Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

39 reviews

mairi_red's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

yolie's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.25

This book needs you to take your time. Although the novel appears slim it is quite dense in terms of the content and Vuong’s prose. Some chapters read more like short stories and long form poetry than a linear account. The book has moments of absolute hopelessness, you’re shattered by Little Dog’s accounts of growing up an Asian immigrant in America, gay and poor. His one-sided and ill-fated relationship with Trevor makes me cautious (and sad) to say he is Little Dog's 'first love'. So much of their relationship is marred by Trevor's homophobia and recklessness. 

I wish less time was spent on that relationship and more weight was given to the other significant relationships in his life and the milestones he achieves in his adulthood. 

But there’s beauty in it too - a nod to the book’s title. Vuong/ Little Dog is able to hold so much compassion for people, he chooses to see them in their gorgeousness - irrespective of the brevity of that moment.  Long after the novel is over you’ll keep coming back to certain phrases, marvelling at how stunning and lyrical Vuong’s writing is.

One of my favourite passages from the book reads:
“Because the sunset, like survival, exists only on the verge of its own disappearing. To be gorgeous, you must first be seen, but to be seen allows you to be hunted.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Violence, Vomit, Car accident, Abortion, and Abandonment

Minor: Biphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Classism

claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Genocide, Homophobia, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Vomit, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

flamesocks's review against another edition

emotional medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

mariafatima's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

as a first gen asian immigrant, this book hit so close to home. first, i need to praise ocean vuong’s splendid writing. he is a literary genius who writes words that hold so much power. every line in this book is poetic and absolutely beautiful. 

this book explains the hardships of immigrants, the dynamic between many asian families, the way trauma haunts families for generations… this book presents a person who tries to navigate life when it throws them challenges after challenges. i felt seen through this book. this is a read i will never forget—it will forever occupy a special space in my thoughts & my heart. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment

lexlibris's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This blew me away. Very tough given many parts felt like long form poetry but the prose were beautiful and the mother/son relationship and observations were complex and depressing and cathartic as well. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Genocide

Moderate: Gore, Homophobia, and Racial slurs

gigimussolin's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Homophobia, Grief, Abortion, and War

andprevatte's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

fucking amazing. necessary reading for every human. beautiful beautiful beautiful

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, and War

ashleyann's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Abortion

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Excrement, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Car accident, and Abandonment

_kimb's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Excrement, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Alcohol, and Colonisation