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reaganwebster's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I enjoyed the poetic style but found it difficult to follow the storyline with interwoven perspectives of different characters and timelines. The plot seemed rather loosely defined and not very substantial or action based.
While the poetry was beautiful it felt like a collection of poetic punchlines that didn't quite come together for me in the story.
While the poetry was beautiful it felt like a collection of poetic punchlines that didn't quite come together for me in the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence
A large chunk of pretty graphic sexual content that I skipped and therefore can't speak too, thetumiysabelly's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Medical trauma, Colonisation, and War
jade_smith's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
4.5
This was a gorgeous novel. Perhaps the first time I’ve felt compelled to use the word “luminous” as an adjective. Ocean Vuong’s writing is breathtakingly beautiful. This is exactly the kind of so-called purple prose that I love — it straddles the line between prose and poetry so deftly.
Part exploration of inter-generational trauma, part coming of age, part meditation on memory and the past, this is a staggering story delivered in immaculate style.
Part exploration of inter-generational trauma, part coming of age, part meditation on memory and the past, this is a staggering story delivered in immaculate style.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Vomit, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Rape, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism
katie_belle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I decided to try this book at the recommendation of a friend, and I can only describe the feeling I had while reading it as being swallowed whole. At times the main character describes himself as drowning and reading this made me feel as if I was drowning with him. He writes in such a tangible way, using everyday things to pull a memory, in the same way a smell or a song might take you back to a past experience. His thoughts aren't necessarily linear which gave the narrative a fever- dream feel at times. This book is aching and reaching, longing and regretful. But cutting through the pain are breath-giving moments of love and gentleness. Definitely a read that left me with a lot to digest and dwell on.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
michaelapr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was a beautifully written book that was heartbreaking in some moments, hard to read in others, and poignant throughout.
I was under the impression that this was nonfiction but it's actually fiction. I read it as more of a lyric essay with some parts prose, other parts poetry, and parts that still feel very true even after knowing some parts are fictional. All of these parts were connected through a process that seemed to appear on paper even when I know that the words only sound the way they do through a lot of editing.
This is essentially an exploration of identity, of an intense parent-child relationship, of the opioid epidemic through the eyes of someone who's friends keep dying, and of an ever present grief caused by trauma from wars of multiple varieties. Ocean Vuong does these explorations well by reflecting in a way that feels true.
The reason why this book falls just short of a 4 for me is hard to explain except it's probably mostly because of the end. The very end started to feel... looser to me than the rest of the book. The connections not as clear to me, the meaning of the table metaphor (was it a metaphor?) just out of reach, and the ending lines not clicking with me. This might've just been me - maybe if I read this again down the line I'd understand that part better. There were also parts of this that were hard to read. This isn't necessarily what made it not a 4 stars or above because these parts felt necessary, no matter how painful or cringe worthy. It's just worth noting to check triggers if you need to.
Overall this was a well written book that wants to make you think about important aspects of the American experience that many hate to acknowledge exists and Vuong succeeds in this mission.
I was under the impression that this was nonfiction but it's actually fiction. I read it as more of a lyric essay with some parts prose, other parts poetry, and parts that still feel very true even after knowing some parts are fictional. All of these parts were connected through a process that seemed to appear on paper even when I know that the words only sound the way they do through a lot of editing.
This is essentially an exploration of identity, of an intense parent-child relationship, of the opioid epidemic through the eyes of someone who's friends keep dying, and of an ever present grief caused by trauma from wars of multiple varieties. Ocean Vuong does these explorations well by reflecting in a way that feels true.
The reason why this book falls just short of a 4 for me is hard to explain except it's probably mostly because of the end. The very end started to feel... looser to me than the rest of the book. The connections not as clear to me, the meaning of the table metaphor (was it a metaphor?) just out of reach, and the ending lines not clicking with me. This might've just been me - maybe if I read this again down the line I'd understand that part better. There were also parts of this that were hard to read. This isn't necessarily what made it not a 4 stars or above because these parts felt necessary, no matter how painful or cringe worthy. It's just worth noting to check triggers if you need to.
Overall this was a well written book that wants to make you think about important aspects of the American experience that many hate to acknowledge exists and Vuong succeeds in this mission.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Body shaming and Emotional abuse
maiking's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and War
that01loser's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, and Grief
tellatrix's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
3.5
𝐎𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬
𝙾𝚌𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚅𝚞𝚘𝚗𝚐
Disclaimer: I’m unable to write reviews without including spoilers, so please read this expecting some.
