Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

667 reviews

shaleen64's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This book covers a variety of important topics, such as war, race, family dynamics and sexuality in a beautiful and poetic way. Heartbreakingly it is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. The narrative sections of the book kept me engaged, but the more poetic elements that followed little chronology left me lost at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Addiction, and Racism

Minor: Cancer, Pregnancy, and Abortion

kalaser's review against another edition

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Dementia, Drug abuse, and Abortion

Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Homophobia

Minor: Sexual violence, Racism, Terminal illness, and War

shlymiller's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, War, Kidnapping, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Sexual content

kadbee's review against another edition

challenging emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Abortion, Excrement, Death, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Racism, Homophobia, Animal death, War, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, and Cancer

ems_rxlibrary's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Drug abuse

Moderate: Homophobia

story_of_steph's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

1.0

Despite the beautiful and lyrical writing style of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, I found myself struggling to connect with the story. While I sensed an underlying important narrative, it felt overshadowed by the writing's pretentiousness, leaving me feeling lost amongst the prose. The scenes of animal torture were particularly disturbing and felt unnecessary. Overall, while I appreciate the author’s obvious talent, this book didn't resonate with me, and I didn't enjoy the experience as much as I had hoped.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Addiction, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Drug use, and Excrement

sxndaze's review against another edition

emotional 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Sexual content, and Grief

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and War

Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Vomit

bookishlucy's review

challenging dark emotional informative 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? Yes

4.25

This was a devastatingly beautiful book. Ocean Vuong's prose and writing style really suit the story and tug on your heartstrings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Drug use, Death, and Addiction

Moderate: Sexual content, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Homophobia, War, Racism, and Physical abuse

Minor: Bullying and Cancer

littleghostelli's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Excrement, Genocide, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, War, Blood, Child abuse, Gun violence, Cursing, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Pregnancy

chloe_601's review against another edition

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I cried multiple times reading this book! The prose and wording is beautiful and captured so many emotions surrounding grief over family, friends, and lovers, along with growing up queer and Vietnamese in America. The ending wasn’t as satisfying as I would have hoped, but it fits with a theme of endings just happening, and us having to pick up the pieces and try to move on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, and War