Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

847 reviews

laurenwerlinger's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad slow-paced
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is so carefully and beautifully written. Vuog writes with sometimes painful honesty. 

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tasleemreads's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

#OnEarthWereBrieflyGorgeous is a top tier read. Ocean Vuong and the women in his life; mother and grandmother who escaped the Vietnamese war, settle in America. This book is a letter Vuong writes directly to his mother, who understands very little English, giving Vuong the courage to share all of his thoughts, feelings and not hold anything back. This gave readers an even deeper insight into his life, troubles and hardships. It was surprisingly intimate, like I had Vuong's personal journal and had access to his private thoughts and sacred experiences, which I basically did ~ I loved it! ~

I haven't come across writing like this and was taken aback by how poetic and beautiful it is. I often re-read passages and had to take a moment to really process what was being shared and the depth of his thoughts. As an immigrant, gay man and only child, Vuong struggled with acceptance, belonging and the familial pressures placed on him. Themes like sexuality, family, relationships, love and trauma were explored with such raw honesty, it was breathtaking.

I would recommend this book to everyone!! An amazing book that will leave you thinking about it ages after you've put it down.

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allegrahistory's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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alisazhup's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • 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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dytiscusfriend's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book broke my heart open. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a gift. This book is abundant and generous and personal and painful and achingly relevant. Ocean Vuong contextualizes so much and offers a poem composed of agony, delight, clarity, and connection.

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inkdrinkermal's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

 I think my 3-star rating is a product of timing rather than content, but it's difficult for me to separate the two right now.

The novel is beautifully written with vivid imagery and symbolism. The surrealness created by the time-skips is masterful.

It was also devastating - war, abuse, loneliness, rejection, death, animal cruelty, internalized homophobia. And there was very little happiness - and the happiness did pretty much nothing to counteract the constant tragedy. Little Dog seemed friendless, even when he was with friends.

It was probably not wise to read this book 9 months into the pandemic lock-down when I'm tired and sad all the time. I'd say maybe I'll give it another chance, but I don't want to. It made me too sad, and I'm tired of being sad right now. 

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beccasbookcase's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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rynicolereads's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I always know I’m going to love a book when @the.storygraph describes it as emotional and reflective. I wanted to dog-ear every page because Vuong’s writing is stunning (don’t worry, I didn’t ruin my signed copy).

The story is told by Little Dog (the main character’s nickname) in the form of poetic letters to his mother that are full of profound metaphors and intimate memories. This is one of those books that writers will love because every single word feels intentional.

“I am thinking of beauty again, how some things are hunted because we have deemed them beautiful. If, relative to the history of our planet, an individual life is so short, a blink of an eye, as they say, then to be gorgeous, even from the day you were born to the day you die, is to be gorgeous only briefly.”

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sofiaxaguilar's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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isadorawonder's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • 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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