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rachjellie's review
5.0
I don’t think it is fair to rate such an intimate book and collection of poems, so I won’t. I will say that this collection is a representation of love, loss, grief, humanity. What it means to feel and to be human.
Some favorites:
Dear Sara
Amazon History of a Former Nail Salon Worker
Nothing
Reasons for Staying
Ars Poetica as the Maker
Almost Human
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Homophobia
quinnowo's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Death, and Grief
booksbeyondthebinary's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Racism
dopestitches's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Grief and Cancer
frankieclc's review
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Drug use, and Grief
ka_cam's review
3.75
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Suicide
jessie_h's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Grief
winterisvague's review against another edition
3.0
"Because everyone knows yellow pain, pressed into American letters, turns to gold.
Our sorrow Midas touched. Napalm with a rainbow afterglow."
There's something special about Ocean Vuong's writing. I felt the emotional undercurrents behind every carefully chosen word. However, this book falls short when it comes to accessibility and clarity. The poems often veer into abstract territory that can be quite challenging to decipher. While ambiguity and open interpretation can enhance the poetic experience, I believe it is crucial to strike a balance. Poetry should possess a certain level of accessibility that allows readers to grasp the underlying essence of the verses. There were verses that left me bewildered, preventing me from fully appreciating their depth, but that isn't necessarily the author's fault.
That said, one cannot deny the raw power of the emotions that emanate from every page of this collection. My favorite poem was 'The Amazon History of a Former Nail Salon Worker'. Just by listing down his mother's Amazon purchases before and after she was diagnosed with cancer, he was able to paint such a vivid story that exuded so much emotion. Here's what I wrote after I finished the poem: "I didn't know where this was going at first, but my heart dropped as soon as realization struck me. This tugged at my heartstrings and moved me in a way I didn't expect it to. I just need a moment to pause, breathe, and let the emotions settle before I move on to the next poem."
In conclusion, I loved this book despite the challenges I faced while reading. Ocean Vuong never fails to move me with his beautiful words.
Graphic: Car accident, Cancer, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Racism, War, and Suicide
hello_lovely13's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide
decie's review against another edition
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent