Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous - Di Semesta Ini Kita Pernah Gemilang by Ocean Vuong

341 reviews

sammykat's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book will stay with me for a long time.
In parts beautiful, in parts funny, in parts harrowing. The storytelling is done through letters containing memories, stories and vignettes from the protagonist and his family. The imagery is gorgeous, with each thing described in detailed metaphors invoking real life, emotions, time periods. 
Although some parts are upsetting, the book is also uplifting and hopeful. It speaks of better futures.
 

The LGBT+ elements were beautifully done, sensitive and believable. Similarly, the drugs, pain and deaths were not just plot points to move the story on, but integral elements of the world Vaugn is building for us.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Death, Violence, and War

branson03's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

A lovely and eloquent read. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and War

ameliasbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

More thoughts to come.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Abandonment, War, and Deportation

Moderate: Gun violence and Car accident

gloriabyrd's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and War

sandysawmill's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

tahinisaltsummer's review against another edition

emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

intimate, violently sad, deeply moving. vuong has a wonderful prose, I loved the extended metaphors that structured the text. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, and Death of parent

adverb17's review against another edition

challenging hopeful 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

4.75

"Novel" is a weak word for this. This is a masterclass in poetic connection-making.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Homophobia, Racism, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and War

yleavy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Car accident, and War

Moderate: Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Abortion, and Abandonment

Minor: Vomit

theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This book was difficult for me to get into and I felt dumb quite a few times for not being able to follow the writing style. I didn’t always understand what was happening, when, where, and with whom. I wonder if reading the physical copy would have been better for my brain. 

Little Dog’s narration jumps around through the years and generations of his family, sharing the hardships of their survival. Parts of the story are upsetting. Even though I am an emotional person I did not shed a single tear while listening to this book. Probably because I didn’t get into the story or characters. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bookbunny00's review against another edition

slow-paced

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Terminal illness, and Violence