Reviews tagging 'Grief'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

358 reviews

laurabarrett's review against another edition

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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol

starlit_pathways's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Grief, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Vomit, Medical content, and Abortion

tea_tamai's review against another edition

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Grief, and War

Moderate: Cancer, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Transphobia

anb2300's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Grief, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, and Death

Minor: Excrement

ashleycmms's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• 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, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Confinement

Ocean writing is fantastic, and I can’t believe I have taken this long to read some of their work. The way the story unfolds tells a beautiful story of tragedy and tenderness in the world. Out of this world.

kellyofcali's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Vuong is a poetic writer, with a unique style - this book is both visceral and painful, in its subject matter, but also somehow I felt detached, at times, perhaps because of the poetry. A powerful story about culture, family, and growing up - I don't know that I enjoyed it, exactly, but I am glad I read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Dementia, and Grief

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual content

jannathfazli's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Vuong stole my heart with the prose (which is so poetic, I don't really want to call it "prose"). I don't know what else to say about this book, honestly. It broke my heart a little, but also fed it with courage and stronger will. The book is an experience that stands out from everything else I did during the days I read it. It is so lonely and self-sure at once, and that makes it beautiful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Grief, and War

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Toxic relationship

Minor: Sexual content

moiracampbell23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Racism, Xenophobia, and Excrement

dylanlouise's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-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

5.0

Loved this. So touching especially if you are connected to/the child of immigrants. The queer love was such an honest, amazing, touch and the sections from the author's childhood were immersive and important. The writing was obviously beautiful and I really enjoyed that he never strayed from the letter format. I talked to a friend who brought up that a lot of it wasn't very direct, but I don't think you can be direct when writing to an immigrant mom about trauma and childhood. I see parallels in my own life with an immigrant mom and would recommend this to almost anyone. 

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Content Warnings

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

lauravg11's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• 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: Sexual content and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, and Abortion