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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
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
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, Suicide attempt
Moderate: War
emotional
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
Very poetic writing style, such interesting insights.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
slow-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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
Between pretty good and good with a perfect ending. I feel like I know Hai as a character, his personality, fears, and flaws. I loved all the scenes with the coworkers who are not friends but closer in some ways. My favorite scene was the winter at the hog butchery. Despite the known bleakness of working class, rural-ish America, I always held a glint of hope at every plot point while knowing that nothing miraculous would ever happen to save anyone.
emotional
hopeful
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
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
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
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.
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.
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