Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

159 reviews

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

hogwallet's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug use, Terminal illness, Dementia, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War

astridrv's review against another edition

I am so curious about the author's poetry now. This was a mesmerizing, gorgeous book, born from the five senses, a detailed attention to the world, an ear to the heart and beyond. I did feel it had the pitfalls of its daring: a lack of structure despite a love for patterns, parts that didn't fly despite most of the prose soaring, an occasional cliché despite such fresh and vivid images, too many rhetorical questions and aphorisms when everything is already there. But I loved it.

"And like a word, I hold no weight in this world yet still carry my own life."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Grief, and War

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Alcohol

hannahnadeshda's review against another edition

dark emotional funny inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and War

kelisabeth's review

challenging emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism