Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Brevemente risplendiamo sulla terra by Ocean Vuong, Claudia Durastanti

964 reviews

booksinherhead's review against another edition

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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

4.5

An absolutely STUNNING debut. Written from a son to his mother, this novel charts a young queer man's childhood and adolesance, his relationship with his mother, and his relationship with himself. An extraordinary examination of the mother/son dynamic and the plight of Vietnamese immigrants in the early 2000s, this novel is absolutely not one to miss. It's such a short and delicate little book I finished it wanting MORE. Perfect for readers who enjoyed Barabara Kingslover's DEMON COPPERHEAD.
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dniespal's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Written exquisitely. Reads like poetry. 
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sammykat's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book will stay with me for a long time.
In parts beautiful, in parts funny, in parts harrowing. The storytelling is done through letters containing memories, stories and vignettes from the protagonist and his family. The imagery is gorgeous, with each thing described in detailed metaphors invoking real life, emotions, time periods. 
Although some parts are upsetting, the book is also uplifting and hopeful. It speaks of better futures.
 
The LGBT+ elements were beautifully done, sensitive and believable. Similarly, the drugs, pain and deaths were not just plot points to move the story on, but integral elements of the world Vaugn is building for us.
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viv_pcu's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

“Sad” doesn’t do this book justice as a reading mood. The prose was so beautiful I could tell right away this author is a poet. Prepare yourself if you’re going to read this. Every time I set this down I felt emotionally wrecked and hugged a pillow. But absolutely one of the best well-written pieces I’ve ever read, a modern classic in its own right. Didn’t cry but I feel like sobbing. Still worth the read.
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noahbenoit's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective 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

3.0

oh i wish i liked this better... 
don't get me wrong, as a whole, it's absolutely beautiful and dotted with linguistic gems & rich descriptions (notably of colors)
but they are nestled in between pages and pages of lyrical prose, word-play and never-ending metaphors that sometimes made me roll my eyes so far back I forgot to be touched  
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deestreet's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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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magpie4's review against another edition

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challenging dark 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? It's complicated

4.5

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sdvora's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-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

4.5

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camifestari's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

raw and beautiful~
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catandherbooks's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

Was worried I would like this book as much as everyone seems to but it was a lot better than I thought. Gorgeous writing and a cast of characters you can't help but to root for even when they aren't great people. 

A beautiful, tender take on a mother-son relationship and on how the things we don't tell shape us in so many ways. 

And the title?? I think it makes  sense once you've read the book. 
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