Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

332 reviews

elisegmusic's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This novel was absolutely stunning. Told in the format of a letter written from a son to a mother, it weaves through time, meandering through the boy’s past and present and roaming through the time before he was born through the stories told by his mother and grandmother. 

 

All the characters are lovable, though flawed, with filled out backstories and motivations - A boy growing up trying to find his identity. A mother who moves to America but cannot speak English. A grandmother with schizophrenia who isn’t quite sure where she is in the present, but tells beautiful, spiraling stories about the past. 

 

This book is poetic, but accessible, and it could easily be read in one day if you have the time. This is definitely a story I will be recommending time and time again.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Abortion, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexual content

Minor: Domestic abuse, Death, and Cancer

violetbentbackwards1036's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Torture, Addiction, Hate crime, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Gore, Abandonment, Abortion, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, War, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Racism, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

zeldazonks's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.0

I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author which was genuinely an incredible way to take in the book. However it did mean that it felt like a 7 hour poetry reading, so I had to pace myself and probably listen in more instalments than if I'd physically read it. Not that that detracted from the book in anyway, but it's worth bearing in mind. Overall incredibly beautiful writing and a devastating story, very meditative and hops back and forth through time so it feels almost dream like or like memory. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Child abuse, Medical content, Addiction, Pregnancy, War, Sexual violence, Excrement, Cancer, Abortion, Homophobia, Drug abuse, and Domestic abuse

elbent's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Absolutely phenomenal. Unlike anything I’ve ever read. Made me a better writer just by reading it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death, Cancer, Sexual content, Addiction, Death of parent, and Drug use

marena02's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-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: Death, Drug abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Suicide, Alcohol, Blood, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Deportation, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Vomit, Child abuse, Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Addiction, Medical content, Physical abuse, Animal death, Bullying, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Violence, Death of parent, and War

sarahiev's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Addiction, Drug use, Sexual content, Grief, Domestic abuse, War, and Child abuse

Moderate: Cancer and Excrement

Minor: Abortion

readingtempeh's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Death

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Racism, Cancer, Homophobia, Drug abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Suicide, Grief, Pregnancy, Abortion, Transphobia, and Outing

luca_18's review against another edition

challenging inspiring 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Addiction, and Cancer

pastlifetragedy's review against another edition

dark emotional informative inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Animal death, Death of parent, Abortion, Death, Drug use, Addiction, Cursing, and Animal cruelty

Moderate: Colonisation, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Terminal illness, Confinement, Classism, Excrement, Dementia, Cancer, Blood, and Vomit

amandamuchmoreparker's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, War, and Violence