Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

3 reviews

astrangewind's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.5

Oh, I love books written by poets. Ocean Vuong's attention to detail - to the smallest pieces that define human existence - add color to an otherwise difficult world. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous flows from one chapter, one paragraph, one sentence to the next with such captivating language, such vivid imagery.

My one issue with this book, and with Vuong as a poet, is that the writing sometimes abstracts itself so far away that it is nearly impossible to tell what is happening. And maybe the point is to blur the lines between the real and the not, like between a dream and a memory - but it's damn hard to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: War

Minor: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Pregnancy

reemoony's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

i used to be so pretentious when it came to giving books five stars. i thought they had to check this huge list of boxes, but they dont. if you enjoy a book, give it five stars. with that being said, i dont know if i enjoyed this book. it doesnt feel like a book you’re supposed to like, but you love it anyway. its gut-wrenching and hurtful and powerful and loving. it’s everything in the universe at once. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Violence, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Police brutality, Medical content, Car accident, and Toxic friendship

badspringbye's review against another edition

informative reflective slow-paced

2.0

SIGH.. I really wanted to love this. Sadly, another major disappoint for this year's reads is one of my most anticipated books again. Instead of a ‘letter’, it felt more like a personal journal of the author full of scribbles that are sooo all over the place with very little plot. It was written with too much imagery that are too beautiful that the storyline appeared almost like nothing against it. Plain, common, unengaging.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, and Abortion