another edition

5.0
This is a gorgeous book. So many of these sentences blew me away.