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inkdrinkermal's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The novel is beautifully written with vivid imagery and symbolism. The surrealness created by the time-skips is masterful.
It was also devastating - war, abuse, loneliness, rejection, death, animal cruelty, internalized homophobia. And there was very little happiness - and the happiness did pretty much nothing to counteract the constant tragedy. Little Dog seemed friendless, even when he was with friends.
It was probably not wise to read this book 9 months into the pandemic lock-down when I'm tired and sad all the time. I'd say maybe I'll give it another chance, but I don't want to. It made me too sad, and I'm tired of being sad right now.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Drug use
Internalized Homophobia within a queer relationship:beccasbookcase's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Terminal illness
everlightly's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Excrement, and Dementia
Also uses homophobic slurshettyreads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Racism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, and Excrement
skudiklier's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Confinement, Terminal illness, and Transphobia
Minor: Gun violence
translove's review against another edition
5.0
it's so raw and beautiful in its realness. it makes me think and feel. I think about love and family; war and my whiteness; language and connections; life, in general. I feel devastated and seen. I feel like the only thing holding me together is a flimsy belief that I didn't lose too much, but it's such a frail thing, this belief, that it crumbles between my fingers like the sand castles I built and then tore down when I was little. this novel feels like a punch in the gut and at the same time the air moving back into my lungs afterwards. it hurts and heals and that is the kind of art I always crave. thank you, Ocean Vuong.
"Days I feel like a human being, while other days I feel more like a sound. I touch the world not as myself but as an echo of who I was. Can you hear me yet? Can you read me?"
Graphic: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, and Domestic abuse