Reviews tagging 'Grief'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

368 reviews

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.” 

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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

melaeki's review against another edition

challenging 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual content

Moderate: Racism, Terminal illness, Grief, and War

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Excrement, Car accident, and Abortion

darianessa's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.0

eytremely beautifully written

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Grief, 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

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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

llyricist's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, and Grief

danyyel's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Death, Drug use, Grief, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, and War

Minor: Homophobia and Violence

luvstruck'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? Yes

5.0

Ocean Vuong’s prose is unparalleled in its beauty.
This book will change your life if you let it.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Blood, and Alcohol

gandalf_a's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

historyoftape's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

5.0

One of a couple of books that have nearly made me cry, the only book that had me dry-heaving at some of the imagery. And yet, so, so good. What it means to be part of a generation touched by war, by immigration and mental illness, what it means to be a child of parents who struggle with the language you now call your own, what it means to grow up during a time where OxyCotin was not regulated and seen as the wonder cure-all, what it means is to discover your sexuality and to love for the first time. What it means to survive, all of that. All wrapped in amazing imagery, lyrical narration, and extended metaphors. Will be rereading this!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

perth_is's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol