Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

883 reviews

brookiet1220's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

The writing is what stands out about this novel.  One of the most eloquent statements Little Dog makes in the novel is when about his family’s mother tongue is not a mother at all, it’s an orphan.  Besides war, this novel discusses themes of sexual identity, drug use, and domestic abuse.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia and War

Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse

kimisaboss123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Drug abuse

Moderate: Death, Grief, War, and Cancer

Minor: Homophobia, Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Hate crime, and Gun violence

rachelfazio's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Racism, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Death, Homophobia, Addiction, and Drug use

rumoursfromlnez's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

"Let no one mistake us for the fruit of violence - but that violence, having passed through the fruit, failed to spoil it.”

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Child abuse

Moderate: Abortion, War, and Racism

Minor: Sexual content

jeddicat's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, War, Death, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Drug use

idk_indigo's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

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

2.0

I wanted to like this book, I really did. And some of it was incredible! I loved the unique formatting, a son's letter to his mother brought a very emotional approach to the writing, and also a perspective that is so interesting. Letters are very intimate, and that is definitely how the book presents, in emotion but also in what the letter-writer is choosing to share (especially with a mother). I also really loved the formatting, almost like a poem but in prose, and you can tell when you're reading that the author is skilled in poetry. So yes, I definitely think this book is all that people say it is: deep, emotional, tragic, and beautiful. 

That being said, I don't really think this is for me... it honestly felt a bit like trauma porn at times, which is probably an unfair thing of me to say because I understand that an entire facet of poetry is making tragedy beautiful (/s), but I found myself almost wanting to roll my eyes at times. Idk. Also, I know this is coming from the perspective of written correspondence, and that definitely changes how a person talks about themselves/their experiences/reality, but I genuinely just got very sick of the main character, Little Dog. And towards the end, the poetry-as-prose format got very old for me. There's not anything specifically wrong with it, per se, I just didn't like it. I think maybe it would've held up better if it was shorter, but I'm almost like there's a reason why poems are short. 

I may read something else from the author, maybe some of his poetry, because the content of this book was super interesting to me. I think I would have liked this better had I been in a different mood, but I am not, so... 2 stars. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, and Homophobia

Moderate: Addiction, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Death, and Drug abuse

Minor: Xenophobia, War, Racism, and Sexual assault

tessa52's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Homophobia, Dementia, Excrement, Racism, Car accident, Alcoholism, Addiction, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, Animal cruelty, and War

sundayfever's review against another edition

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

5.0

Really beautiful writing style, I enjoyed it more than most authors style. Poignant and emotional. Lots of beautiful descriptions of trauma, family and love. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Death, Sexual content, Child abuse, Drug use, and War

Moderate: Excrement, Domestic abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Alcohol and Alcoholism

aein's review against another edition

dark 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? Yes

4.0

This is a letter from a son to his illiterate mother. Knowing full well that she may not be able to read it, he spills everything on paper in English - the generational trauma, hardships of being interracial, and sexuality among a few. An acceptance that beauty is something we can be, no matter the briefness of it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, War, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, and Cancer

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Miscarriage

diegor's review

dark 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

4.5

Amazingly lyrical

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Suicide, Violence, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, and Animal death