2.2k reviews for:

The Emperor of Gladness

Ocean Vuong

4.26 AVERAGE

anne65's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mmarginet's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark 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: Yes

gayemosasuke's review against another edition

5.0

funny reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Vuong is such a master at making the mundane aspects of small town America beautiful without romanticizing them. You feel deeply for each character as they struggle through life, but the moments they are together make it all worth it. I'll be forever envious of his prose--the way he wraps each sentence lovingly in metaphor makes the book feel so lush.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use

Moderate: Sexual content

arlucadamo's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

penguinfeathers's review against another edition

5.0

emotional 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: Yes

olsugarbread's review against another edition

2.5

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

dye2knit's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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: Complicated

mm280111's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

dishing_on_books's review against another edition

4.25

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

jadedinh's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes