Reviews tagging 'Grief'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

383 reviews

chellieya's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

sapphicsquirrel's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, War, and Classism

amandaacat's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

Absolutely beautifully written, this story is a heartfelt letter written by a son to his mother. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Grief, Abortion, and Death of parent

zerohearo's review

adventurous challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I’ve read poems by Ocean Vuong and seen his photography at Toledo Museum of Art. This book is a longer form of his excellent writing. It’s so sensory! I continue to be awed by the mastery he displays in expressing so many ideas at once. His interviews are just as fascinating and beautiful as his work. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Sexual content

Moderate: Excrement and Grief

Minor: War

hallkendric's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Sexual content, and Grief

fixesofia'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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Excrement, Vomit, Car accident, and Abortion

omarhabib's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Excrement, Grief, and Abortion

jadamichellemather's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.0

holy shit this book took me so long to get through for how short it was!! this author really likes the sound of their own voice and comes across very pretentious. lots of fake deep poetry that I guess would sound good if I was an edgy 14 year old.  and holy shit (literally) there was way too much talk of poop and “piss” for one singular book. also horrific animal mutilation that came on so suddenly and was so shocking and out of place. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual content, Excrement, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Pregnancy

jade_smith'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? It's complicated

4.5

This was a gorgeous novel. Perhaps the first time I’ve felt compelled to use the word “luminous” as an adjective. Ocean Vuong’s writing is breathtakingly beautiful. This is exactly the kind of so-called purple prose that I love — it straddles the line between prose and poetry so deftly. 

Part exploration of inter-generational trauma, part coming of age, part meditation on memory and the past, this is a staggering story delivered in immaculate style.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Vomit, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Rape, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

gabbyolsen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Hauntingly beautiful writing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War