2.11k reviews for:

De keizer van Gladness

Ocean Vuong

4.26 AVERAGE

enzsch's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous emotional reflective sad slow-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

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ngl it was a bit mid, but maybe more of a me problem than Ocean's problem

I really loved some of these characters, but I did not feel very compelled by the events they were happening. It was kind of vignetty which I usually am happy with, but this writing style maybe felt so ethereal that did not feel a lot of attachment to anything actually happening? I guess I would have preferred it if it felt like there was more of a throughline or a drive to the events of the book. Perhaps with Hai lying to his mum or stealing Grazina's money.

Story was bleak city. So many different kinds of bleak. I really enjoyed all the stuff with Grazina's family, esp her son's family, but did not care so much for the restaurant happenings. I also kinda hate war stories so that aspect was not appealing to me.

I did read it in a bit of a stressful time so I think that affected my ability to take in Ocean Vuong's  poetic writing.

_eml5678's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-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

semilunar's review against another edition

4.0

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quietly beautiful, but probably the wrong audience. but i did tear up

mahisin's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

mininea's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective slow-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

shawku's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous emotional funny sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lettervos's review against another edition

4.0

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kris1088's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-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

great_griffen's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny sad fast-paced

sa_ra1014's review against another edition

5.0

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes