Reviews tagging 'Grief'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

358 reviews

laurenkimoto's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I don’t really read poetry but I have now put Vuong’s works on hold at the library. The writing of this is incredibly lyrical almost dreamlike (or nightmare?). 
I also don’t annotate books but I want a physical copy of this book to annotate because there are so many wonderful lines and quotes and more

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment

hannibanani29's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

Minor: Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sarahrosea's review against another edition

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? N/A

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, War, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Transphobia and Murder

sometimes_samantha_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

suchsweetsorrow89's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

I honestly have no idea where to even start. this book is a gorgeous and stunning portrayal not only of motherhood and queerness but also of trying to figure out where one fits and is viewed against the rest of the world. as someone who studies ancient greek and roman texts one of the biggest questions we see figures, politicians, poets, and philosophers of the ancient world grappling with is: where are we? in the midst of violence, chaos, war, destruction, plagues, and many other issues it is hard to figure out where one stands and is viewed in relation to the world around them. it isn't just a matter of different skin colors or class status-- but it is ultimately this idea of-- not 'us v them' but 'me v them' in this incredibly tragic, heartbreaking, and beautiful way. it was really what pulled me into the classics and leaned me more heavily into the romanticism movement. as a black woman, this 'me v them' cannot be understated-- especially when living in America (a country where I belong yet never will belong to). ocean vuong takes a contemporary approach to all of these factors in a way that I have never seen it done before. this book is intense and beautiful and tragic all at once. 

I'm excited for what he has in store. my only critique on this book is that I think it would have been all the more powerful if it had been a bit shorter. but hey-- you're talking to someone who reads the odyssey and the illiad. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Xenophobia

bailee_f's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, and Grief

lilyjoy's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Sexual violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Excrement, and Abortion

kshertz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Holy talented. This author has an amazing way with words. I feel like I just kept highlighting amazing line after amazing line. It’s an Incredibly sad story so you have to take many breaks. It’s not a happy story. But it’s Ocean’s story and it’s a story we all need to hear. Bravo!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and War

ablais2248's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Grief, War, and Classism

emilia_digi's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and War

Minor: Vomit