Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

19 reviews

katie_belle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

I decided to try this book at the recommendation of a friend, and I can only describe the feeling I had while reading it as being swallowed whole. At times the main character describes himself as drowning and reading this made me feel as if I was drowning with him. He writes in such a tangible way, using everyday things to pull a memory, in the same way a smell or a song might take you back to a past experience. His thoughts aren't necessarily linear which gave the narrative a fever- dream feel at times. This book is aching and reaching, longing and regretful. But cutting through the pain are breath-giving moments of love and gentleness. Definitely a read that left me with a lot to digest and dwell on. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

perth_is's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

branson03's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense 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? No

5.0

A lovely and eloquent read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and War

emrosch's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

Hauntingly beautiful & raw with emotion.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Grief, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and War

tessa52's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Dementia, Medical trauma, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and War

arainey's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-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? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Dementia and Car accident

pastelmeganes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

Ocean Vuong is a brilliant poet and you can see it in his writing. There are so many good quotes from this book and his perspective and reflection on his Vietnamese identity and how that intersects with his status as a first generation child of a poor single mother as well as his struggles with his sexuality are conveyed with such thought provoking idioms, metaphors and similes that it requires you to try and encapsulate the true feelings he is trying to convey to his mother. He paints such vivid images with his mastery of the english language. His work envoked many emotions within me that i never reflected on. I would adore reading another book by him; I know he writes poems mainly but his work here was just so breathtaking and tantalizing and left me craving either another memoire in the future about his life again OR a work of fiction. This book was so simple gorgeous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Grief, Abortion, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Dementia, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

Minor: Genocide

nlammata's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

sahar18's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Grief, Abortion, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and War

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Racism, and Excrement

Moderate: Fatphobia, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Car accident, Toxic friendship, and War