Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

57 reviews

thestarsaresad's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

This book was good, but honestly I feel like I'm just too dumb to truly comprehend and appreciate it. I'm sure someone smarter than me could read it and come up with a bunch of important meanings, but for me, I just read it as a letter from a son to a mother. It's not that this book was boring -- it's not, I loved reading about his experiences -- but the reflection and different metaphors in the book honestly flew over my head. I've read a lot of fantasy books recently, so this book was a much needed breath of fresh air, of reality, of the human experience.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Animal death, Abortion, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death, and Sexual content

Moderate: Excrement, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Medical content, and War

mirandyli's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

Beautifully written and will probably make you cry. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Medical content, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Addiction, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Cancer, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, War, Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

muravyevaa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

This is a great book, however, the reason I didn’t give it 5 stars has nothing to do with the book but me – books that are a bit too poetic is not exactly my cup of tea. That being said, it is a beautiful yet dark read. Would definitely recommend to anyone who is not bothered by the style

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, War, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Death, Racism, Racial slurs, Animal death, Medical content, Abortion, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Torture, Violence, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Terminal illness

notartgarfunkel's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Abortion, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual content, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, Body horror, Cursing, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, Bullying, Cancer, Excrement, Vomit, Gore, Grief, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Fatphobia, Deportation, Pedophilia, and Transphobia

gabriella_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

His prose is beautiful and reads like poetry, it is recommended to read this before Night Sky with Exit Wounds, it adds so much more context to that read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Medical content, Drug use, Addiction, Bullying, War, Violence, Sexual content, Grief, Abortion, Xenophobia, Racism, Terminal illness, Sexism, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Dementia, Death, Cursing, and Classism

_bailey_reads_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

This is the most well written book I have ever read. It is powerful and beautiful and gut wrenching. I am in love with Ocean Vuong’s master ability to write and articulate what it means to be human and to suffer and feel pain and loss. This is masterful! My favorite book! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Racism, Violence, Medical content, Death, Physical abuse, Cancer, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, War, Sexual content, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, and Vomit

bashsbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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

4.5

This book is DENSE. I had to really turn my brain on to read it, which was not a bad thing, but it did make me take much longer to read it than I expected. Like in his poetry, Vuong's descriptions are vibrant and original. My favorite aspect of his writing is I can see exactly what he is describing, even though his manner of description is unique. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Racism, War, Abortion, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Blood, Animal death, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Classism, Drug use, Excrement, and Sexual content

Moderate: Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Medical content, Cancer, Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness

Minor: Gun violence, Cursing, Vomit, and Abandonment

Uses of slurs against LGBTQ+ folks

anton13's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Beautiful. Just beautiful. Seriously the way Ocean writes is so poetic, I love it! And just the way he’s able to intertwine everything he’s been through with well placed facts and anecdotes is amazing. I always love finding good writing and this truly is as good as it gets. I love everything about it. I’d truly recommend it to anyone and everyone!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

Moderate: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Blood, Drug abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Pregnancy, Abortion, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Violence, Car accident, Medical content, and Vomit

nicnevin's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

Poetic and raw, it's honestly beyond words for me

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Car accident, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Medical content, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Vomit, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Xenophobia

kaimetcalfe's review against another edition

challenging dark 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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Sexual content, Violence, War, Addiction, Death, Grief, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Pregnancy, Blood, Abortion, Domestic abuse, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Gun violence, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cancer, and Car accident

Minor: Excrement and Medical content