Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

845 reviews

alina3's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Abortion

Moderate: Addiction and War

kate_lemer's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Incredible – simply incredible. Again, the author of this masterpiece makes me think about the double meaning. Incredible – not unbelievable, but, in fact, astounding, marvellous. Breath taking. 6/5. 

A stroke of luck that this is such a good book. Not for the author, no. That would be diminishing the author’s talent. I meant for me because my track record with modern literature is horrible. Most of what I’ve read so far that has been published in recent years, is words, ordered into sentences without any care for plot, characters, or any other meaning. 

This (and I do not want to say ‘by comparison’, because this book stands so far apart from anything else) is a masterpiece. Each sentences forces itself to be read again and again, and with each read, you find a different, a deeper meaning. The mastery of the English language is beyond anything I’ve read from modern authors, and in some cases, even better than found in my beloved classics. 

Usually, when I read a good book, I slap 4+ stars on it and let the book speak for itself. But that would be a disservice in this case. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Racism, and Sexual content

Moderate: Drug abuse, Violence, and War

mia_lee's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

I would give this book 10 stars if I could.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Grief

maess's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, and War

bridgetbry'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
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, and War

Moderate: Homophobia and Abortion

bill369's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

3.25

I've seen many recommendations for this book.

I like grandma Lana. I imagine her as a super pragmatic and kind woman. She had it so hard yet didn't lose her humanity. Praiseworthy.

A homosexual Vietnamese-American writes a letter to his illiterate mother trying to make sense of their bond. Vietnamese war and many issues related to it are included. Good book and theme, but still it didn't make that big of an impression on me.

Page 60, memory.
 

Mami. Kdysi jsi mi řekla, že paměť je volba. Kdybys ale byla bůh, věděla bys, že paměť je povodeň.

 

The end was mediocre.

I could get around without reading this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Abortion

Minor: Cursing, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Car accident, and War

milliemillz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-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? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Xenophobia

raalux's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective medium-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? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and War

Moderate: Drug abuse and Homophobia

violetends's review against another edition

emotional funny 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

4.75

Read for my bookclub. I simultaneously loved and loathed this book. This was so emotional and cut me deeply while also bringing words to experiences, feelings and thoughts I never knew I sought to express. This was heavy and I had to lay it aside mutiple times, occasionally even to cry. Ocean Vuong writes so beautifully I can only find cheesy phrases to express it since I do not share his gift to find such haunting imagery with which to translate what is happening inside of me. I cannot wait to read further novels and his poetry as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, and Abandonment

aphatius's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, and Sexual content

Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, and Physical abuse