Reviews - The Emperor of Gladness

1.87k reviews for:

The Emperor of Gladness

Ocean Vuong

4.27 AVERAGE

lkenneady33's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective sad medium-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

therewerepagesturned's review against another edition

4.5

emotional inspiring reflective 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: Yes

Ocean Vuong's Emperor of Gladness follows Hai, a homeless addict who is rescued during his suicide attempt and taken in by Grazina, an elderly woman who is suffering the beginning stages of dementia. He takes up work at a local fast food restaurant and begins to care for Grazina. Over the course of a year, he forms bonds with both Grazina and the crew at the fast food joint that leave an indelible mark on him.

This was a slower build than I thought it was going to be, and I keep going back and forth between 4.25, 4.5, 4.75, and 5, depending on what part of the book I'm currently thinking of at the moment. Vuong's poetic prose shines through at just the right moments, and it has made me want to check out his other novel.

This novel is tackling a lot - addiction, caretaking, queerness in smaller towns, familial bonds - and it seems to touch on each one in just about the right amount. I did want a little more queerness, but I think the message the novel delivers about the importance of a chosen or found family is part of that.

This is a heartbreaking novel, but one that is also beautiful in the way it breaks your heart.

jaynagfitz's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

steph_t14's review against another edition

4.0

emotional sad medium-paced

al_dikanovic's review against another edition

4.0

emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

It took me a while to get into and longer to finish than I anticipated, but once I got there I became much more invested. I’m glad I read it. Some parts were really tender. The prose is less poetic than his first book. Themes are what you’d expect (grief, marginalization, poverty, class, addiction, family, immigration experiences, generational trauma, queerness) with a really sweet intergenerational friendship at the center, and a lot told through the lens of working at a fast food restaurant, which I found really effective.