Reviews tagging 'Grief'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

358 reviews

saoreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

Raw. Vulnerable. Familiarity. I find myself holding back the tears from numerous lines that utter honesty. From history, childhood traumas, racism, discrimination, being gay, love and grief - this book carries alot of emotions, all well too real. While reading, it felt like unearthing something, as if I can unravel what comes to our thoughts and feel it too deeply. Its got so many quotes that can make you question things and ponder upon, a favorite of mine states, "Because freedom, I am told, is nothing but the distance between the hunter and its prey." It's a lovely memoir, one that engraves to a person's self-identity. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, and Abandonment

_kimb'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Excrement, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Car accident, Alcohol, and Colonisation

kangaci's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, and Homophobia

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Excrement, Grief, and Car accident

darbylane's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, and Abortion

sophhieee's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

4.0

this is some of the best writing i’ve ever read, so i can’t tell you why it’s not a 5 star book for me.

i still really enjoyed it, but something was just off I DON’T KNOW

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Grief

Minor: Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Excrement, and Vomit

charlottes_library's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

5.0

truely a masterpiece. Every sentence is a work of art that i could go back and read again and again and still discover new layers of beauty. Vuong writes like a poet and brilliantly explores the complex generational trauma of being a child of the Vietnam war. He writes of his experience growing up as a immigrant in white rural America and the ostracization faced by him and his single mother and the depths of their shared relationship. He speaks of his mother tongue, his cancer ridden grandmother, his teenage job at a tobacco farm, poverty, addiction, isolation, heritage, belonging, tradition, loss, war, love. This is a coming of age story that cannot be missed. It is heart-wrenching and beautiful and disgusting and strong. If i could read any book again it would be this one. 100% recommended 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Car accident, Alcohol, and Colonisation

eschell's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

5.0

This book was exquisitely written. Must read again. The nuance that the author manages to intertwine their lived experience so well into this book that it truly feels like reading a diary. Vuong's poetic style shines through and makes for an interesting read. So moved by the ending and really just the entire thing. I feel like you could read it over and over and experience it newly each time. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse

paperbackpotables's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

If I could rate this book as 10/5 stars, I would. This book was beyond perfect. I savored each page, each word. The beauty of this work is without measure. I cried, multiple times. I smiled, I cringed, I was uncomfortable, I was horrified, I was elated. I felt what the author felt, understood a life I would never live on a level I’d never known existed. You can tell the author is a poet with the beauty of these words, but it was much more than just beautiful writing. There was pain, real pain, behind this book. But also joy and love and truth. It was raw, and emotional, and unlike anything I’ve ever read. I can’t recommend this book enough. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Grief, Car accident, and Cultural appropriation

emmagreenwood's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Grief

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Drug abuse, Genocide, Miscarriage, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Abortion, and Pregnancy