Reviews tagging 'Biphobia'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

4 reviews

koiolee's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

As we know, I'm a sucker for a book that breaks my heart and this book does just that. This story captures the experience of the invisible American. From the Asian-immigrant experience to the opioid crisis, this book covers so many topics in a short few pages. 
This book felt like staring into a mirror and for the first time seeing ourselves in the pages of a work that is almost unrelated to us, yet represents all of us. 
I really loved this book and I hope to read more of Vuong's work in the future. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

greenan26's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Biphobia, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Xenophobia and War

yolie's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? Yes

4.25

This book needs you to take your time. Although the novel appears slim it is quite dense in terms of the content and Vuong’s prose. Some chapters read more like short stories and long form poetry than a linear account. The book has moments of absolute hopelessness, you’re shattered by Little Dog’s accounts of growing up an Asian immigrant in America, gay and poor. His one-sided and ill-fated relationship with Trevor makes me cautious (and sad) to say he is Little Dog's 'first love'. So much of their relationship is marred by Trevor's homophobia and recklessness. 

I wish less time was spent on that relationship and more weight was given to the other significant relationships in his life and the milestones he achieves in his adulthood. 

But there’s beauty in it too - a nod to the book’s title. Vuong/ Little Dog is able to hold so much compassion for people, he chooses to see them in their gorgeousness - irrespective of the brevity of that moment.  Long after the novel is over you’ll keep coming back to certain phrases, marvelling at how stunning and lyrical Vuong’s writing is.

One of my favourite passages from the book reads:
“Because the sunset, like survival, exists only on the verge of its own disappearing. To be gorgeous, you must first be seen, but to be seen allows you to be hunted.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Violence, Vomit, Car accident, Abortion, and Abandonment

Minor: Biphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Classism

hettyreads's review against another edition

reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

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