Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

153 reviews

vaaaleriechen's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.25

woah, beautiful, i could benefit from a reread

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, Abandonment, and Alcohol

jadamichellemather's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.0

holy shit this book took me so long to get through for how short it was!! this author really likes the sound of their own voice and comes across very pretentious. lots of fake deep poetry that I guess would sound good if I was an edgy 14 year old.  and holy shit (literally) there was way too much talk of poop and “piss” for one singular book. also horrific animal mutilation that came on so suddenly and was so shocking and out of place. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual content, Excrement, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Pregnancy

jade_smith's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.5

This was a gorgeous novel. Perhaps the first time I’ve felt compelled to use the word “luminous” as an adjective. Ocean Vuong’s writing is breathtakingly beautiful. This is exactly the kind of so-called purple prose that I love — it straddles the line between prose and poetry so deftly. 

Part exploration of inter-generational trauma, part coming of age, part meditation on memory and the past, this is a staggering story delivered in immaculate style.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Vomit, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Rape, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

gabbyolsen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Hauntingly beautiful writing

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, and Drug use

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, and War

sdvrie's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Grief, and Alcohol

jasminrain's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book is one of the most beautifully written novels I've ever read in my life. I really enjoyed the use of language and the way in which the author described the world with buffalos, butterflies and the kind. That being said, war and history aren't exactly interests of mine so the book didn't quite live up to the hype for me.  I can certainly understand why people are so obsessed with it though and I'm keen on exploring other books written by Vuong.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Violence, and Alcohol

luvstruck's review against another edition

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

5.0

Ocean Vuong’s prose is unparalleled in its beauty.
This book will change your life if you let it.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Grief, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Blood, and Alcohol

gandalf_a's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

historyoftape's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

5.0

One of a couple of books that have nearly made me cry, the only book that had me dry-heaving at some of the imagery. And yet, so, so good. What it means to be part of a generation touched by war, by immigration and mental illness, what it means to be a child of parents who struggle with the language you now call your own, what it means to grow up during a time where OxyCotin was not regulated and seen as the wonder cure-all, what it means is to discover your sexuality and to love for the first time. What it means to survive, all of that. All wrapped in amazing imagery, lyrical narration, and extended metaphors. Will be rereading this!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

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