This is a book I know I’ll need to reread at least two more times to fully grasp all the layers of meaning and messages the author is trying to convey. While I understood the main plot, the metaphors, poetry, and deeper themes often felt elusive. The connections between scenes and ideas required careful attention, and sometimes I got lost in the beautiful, yet intricate, web of words.
Maybe after reading more books, learning new words, or gaining more life experience, I’ll be able to fully understand what Ocean Vuong was trying to say. Right now, I can’t. If someone asked me what this book was about, I don’t think I could give a clear, straightforward answer.
If I said this book was about a Vietnamese family carrying the violence and trauma of war within them—something that shaped them, tormented them, and yet also made them beautiful—would that make sense? Probably not, and even if it did, it wouldn’t come close to capturing the complexity of the story.
This is a book you have to experience for yourself. Even then, you might not find all the answers on your first read—just like me. But I know I’ll revisit it. Each time, I hope to uncover new layers, new words to explain what this book means.
For me, though, this book wasn’t as sad as some might say. I found it more hopeful. Others may disagree, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of hope running through it. Hope for what? I’m not sure. Maybe it wasn’t hope tied to action or outcomes—just hope as a feeling, a quiet presence.
I’ll end this review with a quote that stayed with me the most from my reading:
“I miss you more than I remember you.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Outing, and War
steffigb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Grief
niallgoulding1's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a hard book to describe. Wholly unique for better and worse.
The writing is beautiful. Every page has at least one sentence that will make you pause. It's an interesting contrast to see such beautiful prose applied to such unremittingly grim subject matter.
There isn't a plot as such. We get snippets of the grandma doing whatever she needed to do to survive the Vietnam war. Then we glimpse moments of post-war struggle before a move to the US, which turns out to be less promised land and more a different form of hell. Very effective in describing "left behind" America. You see a society where life seems to have lost all joy and been reduced to a grind to survive. Poverty, substance abuse and trauma mingle; passing from generation to generation. But all of this is delivered in a fragmented style. One minute you're in a trailer watching an American dad drink himself to death in the early 00s, then a sentence later you're in Vietnam at some point in time. Its definitely confusing and I'm not sure the novel benefits from this. An even slightly more structured approach would've helped a lot.
The writer is clearly trying to process a lot of contradictory feelings and lots of interesting ideas comes out of that. What to feel for a mother who loves him but whose own issues prevent her being a supportive presence. A country that has left his community to die on mass from opoids and always reminds him of his "otherness" but one which gave the son of poor immigrants the opportunity to become a renowned poet. A first love that is both touching and harmful - sabotaged by self-hatred and unforgiving circumstances.
Ultimately a novel about people's inability to communicate and process trauma. Not perfect but powerful.
"I'm sorry I keep saying - how are you? when I mean are you happy?"
"They will want you to succeed, but never more than them. They will write their names on your leash and call you necessary"
The writing is beautiful. Every page has at least one sentence that will make you pause. It's an interesting contrast to see such beautiful prose applied to such unremittingly grim subject matter.
There isn't a plot as such. We get snippets of the grandma doing whatever she needed to do to survive the Vietnam war. Then we glimpse moments of post-war struggle before a move to the US, which turns out to be less promised land and more a different form of hell. Very effective in describing "left behind" America. You see a society where life seems to have lost all joy and been reduced to a grind to survive. Poverty, substance abuse and trauma mingle; passing from generation to generation. But all of this is delivered in a fragmented style. One minute you're in a trailer watching an American dad drink himself to death in the early 00s, then a sentence later you're in Vietnam at some point in time. Its definitely confusing and I'm not sure the novel benefits from this. An even slightly more structured approach would've helped a lot.
The writer is clearly trying to process a lot of contradictory feelings and lots of interesting ideas comes out of that. What to feel for a mother who loves him but whose own issues prevent her being a supportive presence. A country that has left his community to die on mass from opoids and always reminds him of his "otherness" but one which gave the son of poor immigrants the opportunity to become a renowned poet. A first love that is both touching and harmful - sabotaged by self-hatred and unforgiving circumstances.
Ultimately a novel about people's inability to communicate and process trauma. Not perfect but powerful.
"I'm sorry I keep saying - how are you? when I mean are you happy?"
"They will want you to succeed, but never more than them. They will write their names on your leash and call you necessary"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Sexual content